Šeštokai railway station building complex

In 1895-1899, Tsarist Russia built the arc-shaped Varėna-Alytus-Simnas-Šeštokai-Augustavas-Gardinas railway, which was of great strategic importance for Prussia’s growing military power. Šeštokai has a railway station where two railway lines of 1435 mm and 1520 mm railway converge, making the town an important transit point between the Baltic States and the European Union countries to the west. Šeštokiai railway station was built in 1898 during the Tsarist era next to the manor house that stood at that time. The station building was designed and supervised by the engineer Aleksandras Gasketas. Later, warehouses and flats for employees were built and people still live here today. On 14 June 1941, the brightest people of Lithuania were deported to Siberia from the Šeštokiai railway station, and in 1941, the Jewish people were deported from the same station to Kalvarija, where they met their tragic fate. A cross and a monument have been erected in the square near the railway station to honour the Lithuanian exiles. After the restoration of Lithuania’s independence, Šeštokai became Lithuania’s gateway to Europe. The station is a state-protected object of real estate cultural heritage.