Rest in Palanga: from bathing in carriages to choosing the most beautiful ponies 15MAX

It was the family of the Tiškevičius counts that contributed the most to the fact that Palanga, which was still a small fishing village in the 19th century, became a seaside resort.

The Palanga estate was acquired from the Russian general Xavier Niesiolovsky in 1824 by Count Mykolas Tiškevičius, and his heirs began to rest here, to establish, to develop businesses, to build villas for rent.

Read more about how this aristocratic family turned Palanga into a resort here.

Virginija Paluckienė, Acting Director of the Palanga Resort Museum, told how Palanga had changed, what the rest looked like.

Swim – with skirt and shoes

At first, the Tiškevičiai counts only spent summers in Palanga. They also invited family, friends and other aristocrats as guests.

According to V. Paluckienė, various nights of entertainment and events were organized: performances, festivals, for example, flowers.

In those days, bathing in the Baltic Sea was completely different than it is now. It is true that only the rich bathe in this way.

One of the peculiarities is the transport of horses on large wheels. It was useful in three ways.

“First of all, to hide from unwanted eyes. Naked swimming was also popular then, as seawater was believed to have the best effect on the naked body, giving it health. The most timid and modest aristocrats also rented carts They were dragged further out to sea and the women jumped directly from the carriages into the water, bathed, climbed aboard and returned to the beach.

Also, the carriage was comfortable and, as a wardrobe, there was no need to go anywhere. The third thing: sitting in a carriage, you did not have to plunge into the sea through the breaking waves. Because it is a difficult task for the sick, ”said V. Paluckienė.