Jonava

Jonava (pronunciation , Yiddish: יאָנאווא‎, romanized: Yonava Polish: Janów, German: Janau) is the ninth largest city in Lithuania with a population of ca 30,000.[1] It is located in Kaunas County in central Lithuania, 30 km (19 mi) north east of Kaunas, the second-largest city in Lithuania. It is served by Kaunas International Airport. Achema, the largest fertilizer factory in the Baltic states, is located nearby. The city is sometimes called "the capital of midsummer holiday" (lt. – Joninės).

This article is about the Lithuanian city. For the village in the Czech Republic, see Janová.
Jonava
City
Flag
Coat of arms
Nickname(s): 
Jonų ir Janinų sostinė
(The capital of Jonai and Janinos)
Jonava
Location of Jonava in Lithuania
Jonava
Location of Jonava within the Baltics
Jonava
Location of Jonava in Europe
Coordinates: 55°4′20″N 24°16′50″E
Country Lithuania
Ethnographic regionAukštaitija
County Kaunas County
MunicipalityJonava district municipality
EldershipJonava town eldership
Capital ofJonava district municipality
Jonava town eldership
First mentioned1740
Granted city rights1864
Area
 • Total13.6682 km2 (5.2773 sq mi)
Elevation
65 m (213 ft)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total26,423
 • Density1,900/km2 (5,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code
55xxx
Websitewww.jonava.lt

History

Jonava was officially established as a city in the 18th century during the times of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1750 first wooden church has been built in Jonava. In 1778 beer brewery was operating in the town.[2] Around 1812 Napoleon and his army invaded the town and its surrounding villages. In 1923 Jonava officially recognised as city-status settlement and in 1950 it became centre of municipality.

The city had a large Jewish population before World War II - in 1893 92% of the population was Jewish and in 1941 it was 80%. In 1932 there were 250 shops owned by Jewish families, a Jewish bank, 7 synagogues and a Jewish school.[3] During World War II Jonava was attacked by Nazi Germany. A Christian church and five Jewish synagogues were destroyed.[4] The Jews of the city were killed in two massacres, in August and September 1941. A total of 2,108 people were executed by an Einsatzgruppen of Germans and Lithuanian Self-Defence Units.[5] 200 remaining Jews were kept prisoners at the Kaunas ghetto.

After the war the city built the largest fertilizer factory in the Baltic states and Jonava become one of 4 biggest industrial cities in Lithuania.

Environmental catastrophe

An explosion occurred in the chemical fertilizers factory on 20 March 1989, causing a leakage of nearly 7,500 tonnes of liquid ammonia. The catastrophe developed further into a fire within the nitrophosphate facility and fertilizer storehouses polluting the atmosphere with products of their combustion, such as nitrous oxide and chlorine. The toxic cloud drifted towards Ukmergė, Širvintos and Kėdainiai. The concentration of ammonia surpassed the permissible level by a factor of 150 in Upninkai, at 10 km from the disaster site. One day after the accident, a toxic cloud 7 km wide and 50 km long was recorded between Jonava and Kėdainiai. Seven people died during the fire and leakage of ammonia immediately afterward, 29 people became handicapped, and a large number of people suffered from acute respiratory and cardiac attacks. The true extend of damages and health impact from the event is however unknown. What is known is that exposure to ammonia prenatally, especially at a young age can cause serious brain damage.

Administrative divisions

Jonava is divided into 13 city regions:

  • Senamiestis
  • Girelė
  • Miškų ūkis
  • Paneriai
  • Lietava
  • Lakštingalos
  • Juodmena
  • Geležinkelio stotis
  • Baldininkai
  • Rimkai
  • Kosmonautai
  • Skaruliai
  • Virbalai

Demography

Historical population
YearInhabitants
19395500
19595000
197014563
197928413
198936520
200134954
201130777
201727809

Sport

The city has its own "physical culture and sports center" with stadium, swimming pool and indoor arena. It has already been announced that the city is going to build a new large indoor arena "BC Jonava".

Football
Central stadium of Jonava

Jonava has 2 soccer teams

  • FK Jonava is playing in the A Lyga – First Football Division of Lithuania
  • FK Jonava B - second team of FK Jonava, playing in the Third Division of Lithuania

Athletics

The marathon runners sport club Maratonas won 4 medals at Vilnius Marathon.[6]

Basketball

Jonava has a basketball team, founded in 1969; Jonava SK Malsta playing in the National Basketball League (Nacionalinė Krepšinio Lyga). There is also a women's basketball team called BC Jonava which won bronze medals in the women's Second Basketball Division (Nacionalinė moterų krepšinio lyga).

Volleyball

Jonava has a strong women's volleyball team Achema-KKSC that playing in the highest league A Grupė. In 2010 Jonava held the international "Alfredas Ogonauskas Memorial Volleyball Championship".[7]

Competitions

Jonava also hosts some less regular competitions. During the traditional midsummer holiday there was "Jonas's Republic President Cup" of Rally Slalom events.[8] In summer seasons there are some occasional cycling tournaments or cross country competitions.

Education
  • Jonava Neris comprehensive school
  • Jonava Raimundas Samulevičius Progymnasium
  • Jonava Old Town Gymnasium
  • Janina Miščiukaitė art school

Twin towns — sister cities
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Lithuania

Jonava is twinned with:[9]

Notable residents
  • Abraomas Kulvietis monument
  • Library of Jonava
  • Fountains in Santarvė squad
  • Janina Miščiukaitė School of Art
  • House of municipality government
  • Sąjūdis square
  • Location of the mass grave where 2108 Jews were massacred in 1941.
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gollark: According to *actual data*, Seagate is fine.
gollark: https://www.backblaze.com/blog/backblaze-hard-drive-stats-q1-2021/

References
  1. "Lietuvos Statistikos Departmentas". Lietuvos Statistikos Departmentas. Lietuvos Statistikos Departmentas. 28 April 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  2. "Jonavos rajono istorijos datos". jonbiblioteka.lt.
  3. Travel Lietuva - Jonava
  4. BFL, UAB. "Žydai Lietuvoje - Jonava". www.zydai.lt. Archived from the original on 2015-03-25. Retrieved 2012-11-05.
  5. www.atease.lt, Created atEase. "Holocaust Atlas of Lithuania". www.holocaustatlas.lt.
  6. "DANSKE BANK VILNIAUS MARATONAS". www.vilniausmaratonas.lt.
  7. "Savaitgalį Jonavoje tinklinio šventė >> Sportas.info - Lietuvos sporto veidrodis". sportas.info.
  8. "Neegzistuoja - Serveriai.lt". junior.ajags.lt.
  9. "Tarptautinis bendradarbiavimas". jonava.lt (in Lithuanian). Jonava. Retrieved 2019-08-28.
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