Astravas Manor

Astravas Manor is a manor in the Biržai suburb of Astravas, Lithuania.

In the mid 16th century, the Biržai area became a Duchy and the centre of territories belonging to a branch of the influential Radziwiłł family.

In 1811 Duke Dominik Hieronim Radziwiłł sold the Biržai lands to Count Michał Tyszkiewicz for 450,000 silver rubles.

The approval of the purchase and sale agreement was hindered by the fact that other descendants of the Radziwiłł family made claims, as well as by the fact that Count Michał Tyszkiewicz led a Lithuanian regiment fighting in Napoleon's army.

It took 33 years of litigation before, in 1844, Tsar Nicholas I of Russia recognized the Duchy of Biržai as the possession of Michał Tyszkiewicz's son Jan Tyszkiewicz.

As Biržai Castle was uninhabitable, the Tyszkiewicz family established their summer retreat at Astravas, across Lake Širvėnas from Biržai.

Jan Tyszkiewicz commissioned architect Tomasz Tyszecki to build Astravas Manor.

The Italian villa-style two-storey palace with belvedere tower was built in several stages during 1849–1862, and exudes a characteristic Romantic era elegance.