The Oak Virinta
The oak of Virinta grows on the slope of the river Virinta. The shield of the roots formed in the trunk gives solidity and stability to the oak of almost 20 meters of height. The thickness of the trunk exceeds five meters. Lithuanians used to pray their gods for strength and health under the oaks in the ancient times. Oaks used to be extremely respected and considered sacred. People used to be afraid to cut or otherwise harm them. It’s said that whoever cuts it, will die himself. People used to avoid touching even those oaks that were hit by thunder. The devil is supposedly nailed under the roots by the arrows from the sky. If you touch the stump, the devil might escape.
The oak of Virinta is best visible kayaking in the river Virinta. If you travel by road, you should look for the oak of Virinta in the district of Molėtai, in the eldership of Alanta, approximately one and a half kilometres from the village of Klabiniai.
