Mazeikiai

Mazeikiai is a city in the north-western Lithuania, on the Venta River. It has a population of around 45,300, making it the eighth largest city in Lithuania. The city is the administrative center of Mažeikiai district municipality in Telšiai County. It is the largest city that does not have its county.

The town started growing rapidly in 1869 when a railway line connecting Vilnius and Liepāja was constructed. In 1893, the town had 13 shops and 5 alehouses. In 1894 an Orthodox church was built, in 1902 a Catholic church, and in 1906 an Evangelical-Lutheran church. From 1899 to 1918 the town was called Muravyov.