Iš Pasvalio istorijos

LTPasvalys-Šiaurės Lietuvos miestas prie Svalios ir Lėvens upių santakos Lietuvos Didžiojoje Kunigaikštystėje buvo Trakų vaivadijos Upytės apskrities ribose. Kalbininkams miesto vardo kilmė aiški - tai priešdėlio pa- vedinys iš upės, prie kurios įsikūręs miestas, vardo Svalia. Iš tikrųjų XVI a. šaltiniuose miestas kartais vadintas ne tik Pasvaliu, bet ir Svalia. Žinių apie Pasvalio ir jo apylinkių istoriją yra pateikęs Bronius Kviklys knygoje "Mūsų Lietuva", tad čia paminėsime kitus gal kiek mažiau žinomus faktus, tikėdamiesi, kad jie bus naudingi pasvaliečiams, kurie kada nors patys rašys savo miesto ir apylinkių istoriją. [Iš straipsnio, p. 44 ]

ENPasvalys, a town in Northern Lithuania on the confluence of the Svalia and Levuo rivers, in the Great Duchy of Lithuania belonged to the district of Upyte (the province of Trakai). Not only more favourable conditions and the increase in the number of population but also the trade ways - both land and water - had an influence on its foundation. Those trade ways led from Vilnius and Eastern Lithuania to Pasvalys and through it to Salociai and further on to Riga. On december 6, 1497 Aleksandras, the Great Duke of Lithuania, gave permission to the appointed by himself Dean of the Church of Pasvalys Jonas Grotas to build a parish church on the confluence of the Svalia and Levuo and to found a new town of Svalia near it. It was possible that in 1550-51 in Pasvalys there were 90-100 farmsteads. In those times that was a big settlement. Then Pasvalys became famous by the treaty between the Great Duchy of Lithuanua and Livonia signed on September 14,1557. On may 2, 1570 Stephen Batory gave Pasvalys to Vilnius capitulum. The capitulum was obliged to support the school and to repair the church. Its representative had to visit the church of Pasvalys every year. The town had its own measure-Pasvalys barrel. There were a mill and a school in Pasvalys. In 1586-87 there were 55 inns in the town. It had 50 valakas (land measuring unit about 20 ha) of land, and the town dwellers had bought 20 more valakas from the local noblemen. In 1589, there were 73 houses in Pasvalys. The town dwellers were Lithuanians, only near the market and in Levuo street there were two farmsteads belonging to the Jews. On August 5, 1642 Vladyslav Vaza confirmed all the privileges given to the church of Pasvalys. In the 17th century more jews and some karaites came to live in Pasvalys.In the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century disorder and wars impeded its economics. In 1717, the inventory ofthe church of Pasvalys was made, described and the limits of its domains made more exact. 430 jews lived in the town and in the parish, and they had a big sinagogue in Pasvalys. In 1776, a wooden church burned down. A new and brick one was built in 1787. After the last division of Lithuania Pasvalys still remaind for a while at the disposal of Vilnius Capitulum. In 1839, there were 55 farmsteads of christians and 25 farmsteads of jews. The bridge over the Levuo river was built in 1907. In 1912, there were 168 owners of the houses in the town. The data of the times of independent Lithuania were given by Bronius Kviklys, and write Jonas Mikelinskas described Pasvalys of the Soviet times. [From the publication]