Panevėžys is the fifth largest city in Lithuania. As of 2011, it occupied 52 square kilometres (20 sq mi) with 113,653 inhabitants.
The largest multifunctional arena in Panevėžys, Cido Arena, hosted the Eurobasket 2011 group matches.
Panevėžys is situated in the middle of Lithuania; it is halfway between two Baltic capitals - Vilnius and Riga. The good geographical location with good road infrastructure, and the international highway Via Baltica provides opportunities for business. The city is connected by railway to Šiauliai (Lithuania) and Daugavpils (Latvia), as well as with Rubikiai/Anykščiai and Biržai by the Aukštaitijos narrow gauge railway. This railway is preserved as a historical monument and serves as a tourist attraction. 6 km (3.73 mi) east of Panevėžys the Panevėžys Air Base is located.
The Museum of Ethnography has accumulated a lot of artifacts of historical and cultural heritage. The Art Gallery organizes about 20 different exhibitions every year as well as music and literature evenings, lectures and discussions about culture and art research. The Photography Gallery arranges 30 exhibitions of photography every year. 10 photo artists had personal exhibitions abroad and won international awards. The Public Library has 8 branches.
Since 1989 Panevėžys has been organizing International Ceramics Symposia. The unique collection of ceramics is the biggest in the Baltic countries and is added to each year. The Chamber orchestra, Women's Choir "Golden Oriole", ensemble "Muzika" are well known for various music projects not only in Lithuania but also abroad. The Brass Orchestra "Panevėžio Garsas" plays not only for Lithuanian audience but also for people in the Baltic countries, Germany, France and the Netherlands. The Orchestra won the Grand Prize in a festival in France in 1997.
The city is a home to many theaters. Juozas Miltinis Drama Theatre is famous in Lithuania and Europe. Juozas Miltinis has brought up a number of actors. One of them is Donatas Banionis who is known internationally. Theater "Menas" was established in 1991. The city boasts of Puppet Wagon Theater which is the only in Europe. Antanas Markuckis, the director of the Theater was awarded International Prize of Hans Christian Andersen in Copenhagen in 2003. Every two years the theater organizes the International Theater Festival "Lagaminas". There also is a musical theater and school called Juozas Miltinis school where are drama lessons lectured.
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