Puntukas

Puntukas Stone, also known as the stone of Dvaronys, is the second largest stone in Lithuania located 6 km to the south of Anykščiai, in the Anykščiai Pinewood landscape reserve, Dvaronys village, near Šventoji River. It is a monument of nature, mythology and history, declared to be the geological monument of nature in 2000. Puntukas is one of the most visited places in Lithuania.

Up until 1957, Puntukas was considered to be the largest stone in Lithuania, until the discovery of Barstyčiai Stone in Puokė.

Anykščiai Treetop Walking Path can be found near Puntukas Stone. There is also a stone called the Brother of Puntukas and the Queen's Quagmire southwest of Anykščiai, on the opposite side of Šventoji River.

According to its petrological composition, Puntukas Stone is an amphibolite-biotite granite. It weighs around 265 tons, is 7.54 m long, 7.34 m wide and 5.7 m high (of which 1.5 m are underground). The volume of Puntukas is 100 m³. Its density is around 2.7 g/cm³. Maximum horizontal volume 21.39 m.

Puntukas Stone contains the carved bas-reliefs of Steponas Darius Girėnas and Stasys Girėnas - the pilots of Lituanica, as well as the words of their testament to the Lithuanian nation. The bas-reliefs and words were carved within a period of 180 days during World War II, in mid-summer of 1943, by sculptor Bronius Pundzius to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the flight of these well-known pilots.

Archaeologists believe that this massive stone was left here by the Scandinavian mountain glaciers that were shifting through this region 20–14 thousand years ago.

Legend says that a devil carried this stone in order to demolish a church, but dropped it as soon as he heard the crowing roosters. The stone was named after the warrior Puntukas.

Sources:

1. https://www.infoanyksciai.lt