Krzysztof Mikołaj Radziwiłł, called the Lightning, built Biržai Castle for the Radziwiłł family. A dam built in 1575 created Lake Širvėna, which covers about 15 square miles (40 square km), and the embankments were built from 1586 to 1589. The article calls it the first Italian-style bastion fort in Lithuania.
Georgas Pirkas rebuilt the embankments in the Dutch style from 1637 under Krzysztof II Radziwiłł. Teofilis Krell-Spinovskis designed the manor house, barracks, arsenal and gate tower between 1659 and 1669. The infobox lists a Renaissance style.
Swedish forces besieged the castle in 1625, and the Treaty of Biržai was signed here in 1701. The Swedes blew up the castle in 1704. It was restored from 1978 to 1986 and again in 2013. It is a National Cultural Monument of Lithuania.
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