Alytus, city in southern Lithuania and capital of the Alytus Region. Alytus lies on the Nemunas River 55 km (35 mi) south of Kaunas in a heavily forested region. Alytus is a rapidly growing industrial center for lumber, paper, furniture, food products, textiles, clothing, home appliances, and chemicals. It is home to two churches dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. The city has been part of Lithuania since the 9th century but was destroyed in the late 14th century by Germanic Teutonic Knights. In 1581 Alytus received city status in the Lithuanian-Polish commonwealth and became an important trade and craft center. In 1795 Alytus was incorporated into Prussia, and in 1815 it became part of the Russian Empire. Alytus was completely burned and rebuilt in the 19th century and in 1918 returned to Lithuania. During World War II (1939-1945) it was occupied first by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and later by Germany. In 1944 as the Soviet army again advanced on the city, heavy fighting against the retreating Germans completely destroyed the city. After the war Alytus was part of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic of the USSR until Lithuania's independence in 1991. Population (1994) 77,000.
