About 360 million years ago (Devonian period of the Paleozoic era), sedimentary rocks - dolomites - formed on the bottom of a warm salty sea. And 13,000 years ago, the latest retreating glacier from Lithuania left sediments - sand and gravel - which settled on the dolomite surface. After the ice melted, a mixture of boulders, sand and clay lay on the surface. In the vicinity of Žagare, dolomite was found at a depth of 0.3-6 m. The layers of these rocks can be seen on the banks of Švėtė, at the bottom and in the former dolomite quarry - in the outcrop of Žagarė.
Žagarė outcrop - a geological object of natural heritage - a dolomite wall 2.5 - 3.5 m high and about 200 m long, known since the 19th century. In the quarry, dolomite was mined by hand even before the Second World War for burning lime, and later also as crushed stone for road construction. The people of Žagar, who worked in the quarry, said that they filled the excavated dolomite into furnaces, which they burned with firewood and stumps. The lime burned out in 4-5 days. They were taken to the Joniškis railway station, where they were sent in wagons according to orders, usually to Russia. Lime burning furnaces (lubricators) were installed right next to the quarry. The remains of one of them have survived to this day. The exploitation of the dolomite quarry was stopped in 1964.
in 2012 the works of organizing and adapting the Žagarė exposure for visitors have been completed, during which the area of the exposure has been improved, stairs, a canopy, and an information stand have been installed.
Translated by Google •
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