Sovetsk, Kaliningrad Oblast

Sovetsk
Советск
Historic city center with preserved old townhouses
Interactive map of Sovetsk
Sovetsk
Location of Sovetsk
Sovetsk
Sovetsk (European Russia)
Sovetsk
Sovetsk (Europe)
Coordinates: 55°04′51″N 21°53′11″E / 55.08083°N 21.88639°E / 55.08083; 21.88639
CountryRussia
Federal subjectKaliningrad Oblast
Founded1288
Town status since1552
Government
 • HeadViktor Smilgin
Elevation
10 m (33 ft)
Population
 • Total
41,705
 • Estimate 
(2002)
43,224 (+3.6%)
 • Subordinated totown of oblast significance of Sovetsk
 • Capital oftown of oblast significance of Sovetsk
 • Urban okrugSovetsky Urban Okrug
 • Capital ofSovetsky Urban Okrug
Time zoneUTC+2 (MSK–1 )
Postal code
238750
Dialing code+7 40161
OKTMO ID27730000001
Websitesovetsk.gov39.ru

Sovetsk (Russian: Сове́тск; German: Tilsit [ˈtɪlzɪt] ; Lithuanian: Tilžė; Polish: Tylża) is a town in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the south bank of the Neman River which forms the border with Lithuania.

Founded in the medieval period and granted municipal rights in 1552, it is one of the historically most important towns of the oblast and the traditional capital of the region of Lithuania Minor. It was the place where two treaties were concluded, of great importance in the history of France, Poland, Lithuania, Germany and Russia. It is the place of origin of the Tilsit cheese.

With a population of 38,614 as of 2023 it is the second largest city of the Kaliningrad Oblast.