There is a mental hospital in the town, as well as a health care centre, pharmacy, "Saulės" secondary school, affiliates of music and art schools of Šilutė, kindergarten, recreation center, library, museum, 2 churches, the renovated synagogue, the parish's nursing home, the planning department, a post office, police station and fire house.

Supposedly, the settlement could have been established after the Treaty of Melno in 1422, when the danger of the Teutonic Knights had declined.

On March 8, 1503, Švėkšna was mentioned in the act of Linkuva church's foundation and subsidy.

The execution was carried out by order of SS-Sturmbannführer Hans Joachim Böhme, commander of Gestapo Tilsit.

[1] The murder site is in the old Jewish cemetery on the outskirts of the town on Aušros street, there is a monument at the location.