Rietavas (pronunciationⓘ; Samogitian: Rėitavs; Polish: Retów) is a town in Lithuania on the Jūra River.

The town is famous for building the first power station to produce electricity in Lithuania in 1892.

In the 14th and 15th centuries Rietavas was one of the most important defence centres in Samogitia and also a crossing of commercial roads.

In 1873 current Catholic Church reflecting features of Romanesque Revival architecture was built.

On 17 April 1892 in Easter the first street lights were turned on in Rietavas manor, park and church.

The Jews of Rietavas dealt in trade and crafts and provided their labor as plasterers, carpenters and blacksmiths.

In 1882, Tsar Alexander III published legislation that restricted Jewish residence in the Russian Empire to small towns and villages, making farming impossible for the Jews in the rural areas or industry in the cities.