In recent years, however, streets, public squares and large areas of the parks in the city were reconstructed and Utena is now more attractive for recreation and tourism.

It was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania until 1795, when it fell under the Russian Empire rule.

[5] In 1835–1836, the Utena Postage Station for horse post with lodging houses and stables was constructed, which was used or passed by the Russian tsars, French writer Honoré de Balzac, Russian painter Ilya Repin, Lithuanian poet Antanas Baranauskas, Lithuanian national movement figure Jonas Basanavičius, etc.

Following the defeat of Soviets, in June 1919, Utena became a district center in independent Lithuania.

In 1941, approximately 2,000 Jews were rounded up in the town, which was then under the Nazi occupation, and shot in the Rašė Forest about 2 km (1.2 mi) to the north.

[7] According to the 2021 census, the city population was 25,343 people, of which:[8] Utena is located in northeastern Lithuania.