Marijampolė is the capital metropolis of Suvalkija (Sūduva), the Užnemunė ethnic region of Lithuania.  The town, settled by the Šešupė River, originated from the village of Pašešupis, first mentioned in the past records back in 1667. In the 18th century the village evolved into Starapolė Town. Upon having constructed a monastery the town was given the name of Marijampolė. On 23 February 1792, Marijampolė was settled a privilege of the Magdeburg rights and became a valid town and an significant trade centre of Užnemunė.

After Lithuania restored its self-government for the second time, the town regained its former name of Marijampolė. The town put up monuments to famous state, municipal and society figures, including linguist J.Jablonskis, writer V.Mykolaitis-Putinas and others, who lived there. The Vytautas the Great, Poetry, Pašešupis (in the Šešupė River valley) and Marijampolės Marios (Marijampolė Lagoon) Parks attract town’s residents and visitors by diverse flora and well arranged spaces. There are some hill-forts and a huge amount of other historical sites in the town’s environs and the county.  The Vištytis Regional Park is a popular place of recreation.