By Beata Bruggeman-Sekowska
Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania amazes, surprises and enchants. Behind every corner you can find every and each time a surprise telling you a story of its impressive history. I absolutely love its narrow bending streets and artistic touches everywhere.
Since there are no COVID-19 entry requirements and Vilnius gets prepared to celebrate its 700th anniversary, it is definitely worth visiting Lithuania and its capital city!
Did you know that by the 15th century, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, with its capital Vilnius, had become the largest country in Europe, stretching from the Baltic Sea in the North to the Black Sea in the South? Vilnius has preserved an impressive complex of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and classical buildings. Its Old Town has been listed on UNESCO World Heritage list in 1994.
We will present here just a modest choice of absolute must see locations in Vilnius but there are many more locations that must be seen in Vilnius and we will definitely devote more publications to this city in the future.
Potential
Besides history it has much more to offer. Vilnius is the largest city of Lithuania with population of 592,389 inhabitants and 2nd biggest Baltic city after Riga, capital of Latvia. It is an education center. Vilnius is a University city with one of the oldest universities of Europe, beautifully located around the Old city of Vilnius with its 13 courtyeards. Vilnius is also a modern city with lots of potential. In 2009, Vilnius was the European Capital of Culture, in 2021 it was among top-25 fDi’s Global Cities of the Future – one of the most forward-thinking cities with the greatest potential in the World and it is classified as a Gamma global city.
Legend and history
According to a legend, Grand Duke Gediminas (c. 1275–1341) was hunting in the sacred forest near where the Vilnia River flows into the Neris River. Tired after hunting, the Grand Duke fell asleep and had a dream of a huge Iron Wolf standing on top of a hill and howling as strong and loud as hundred wolves. When he woke up he asked the pagan priest Lizdeika to explain the dream to him. The priest said:
“What is destined for the ruler and the State of Lithuania, is thus: the Iron Wolf represents a castle and a city which will be established by you on this site. This city will be the capital of the Lithuanian lands and the dwelling of their rulers, and the glory of their deeds shall echo throughout the world.”
Gediminas, following the wishes of Gods built the city, and called it Vilnius after the Vilnia River.
Around 1000 A.D, a wooden castle was built on a hill which had been fortified in the 5th and 6th centuries. Castles and dwellings were constructed on the surrounding hills. Vilnius, became the capital of the Grand Principality of Lithuania in 1323. The Christianization of the country and the granting of the Magdeburg city rights to the city led to the opening of Vilnius to the west in 1387. It became the seat of the first bishop of Lithuania. The victory over the Teutonic Knights at Tannenberg in 1410 put an end to their destructive attacks. The urban growth followed and Gothic churches and monasteries were established. After the fire of 1471, new streets were built. Between 1503 and 1522, a fortress wall with five gates was built to protect the city from the Mongol threat.
Vilnius’ influence spread across both Western and Eastern Europe. A university was built in 1579 and the city became an important cultural center for the Jews of Eastern Europe.
Vilnius suffered during the Russian occupation (1655-1660), the Swedish occupation (1702-1706) and several fires. It was annexed to Russia in 1795 and the wall and the castle below were demolished. Most of the most important monuments have survived, despite the destruction caused by the Second World War and Soviet occupation.
Old Town of Vilnius and UNESCO
Old town of Vilnius is one of the largest surviving medieval old towns in Northern Europe and at the same time it is very compact and easy to visit. It covers an area of 3.59 square kilometers and has 74 quarters neighborhoods, 70 streets and avenues with 1487 buildings with a total floor area of 1,497,000 square meters. Vilnius Old Town is the oldest part of the Lithuanian capital and has been developed and shaped throughout many centuries by the history of the city and changing cultural influences. It is a place where some of European greatest architectural styles – Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical – coexist and complement each other. The old Town has been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1994. This is how UNESCO determined their decision:
‘’Criterion (ii): Vilnius is an outstanding example of a medieval foundation which exercised a profound influence on architectural and cultural developments in a wide area of Eastern Europe over several centuries.
Criterion (iv): In the townscape and the rich diversity of buildings that it preserves, Vilnius is an exceptional illustration of a Central European town which evolved organically over a period of five centuries.
Integrity
The inscribed property has an extension of 352 ha and contains all the attributes that convey its Outstanding Universal Value. The Vilnius Historic Centre has maintained a radial street pattern that dates back to the Middle Ages. Its spatial structure reflects both the evolution from changes in style and the political and natural calamities that have struck the area. The property maintains exceptional attributes such as the 16th-century University ensemble, a Town Hall with its square, temples of all religious denominations and the complete street pattern without any significant gap.’’
UNESCO stressed also the multicultural character of Vilnius, saying that together with the Lithuanians, other nations of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with their languages, religions and cultures shaped the development of Vilnius as an excellent multicultural city, in which the influences of the West and the East merged.
Churches
Pilies gatvé (street)is the main street where cafes and shops are located. The main street of Vilnius, Gediminas Avenue, is partly located in the Old Town.
The central squares in the old town are Cathedral Square and Town Hall Square.
Wherever you walk in the Old town of Vilnius you are struck by the number of beautiful churches here. In total, there are 28 churches in Vilnius Old Town. It means roughly one church per 700 inhabitants. 21 are Roman Catholic, 4 are Russian Orthodox and Lutheran, Reformed and Eastern Rite Catholic communities have one church each.
It is important to mention that despite the fact that churches during the communist oppression were closed, destroyed, remodelled and used for other purposes as for example sport halls or museum of atheism they are now open for public and their religious communities.
We will describe two of them.
The Cathedral Basilica of St Stanislaus and St Ladislaus of Vilnius is located in the Old Town of Vilnius at the Cathedral Square, in the very center of the city, on the site of a former pagan temple and next to Vilnius defensive castle. This cathedral is the earliest established church in Vilnius, a symbol of Lithuanian baptism and it is the seat of the Archdiocese of Vilnius.
The coronations of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania took place here. Many famous people of Lithuanian and Polish history are buried in the crypts and catacombs including Lithuania’s patron saint St. Casimir, Vytautas: a ruler of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and his wife Anna or the heart of the Polish King and Grand Duke of Lithuania Władysław IV Vasa, the rest of his body is buried in the Wawel Cathedral in Kraków.
You can witness here various styles, including neoclassicism, and the earlier centuries are clearly visible in side chapels that feature various architectural styles which used to be popular in Lithuania. The lower half of the cathedral’s belfry is in fact a former defensive tower of the lower Vilnius Castle. Tiles of different colors mark the places on the square where the defensive wall used to stand.
Next to the Cathedral The National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania is situated which is the 2nd most visited museum in Lithuania- 598 192 visitors (2019).
The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul regarded as the most famous Baroque church of Vilnius is recognized worldwide as one of the most beautiful Catholic churches in the world and we cannot agree more. It is definitely a pearl of architecture.
The church of the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul is at the same time a prominent testimony of the victory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania against the Muscovites. A wooden church used to exist on this location, which was destroyed during wars with Moscow.
Mykolas Kazimieras Pacas, an Emon who wanted to celebrate the liberation of Vilnius from the Russians, built the present church. The church got its current appearance in 1676 and was later decorated with stucco and wall paintings. The Rococo-style pulpit was built at the beginning of the 19th century.
Although the construction of the building went quickly and smoothly, the architect was not satisfied with the work of the local craftsmen and invited the Italian masters Giovanni Pietro Perti and Giovanni Maria Galli to complete the interior design, which includes some 2000 stucco works.
The church’s founder, M. K. Pacas, died in 1682 before construction was completed. M.K. Pacas is buried in a crypt just below the entrance to the church, with an inscription that reads, “Here lies a sinner.”
Miracles and The Gates of Dawn
The Gates of Dawn were first mentioned in 1514. The name Gates of Dawn referred to part of Vilnius’ defensive wall. At that time, the city’s defensive wall had ten gates and the Gates of Dawn are the only ones which survived. Today it is associated worldwide by Catholics, Russian Orthodox and Greek Orthodox with worship and miracles caused by Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy. Her miraculous painting in the Gates of Dawn is one of the most famous Renaissance paintings in Lithuania. The miraculous painting is also called the Madonna of the Gates of Dawn or the Madonna of Vilnius. It is located in the chapel and was painted specifically for this chapel in the 17th century, following the example of Dutch painter Martin de Vos. The chapel was first wooden but after the fire it was made of brick.
Presidential Palace
The Presidential Palace, called “Prezidentūra” (President’s Office) was built in the square of Simonas Daukantas. He was a graduate of Vilnius University and the author of the first history of Lithuania published in the Lithuanian language in the 19th century.
From the 16th century, it served as a residence for Vilnius bishops. In the 18th century, when Lithuania was occupied and annexed to the Russian Empire, the palace served as a residence for the Governor-General of Vilnius. Russian Tsar Alexander I, French King Louis XVIII, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and Polish Marshall and statesman Józef Piłsudski visited the palace.
Every Sunday at 12:00 a solemn flag hoisting ceremony is held (5–10 min.) Soldiers of the Honour Guard Company of the Lithuanian Armed Forces dressed not only in ceremonial uniforms but also in medieval armament take part in the ceremony.
Television tower
It is the highest building in Lithuania (326 m high), 8th in Europe and 26th in the world. It was built in 1981 and there are 917 steps from the ground floor to the observation deck and the rotating restaurant offering a spectacular view over Vilnius at the height of 16m meters. High-speed elevator which reaches the observation deck from ground level can take you there in just 45 seconds! The restaurant is a rotating platform that turns around in 55 minutes. On the clear day Vilnius and its suburbs are visible in the radius of 50km. Luckily you do not have to walk the whole way up to see it!
Watch it here:
On the ground floor you can visit the Museum of Struggle for Freedom. Around the tower there are various crosses forming a memorial and commemorating victims of communist brutality. In the museum you can witness the brutal Soviet past including the history of Lithuanians who were murdered in 1991 by Soviets around the TV tower. On 13 January 1991 armoured Soviet forces drove through peaceful crowd which gathered to protect the symbol of Lithuania’s independence – the Vilnius TV Tower. Soviet tanks crushed the victims and shot them to death, more than 500 unarmed civilians were injured.
Soviet forces tried to regain power but they failed. After these terrible days, referendum was held in which the population confirmed that they wanted to be independent from the Soviet Union. Moscow did not recognize the referendum. However, it was recognized worldwide after a failed coup attempt by communist hardliners in Moscow in August of 1991. (read more about the Lithuanian fight for Independence here.)
Hill of three Crosses
Via a wooden staircase you can reach spectacular three white crosses up the hill. The original crosses from the 17th century were destroyed by the Soviet oppressors. From the hill you have a spectacular view over the whole city of Vilnius.
Museum of Genocide Victims ( KGB museum)
It is located in the previous headquarters of KGB where the communist crimes were planned and executed in the scope of 50 years. It presents in an elaborate way the brutality of communist occupation. You can see there many photos and belongings of victims of the communist terror. You can visit former prison cells and the execution room where more than 1000 prisoners were executed. You can also visit there modern exhibitions telling about the loss of independence in the middle of the 20th century, repressions by Soviet authorities, and the fight for independence.
Food
In Vilnius you can find an unlimited choice of various restaurants serving either local Lithuanian dishes or dishes from the world menu list.
There are enough choices for every age, diet or financial possibilities. And if you love cats like me do not forget to visit one of the best cat cafes I have ever been to. Last year it was visited by 36,500 guests but it is not busy at all. There is a limitation to the number of guests, so book the cafe in advance. There are strict rules to what you are allowed and not allowed to do there.
There are 15 fabulous cats ruling there and the big choice of meals will not disappoint you either.
Sources:
https://www.ovpm.org/city/vilnius-lithuania/
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/541/
https://lrkm.lrv.lt/en/activities/museums-and-galleries
http://genocid.lt/muziejus/en/
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