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- Gediminas Castle Tower. When you first set foot in Vilnius, the Gediminas Castle Tower is hard to miss. Dominating the city’s skyline, this 14th-century tower is a living testament to Vilnius’ storied past and its enduring spirit.
- Užupis Republic. Užupis is one of those places that makes Vilnius unique. It’s a bohemian neighborhood that declared itself an independent republic in 1997.
- Vilnius Old Town. Exploring the Vilnius Old Town is undoubtedly one of the coolest things to do in Vilnius. This UNESCO World Heritage site is a maze of narrow streets, historic buildings, and bustling squares.
- Trakai Island Castle. Just a short drive from Vilnius, Trakai Island Castle is a destination that deserves a spot on every traveler’s itinerary. Situated on an island in Lake Galvė, this medieval castle is a stunning sight, with its red brick walls and wooden towers reflecting off the water.
- The Tolerant Capital of The Largest Medieval State
- The Era of Lavish Churches and Impending Doom
- Industrial Era Under The Imperial Russian Rule
- The Era of Polish Rule and Conflict Over Vilnius
- The 20 Years That Changed Vilnius Forever
- The Era of Concrete Slab Boroughs Followed by Fifteen Minutes of Worldwide Fame
According to a legend, Vilnius was established by duke Gediminas in the early 14th century, after his dream of an iron wolf was so interpreted by a pagan oracle Lizdeika. Modern historians, however, usually claim that the city is at least as old as the Lithuanian state itself and that the country‘s first Christian church built by King Mindaugas in ...
The prosperous centuries came to a horrible halt on 1655 when the strengthening Russia (Muscovy) invaded and sacked the city in a long campaign of looting, mass-murdering and raping. The days of Poland-Lithuania as a great power ended, and so were the days Vilnius as a seat of power. Vilnius palace became neglected and the Kings ceased visiting it....
After Vilnius was annexed to Russia in 1795, it continued to be a backwater with a population of 50 000. However, Vilnius University remained a major intellectual center with various secret societies swiftly established, such as filaretai or filomatai, each of them aimed at critically studying history and potentially restoring the Polish-Lithuanian...
With the communist revolution engulfing Russia and Germans surrendering in World War 1, the rulers of Vilnius changed some 10 times in years 1918-1922. The city was culturally important to four different ethnicities: Lithuanians, Poles, Jews, and Belarusians. Furthermore, both Russian monarchists and communists wanted to restore the former boundari...
In 1939, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union invaded Poland and this sparked the World War 2. Vilnius was captured by the Soviets on September 1939. They sacked the city and then presented an ultimatum to Lithuania. Under this ultimatum, Lithuania would be given 1/5th of the Vilnius region (including the city) but would have to accept Soviet military...
With the death of Joseph Stalin, the Soviet persecutions were gradually weakened although the policy remained totalitarian. What was already changed remained changed (including the closed churches and communist street names), save for occasional removal of references to Stalin, whose personality cult was uprooted by the new leader Nikita Khrushchev...
- Alex Schultz
- Old Town. One of the largest and most well-preserved historic centers in Northern Europe and the Baltics, Vilnius’s Old Town is a treat to explore, with marvelous medieval buildings wherever you look.
- St. Anne’s Church. Lying on the banks of the Vilnia River, St. Anne’s Church is undoubtedly one of the most impressive and beautiful buildings in the city.
- Hill of Three Crosses. Towering above Vilnius, the Hill of Three Crosses boasts brilliant 360-degree panoramas of the city and its surroundings. While its viewpoint is the main attraction, the hill and the three crosses set atop it are actually an important historic site, and symbol of the country’s rebirth.
- Church of St Peter and St Paul. Although the Church of St Peter and St Paul does not appear all that special at first sight, visiting it really is a must when in Vilnius.
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. The legend of Vilnius. Today Vilnius is 700 years old. Legend has it that the city started with a dream Grand Duke Gediminas had on a hunting trip.
- Wander Around the Old Town. Vilnius’s Old Town is Europe’s largest Baroque Old Town and is undoubtedly one of the main things to see in Vilnius. You can easily cover the Old Town in a few hours while stumbling upon architectural wonders and sights.
- Visit the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania is a grand 17th-century Baroque-style palace that was constructed for the Grand Dukes.
- See Gediminas’s Castle Tower. The Gediminas’s Castle Tower (Gedimino pilis) is a red-brick octagonal tower that is the only remaining part of the Upper Castle complex, which once included defensive structures.
- Cathedral Square. Cathedral Square (Katedros aikštė) is the sprawling main square in Vilnius and is the historical center of the city. This is where Vilnius first began to emerge as a town in the Late Middle Ages.
Oct 22, 2023 · Here are the 30 Facts About Vilnius, the Hidden Gem of Lithuania: 1. Vilnius is One of the Oldest Capitals in Europe. Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. The charming capital of Lithuania, Vilnius, is one of Europe’s oldest cities and has a long, illustrious history that dates back over seven centuries.
Lithuania. Must-see attractions in Vilnius. Sights. Restaurants. Entertainment. Nightlife. Shopping. Hotels. Show/Hide Map. Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. Vilnius. If you only see one museum in Vilnius, make it this one. On a site that has been settled since the 4th century AD stands the latest in a procession of… Vilnius Cathedral.
