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- It is believed that in pre-Christian times, the Baltic pagan god Perkūnas was worshipped at the site of the cathedral. It has also been postulated that the Lithuanian King Mindaugas ordered the construction of the original cathedral in 1251 after his conversion to Christianity and appointment of a bishop to Lithuania.
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Stanisława [1]) is the main Catholic cathedral in Lithuania. It is situated in Vilnius Old Town, just off Cathedral Square. Dedicated to the Christian saints Stanislaus and Ladislaus, the church is the heart of Catholic spiritual life in Lithuania . The coronations of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania took place within its confines.
- Vilnius Cathedral History
- Vilnius Cathedral Today
- Getting to Vilnius Cathedral
Several churches and cathedrals have been built on the site where Vilnius Cathedral is located, the earliest believed to have been constructed by Lithuanian Grand Duke Mindaugas in 1251. Although it is also thought that in pre-Christian times the Baltic pagan god Perkunas was worshipped where the cathedral stands. However, a succession of fires mea...
Many of the country’s most famous and important figures (or parts of them) are also contained within Vilnius Cathedral, including medieval ruler Vytautas the Great and Grand Duke Alexander Jogailaitis. Vilnius Cathedral also houses works of art, many dating back to the 16th century. One of its oldest pieces is a fresco called ‘The Crucifixion’ whic...
Located in Cathedral Square just south of the Neris riverbank and beside Kalnu parkas, Vilnius Cathedral is easily found on foot or via public transport. You can catch the number 10 or 33 buses to Arkikatedra and walk the very short distance over to the cathedral.
After Mindaugas’ death (1263) the Vilnius Cathedral might have been turned into a pagan sanctuary again. After the 1419 fire Vytautas had the cathedral rebuilt as a magnificent Gothic temple. According to a testimony of the traveller Ghillebert de Lannoy, it was reminiscent of the cathedral in Frombork (Frauenburg) in Prussia and on its ...
After the dead of Mindaugas, the Cathedral was used for the pagan purposes (as supposed, for the cult of Thunder, the most important pagan god) till the christening of Lithuania (this happened in year 1387). The Cathedral suffered many times from fires and wars and had six very important rebuilds.
Feb 15, 2015 · Vilnius Cathedral itself has a fascinating history. Founded in the mid-13th century, it was constructed on the site of an earlier pagan temple. However, a few years later, the local residents reverted to paganism, and the church was put to use for the worship of the pagan god Perkunas.
But the structure began life as a revered, serene and humble pagan sanctuary. The pagan temple on this spot was dedicated to Perkūnas, the local tribes’ god of thunder, fertility and morality. An array of beasts including snakes, toads, goats and cocks would be kept close by, ready for sacrifice on a five-metre-high altar.
After Mindaugas's death in 1263, the first cathedral again became a place of pagan worship. In 1387, the year in which Lithuania was officially converted to Christianity, construction began on a second Gothic Cathedral with five chapels. It was however burnt down in 1419.
