What to see in Vilnius

2024 Author: Graham Hoggarth | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-09 10:26

The Baltic States, due to its proximity to the sea and a temperate climate, have always attracted millions of tourists. Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, can enchant anyone with its medieval and sophisticated Baroque architecture. The Old Town is especially beautiful with the remains of fortifications and artsy Gothic temples. So what to see in Vilnius?

The main attraction of Vilnius is its Old Town - the oldest part of the settlement, where narrow streets from the Middle Ages have been preserved. The Castle Hill is located here, on top of which the powerful Gediminas Tower rises, the only part of the fortress wall that has not been destroyed. At the foot of the mountain is the city's cathedral. There are many places of worship in Vilnius, as in the pre-revolutionary years it was considered a kind of Northern Jerusalem. You should definitely visit the Gothic Church of St. Anne and climb up to the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary of Ostrobramskoy in the chapel at the gate of Ausros.

TOP 10 sights of Vilnius

Gediminas Tower

The Gediminas Tower is located on the top of the Castle Hill. Previously, it was part of the fortifications that surrounded the Upper Vilensky Castle, where the residence of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania was located. The Gediminas Tower is the only part of this castle that has survived completely. Now she is the symbol of the country.

This powerful three-story red brick building houses a small museum, the collection of which is very interesting. Shown here are models of the now defunct Vilna castles, armor, weapons and archaeological finds. It is worth climbing to the very top of the Gediminas Tower, as it offers a stunning view of the Old Town.

Cathedral

The Cathedral of St. Stanislav and St. Vladislav has gone through a difficult history - built in the XIV century, it was rebuilt several times and has survived to this day in an unusual, but very impressive form, more like an antique temple.

The main facade of the cathedral is designed in the style of the classicism era. It stands out for its graceful portico and Doric columns. The facade is complemented by two symmetrical chapels attached to the sides.
In the opposite part of the church, there is an older chapel of the 17th century dedicated to the patron saint of Lithuania, Saint Kazemir. It is made in the Baroque style and is crowned with a dome. Inside, it is distinguished by a very lush decoration with granite and pink marble.
The architectural ensemble is complemented by a free-standing bell tower built on the foundations of the medieval Lower Castle. This graceful four-storey building retains elements of the Baroque and Classicism periods. It is crowned with a spire with a cross, and inside it there are more than a dozen bells, the oldest of which was cast at the end of the seventeenth century.

Sharp gate or the gate of Ausros

Sharp brama

The sharp gate is considered one of the main attractions of Vilnius. This so-called Sharp Gate is the only surviving part of the city wall. Moreover, on their second floor there is a chapel with the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary of Ostrobramskaya, to which thousands of pilgrims flock.

The gate itself was built in the Gothic style at the beginning of the sixteenth century, but soon a Renaissance-style attic was added over its arch. It was decorated with striking reliefs depicting the coat of arms of Lithuania with two mythical griffin lions on the sides.
The chapel with the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary of Ostrobramsko was previously a separate building, connected by a covered gallery with a gate only in the 19th century. This small church is made in a baroque style with elements of neoclassicism and painted in soft blue.
The icon of the Virgin Mary of Ostrobramskoy is the main Christian shrine of Lithuania and Belarus, it is revered by both Catholics and Orthodox. This image is interesting because the Mother of God is presented here without the Infant Jesus, her arms are humbly crossed on her chest. The icon is exhibited in an expensive silver setting, and the entire gallery is adorned with precious votive gifts from believers, presented as a sign of gratitude for the intercession.

Vilnius Picture Gallery

The Vilnius Art Gallery is housed in a luxurious palace that previously belonged to the Chodkiewicz Counts. This huge building has features of the late classicism era. It is worth noting the facade of the palace overlooking the courtyard - it is decorated with graceful low columns. Inside, the authentic interior of the 17th-18th centuries has been preserved, including furniture, decor items and stucco moldings.

As for the gallery itself, there are masterpieces of Lithuanian art dating from the 16th century. Among the selected works, the portrait of the famous Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz, painted by Valentin Vankovich, landscapes by Kanut Rusetsky, amazing drawings by Michal Kulesha and many other works of Lithuanian artists and sculptors stand out.

Church of Saints Peter and Paul

The Church of Saints Peter and Paul is deservedly called the pearl of the Lithuanian Baroque. The appearance of the temple is curious - since it was located far from the center of Vilnius, for security reasons it is surrounded by a powerful wall with chapel towers. The facade of the church features graceful columns and a balcony with a wooden balustrade decorated with statues of saints. The ensemble is completed by two symmetrical towers on the sides.

The interior of the church is amazing. In this spacious building, the walls of which are painted in a snow-white color, there are nine altars at once. Especially worth noting is the central nave of the temple, luxuriously decorated with elaborate stucco moldings, sculptures and reliefs. In the 19th century, a gilded pulpit in the style of the Rococo era appeared in the church. However, the most unusual element of the decor is the allegory of death located at the entrance to the temple and depicting a skeleton with a scythe crowned with a crown. It is also worth paying attention to the graceful ship-shaped chandelier.

St. Anne's Church

Like the Gediminas Tower, St. Anne's Church is built of bright red bricks. It is believed that its architect was responsible for the construction of other famous monuments in Eastern Europe - Prague Cathedral and Wawel Palace in Krakow. The most remarkable is the main facade of the church, which is a masterpiece of northern late Gothic. Three openwork towers stand out in it, interconnected by graceful cornices and decorated with elaborate arches and bay windows. The architectural ensemble is completed by a neo-Gothic bell tower. The interior decoration of the temple is more austere, the interior is made mainly in the Baroque style.

Bernardine garden

The Bernardine Garden begins behind the Gediminas Tower. This green area is very popular with tourists and locals alike. It is interesting that earlier there was a sacred pagan oak grove here. Now in this park there is a botanical garden and a pharmaceutical garden, which previously belonged to the Bernardine monastery. There are medicinal plants, climbing shrubs and even tea grows here. There are many fountains in the park, and in the evenings there is often a light show with music. There are several playgrounds for children. The Bernardine Garden also hosts the amazing Ostap Bender chess championship.

Uzupis

The Užupis district is considered the Vilnius Montmartre - all the bohemian life of the city is concentrated here. Uzupis is dotted with numerous salons, workshops and quirky cafes. Moreover, the "alternative" artists of Uzupis jokingly even proclaimed the independence of this region. The symbol of the quarter is a bronze statue of a trumpeting angel located in its central square.

Užupis is partially located on the territory of the Old Town, and therefore you can see many elegant churches and former palaces, the walls of which are often decorated with modern paintings or photographs. The ensemble is complemented by the picturesque nature of this place - on the one hand, Uzupis is surrounded by steep hills, and on the other, by the river.

Literary Museum of A. S. Pushkin

At some distance from the center of Vilnius, there is a cozy estate Markutier, where at the very end of the 19th century Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin's youngest son Grigory moved with his wife. In the forties of the twentieth century, a museum was opened here, dedicated to the work of the great Russian poet and his influence on the formation of Lithuanian literature, theater and culture.

In addition to numerous translations of Pushkin's works into Lithuanian, there are household items of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and unique documents and manuscripts that belonged to the poet himself and his descendants. It is worth paying attention to the skilful drawings of Varvara Pushkina, the wife of the poet's son. The interior decoration of the estate has been preserved in its original form, which is of particular interest to lovers of antiquity. There is a small chapel and a tiny cemetery next to the main house of the estate.

Three crosses

In the vicinity of the Castle Hill, where the Gediminas Tower rises, is the Lysaya or Crooked Mountain, which is notorious. It is believed that in the fourteenth century, the local pagans here crucified three Franciscan monks on crosses. In the seventeenth century, three crosses were erected on this site to commemorate their martyrdom. They have survived numerous wars and occupations.

In 1989, a modern monument was erected, which is also dedicated to the victims of repression. Three crosses are made of snow-white reinforced concrete, which allows you to see them even from another part of the city. It is curious that the surviving details of the previous monument, blown up in the fifties of the XX century, are embedded in the foundation of the new monument. The observation deck of the Three Crosses offers a wonderful view of Vilnius and the park around it.