• Explore the winding alleys in the largest Baroque Old Town in Europe (UNESCO World Heritage)
• Climb the tower on Gediminas Hill for a view of Vilnius’ skyline dotted with church spires and crosses
• Take in the rich history of the city with a visit to Vilnius University where the influence of baroque architecture began

Vilnius was founded in the 1320s by the ambitious Duke Gediminas wanting to build an invincible city.  During the 14th Century the city was built upon Gediminas Hill, however, there is evidence that the site was occupied up to 1000 years before this time.  The city’s fortifications included lower and upper castles, towers, walls and moats to protect against the Knights of the Sword who attacked Vilnius at least six times between 1365 and 1402.

On Gediminas Hill, a tower from the 14th Century defences of the upper castle is still visible today.  The tower now houses the Vilnius Castle Museum.  The lookout from the top of the tower offers a superb view of the Old Town and the church spires.  The main square, Kastedros Aikšté is the focal point of the city.  Try and find the ‘miracle’ tile that marks the point where the human chain between Tallinn and Vilnius ended in a protest against Soviet occupation in 1989.  The legend has it that if you stand on the tile and turn clockwise for 360 degrees you can then make a wish.  During the 19th Century, markets and fairs were held in the square and a moat once surrounded the town square, allowing ships to sail right to the Cathedral’s door!

The first wooden cathedral was built on this site in 1387-1388.  A grander one was erected in the 15th century and then a final renovation completed in 1783 to 1801 is what survives today.  The Cathedral was used as an art gallery by the Soviets and became a church again in 1989.    Religious jewels worth 11 million Euros were discovered in the cathedral in 1985 after being hidden in the walls by Russian soldiers.  Fearing they would be seized by the Soviets they remained a secret until 1998.  These jewels are now exhibited at the Applied Arts Museum.

Vilnius has a large amount of churches and its skyline is dotted with church spires and crosses.  The Church of the Holy Spirit was built at the end of the 14th Century and is the first gothic church in Vilnius.  It is now the centre of the Catholic, Polish speaking community in Vilnius.  The Holy Trinity Church consists of a church, monastery, belfry and baroque gate.  The church was built in 1514 by order of Duke Ostrogiskis and today houses a working monastery of the Uniate Basilian monks.  St Nicholas’ Church is the oldest church in Lithuania.  It was built in 1320 by German merchants and is the oldest remaining gothic building in Vilnius.  St Peter and Paul’s Church baroque interior is the highlight of a visit to this church.

In the 16th Century, Vilnius was one of the biggest cities in Europe with a population of 25,000.  Vilnius University was founded in 1579 by the Polish Jesuits and under their influence Baroque architecture flourished in the city.  The gentry classes in Vilnius adopted Polish culture and language.  In 1655, Vilnius was overtaken by Russian forces.  It took some time for the city to recover, but by the beginning of the 19th Century, Vilnius was the third largest city in Eastern Europe. 

Vilnius University was run by Jesuits for two centuries since its founding in 1579.  It was closed by the Russians in 1832 and did not reopen until 1919.  Today about 14,000 attend the university.  The 12 courtyards of the university are a great opportunity to explore the hidden areas accessible by gates and passages from the surrounding streets.  Inside one of the university’s courtyards is St John’s Church founded in 1387.  Its 17th Century bell tower is a distinctive feature of Vilnius’ skyline. 

In 1795, after the third partition of Poland, Vilnius was annexed by Russia.  Russian occupation saw the destruction of the city walls and after this period from 1799-1805, only the Dawn Gate survived.  In 1812, Vilnius was seized by Napoleon on his march to Moscow.  Thousands of French soldiers died after the campaign failed and were buried in the trenches they had built months before. 

During the 19th Century, Vilnius was an important centre of Polish national revival as the region expressed its discontent with their new Russian rulers.  The city also became an important Jewish centre with around 75,000 Jews in the early 20th Century. 

During World War I, Vilnius was occupied from 1915 until 1918 by the Germans.  After the Germans retreated, Vilnius was controlled by Polish soldiers for a short time before the city was overtaken by the Bolshevik forces.  After the defeat in the Battle of Warsaw in 1920, the withdrawing Red Army returned Vilnius to Lithuania.  However, in 1922 Poland reoccupied Vilnius and Kaunas became the capital city of Lithuania.  Catholic Lithuania broke ties with the Vatican as Rome recognised Polish rule over Vilnius. 

After the Red Army entered Poland in 1939, they returned Vilnius to Lithuania in exchange for stationing troops and military bases inside Lithuania.  By June 1940, Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union.  In June 1941, Vilnius was seized by Germany.  Vilnius lost most of its Jewish population during World War II and the population fell from 209,000 to 110,000.  German occupation lasted for three years and then in July 1944, Vilnius was again incorporated into the Soviet Union.

Vilnius Old Town is the largest in Eastern Europe and thoroughly deserves its UNESCO World Heritage status. The city winding 1.5 km from Katedros Aikšté (the main square) was built in the 15th and 16th Centuries.  The cobbled streets, winding alleys and hidden courtyards retain the feel of a 16th century old town.  The Old Town is also the centre of Vilnius’ nightlife, with bars and restaurants lining Pilies Gatvé (Castle Street). 

The President’s Palace which was the former Bishop’s Palace was rebuilt in the classical Russian Empire style in the 19th Century.  The Palace was used by Napoleon as he advanced on Moscow.  The Palace borders Rotušés Aikšté (Town Hall Square) where markets were held when Vilnius was on the crossroads between Krakow and Riga.  The Town Hall has stood here since the early 16th century.  It now houses the Artists’ Palace.  The oldest Baroque church in Vilnius is St Casimir’s, built by the Jesuits from 1604-1615.  Under Soviet rule the church was taken over as a Russian Orthodox Church and given an onion dome which was removed in 1942.  It has also been a museum of atheism during the Soviet era.

Exploring the Jewish quarter of Vilnius is a haunting experience.  Most signs of the once thriving community were obliterated during the German occupation in World War II.  Vilnius was once called the ‘Jerusalem of the North’ because of its strong Jewish presence.  Now there are only 5000 Jews in Lithuania with around 80% residing in Vilnius.  Visit the Lithuanian State Jewish Museum of Vilna Gaon and the Holocaust Museum for a moving look at the suffering Lithuanian Jews endured.  The only modern synagogue in Vilnius was built in 1894 and survived the Nazi occupation only because it was used as a medical store.  Today it serves the small Jewish orthodox community.