Views: 597
Tour № 1 – Šventaragis Valley
- Cathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus & St. Vladislaus
- Cathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus & St. Vladislaus (inside, including the Chapel of St. Casimir, the Chapel of Deportees, the Gasztołd Chapel, the Royal Chapel, St. Wladislaw/Vladislaus/Ladislav Chapel, High alter, Memorial plague to the Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas Magnus, the Sapieha Madona’s picture, etc)
- Cathedral Basilica Bell Tower
- Royal Palace of Lithuania (the Palace of Grand Dukes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania)
- Upper Castle
- Upper Castle’s West (Gediminas) Tower
- Old Arsenal – Museum of Applied Art
- New Arsenal – Lithuanian National Museum
- Monument to King Mindaugas (1236-1263: Crowned King on July 6th, 1253)
- Monument to Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas (1316-1341: the founder of Gediminian-Jagiellonian ruling dynasty)
Tour № 2 – Vilnius University & Monastery Quarter
- Vilnius University – Historical Campus (est. 1579)
- Vilnius University – the Bronze door of the Central Library
- Vilnius University – Historical Campus (inside, including 12 university’s courtyards, Domus Philologiae, Smuglevičius Hall, White (Observatory) Hall, Lelewel Hall, Lithuanian Philology Centre, etc)
- Vilnius University – Science Museum
- St. Johns’ Church in the Great (Skarga) university’s Courtyard
- St. Johns’ Church in the Great (Skarga) university’s Courtyard (inside, including Great alter, Altar of Maria of Loretto, Chapel of St. Anne, Altar of St. Victorino, Organ, several memorial plagues and frescos, etc)
- St. Johns’ Church in the Great (Skarga) university’s Courtyard – Bell Tower
- Dominican Street
- University Street
- St. John Street
- Church of the Holy Cross and former Hospitaller Monastery
- Monument to Laurinas Gucevičius (1753-1798)
- Presidential Palace (Prezidentura)
- Alumni (Alumnatas) Courtyard
- Sanctuary of Divine Mercy
- Church of the Holy Spirit and former Dominican Monastery
- St. Ignatius Church and former Jesuit novitiate
- Plaque for Righteous Among the Nations
- Monument to Stanislaw Moniuszko (1819-1872)
- St. Catherine’s Church and former Benedictine Monastery
Tour № 3 – From the Cathedral Basilica to Town Hall Square
- Buildings of Pilies Street
- House of the Signatories
- Marija and Jurgis Šlapelis House Museum
- Paraskeva Russian Orthodox Church
- Pilies Street souvenir open market – What should you buy in Vilnius
- Buildings of Didžioji (Great) Street
- Vilnius Picture Gallery (Chodkiewicz Palace)
- Stendhal House
- Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church
- Historical Town Hall
- Buildings around the Square of Historical Town Hall
- Former printing house of Francysk Skaryna (1486-1551) – the Magistrate House
- Buildings of Savičiaus Street
- Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis’ (1875-1911) Memorial Flat Museum
- Church of Blessed Mary the Comforter and the Augustine Monastery
- Kazys Varnelis’ (1917-2010) House Museum – Great and Small Guilds
- Casimir Church
- Buildings of Subačius Street
- Bastion – an artillery fortification
- Church of the Assumption and former Missionary Monastery
Tour № 4 – Quarter of Three Confessions
- Buildings of Aušros Street
- Radisson SAS Astorijos Hotel (former Italia hotel)
- Building of National Philharmonic
- Monument to Jonas Basanavičius (1851-1927) on the square in front of National Philharmonic
- Memorial plaque to Ignacy Domeyko (1802-1889)
- Baroque gate to Uniate Church of the Holy Trinity and former Basilian Monastery
- Uniate Church of the Holy Trinity and former Basilian Monastery
- Memorial plaque to Josaphat Kuncevic (St. Josaphat, 1580-1623)
- Memorial plaque on the building of former Basilian Monastery where Adam Mickiewicz (1798-1855) was imprisoned
- Russian Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit and monastery
- Russian Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit (inside, including the remains of the Three Vilnius Martyrs kept under a wooden canopy in front of the iconostasis)
- Church of St. Teresa (of Ávila, Spain) and former Carmelite Monastery
- Church of St. Teresa (of Ávila, Spain) (inside, including the church’s mural paintings, the Chapel of Pac’s family’s mausoleum, impressive, gently-curved church’s pulpit and the altar)
- Chapel of the Gate of Dawn (Medininkų Gate)
- The sacred picture of the Holy Virgin Mary in the Chapel of the Gate of Dawn (Medininkų Gate)
- Votive objects in the Chapel of the Gate of Dawn (Medininkų Gate)
- The Gate of Dawn (Medininkų Gate) from the southern side with a Renaissance composition of Vytis
Tour № 5 – Jewish Quarter
- Small and Large Vilnius Jewish Ghettos
- Monument to the Vilna Gaon
- Mark Antokolski (1840-1902) House
- Former Mattityahu Strashun (1817-1885) Jewish Library
- Vokiečių gatvė (German Street)
- Contemporary Art Centre
- „Barbara“ sculpture
- Monument in remembrance of Vilnius Ghetto martyrs and fighters in 1941-1943
- Church of St. Nicholas
- A sculpture of Vilnius Patron Saint Christopher in the yard of the Church of St. Nicholas
- Evangelical Lutheran Church
- Amatų gildija (Artisan guild) open ceramic workshop and gallery
- Former Vilnius ghetto theatre 1941-1943
- Former Gothic façade at Karmelitų gatvę (Carmelite Street)
- Closed courtyards with open galleries, characteristic of Old Town architecture
- Church of All Saints and former Carmelite Monastery
- A section of Vilnius historical defensive wall
- The sculpture named „Egg“
- Monument to Tzemach Shabad (1864-1935)
- Choral Synagogue
- Church of the Assumption of the Holy Virgin Mary and former Franciscan Monastery
- Sculpture of the Holy Virgin Mary (The White Mother of God)
- Suzin’s built Baroque-style family mausoleum chapel
- A monument to Jozef Montwiłł (1850-1911)
Tour № 6 – Bends of the River Vilnia
- Adam Mickiewicz’s Memorial Flat Museum
- Church of St. Anne
- Church of St. Francis and St. Bernardine
- Chapel of the Holy Steps
- Monument to Adam Mickiewicz
- Church of St. Michael the Archangel
- Adam Mickiewitz’s House
- Sereikiškių Park
- Amber Museum
- Russian Orthodox Church of the Blessed Mother of God
- „Angel of Užupis“ sculpture
- Constitution of the „Republic of Užupis“
- Church of St. Bartholomew
- Bernardinų Cemetery
Tour № 7 – City Centre
- Three Crosses Monument on the Three Crosses Hill
- Church of St. Peter and St. Paul
- Petras Vileišis Estate
- Tuskulėnų Park with columbarium
- A building of Lithuanian Energy
- A building of Lithuanian Theatre, Music and Film (A Small Radziwiłł Palace)
- A Great Radziwiłł Palace
- Vilna Gaon Jewish State Museum
- Sculpture or Roman Gary
- A monument to Frank Zappa
- Museum of Genocide Victims (former KGB Headquarters)
- A plaque to Chiune Sugihara
All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic
© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018
RELATED POSTS
This is the first Evangelical Lutheran Church (Kirche) built-in Vilnius in 1555 on the initiative of the Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Nicholas Radziwiłł the Black. In front of the church, there is a monument erected to Martin Luther The church was rebuilt in 1662 and substantially reconstructed in 1738-1744. In 1944 it was closed down. In 1993 it was returned to the parishioners and renovatedThe church has a single nave and an original pentagonal shape. Its magnificent high altar was designed by German Protestant architect Jan (Johan) Krzysztof GlaubitzAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019
Continue ReadingThe Galera Gallery in the Užupis Art Incubator also operates there, where exhibitions of various kinds of art are organizedGalera of Užupis is an Alternative art gallery. That is a place similar to the former Christiana district in Copenhagen in DenmarkThe Užupis district and its Art Incubator are separated from the Old Town in Vilnius on three sides by the River Vilnia, and by a high hill on the fourth sideAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020
Continue ReadingThe church is inconspicuous from the street, as its façade does not face the streetThe 51 meter-tall dome can be seen from seven Old Town streetsThe Dominican Church of the Holy Spirit is one of the most magnificent churches in Vilnius. It is an excellent monument of high and late Baroque All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018
Continue ReadingThe Royal Palace at the foot of the Castle Hill was a residence of the Grand Duke of LithuaniaThe Lower Castle is related with the times of Sigismund the Old and Sigismund August, Qween Nona and Barbora Radvilaitė (16th century)In the 16th century the Royal Palace with its Inner Courtyard was an Italian-style palace with four wings and attics. The building around encircled the Inner Courtyard of 2,500 square metres and were connected to the eastern wall of the Cathedral Basilica by a roofed galleryAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018
Continue ReadingThe Library of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences was established in 1941 together with the Academy of Sciences, in the building of the former State Wróblewski LibraryBetween two world wars, State Wróblewski Library was one of the largest libraries in Vilnius. It was founded by lower Tadeusz Wróblewski. In 1941, the new Library inherited from it some 163.000 volumes, more than 35.000 manuscripts, large collections of numismatics, cartography, and artworksAfter WWII, the Library was supplemented by extensive collections from other libraries. Today, its stocks count more than 3.77 mln itemsAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020
Continue ReadingA museum operates today in the House of Signatories, along with a memorial hall where the act of Lithuania's independence was signed on February 16th, 1918 when Lithuania was under the German occupation and administration during WWI (1915-1918)The first floor of the house with statues symbolizing agriculture and fishing is very decorative. Niches on the second floor hold two male bustsHaving acquired this house in the late 19th century, Karol Sztral reconstructed it according to architect Aleksei Polozov's project in the style of HistoricismAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019
Continue ReadingThe palace has always been representional: rulers, kings, emperors and kings-to-be like Napoleon, Stanislaus August Poniatowski, Alexander I, Louis XVIII and others used to stay there on their visits to VilniusThe Soviets turned the palace into an officer's club later to be converted into Artist HouseIn 1939, when Vilnius had been part of Lithuania, plans to settle the Presidency in the palace were advanced. However, it was not until 1997 that these plans were carried outAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020
Continue ReadingAn idea to designate this small street a memorial site to writers began to be implemented in 2008Literatų Street No. 5: The Piasecki house built in the late 18th century. In 1823, having arrived from Kaunas, Adam Mickiewicz resided here at the invitation of the parents of his friend Kazimierz Piasecki. On the pediment of the entry arch a memorial plaque with a Polish inscription is set up; plaques with Lithuanian and Russian inscriptions are set below on both sides of the arch In the 19th century there were many bookshops on this street, hence its nameAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019
Continue ReadingIn 1986 the east winf of the Old Arsenal was restored. It houses the Museum of Applied Art and Design. The Old Arsenal enables the visitors to feel the ambience of the Renaissance Vilnius The building of the Old Arsenal was remodelled by Sigismund Augustus (second half of the 16th century) in the Renaissance style, mainly by adding a third floor (the attic), decorated in double arch niches. In was an enormous building, reputed to be the largest in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth The Old Arsenal was badly damaged during the war with Russia in 1655-1661, and remained a virtual ruin until the late 18th century when in 1780 was rebuilt and burned down at the end of WWIIAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020
Continue ReadingThe architect Michail Prozorov designed the rectangular building with three-walled apse according to the requirements of Karaim liturgyThe oriental-style exterior has a protruding central part and the onion-shaped dome over it. The distinctive exterior of the building emphasises its unique purposeIn 1949, the Kenessa, along with many other sacral buildings, was nationalized and closed down. In 1988, it was returned to the Karaim community. In 1993, it was re-consecrated and has remained open sinceAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020
Continue ReadingChoral Synagogue is the place of the only working synagogue and school "Tarahat Hakodesh" in Vilnius This synagogue is built in the Oriental Moorish style and is only survived one out of some 105 before WWII synagogues and other Judaic prayer housesThe exterior contains an inscription in Hebrew "A prayer house is sacred for all nations", and above the pediment the tablets with the Ten Divine Commandments are representedAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020
Continue ReadingThe Old Campus in the Old town - Rectorate building. On April 1st, 1579 the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Stephen Bathory issues a royal charter recognizing the Jesuit College into a universityThe Old Campus in the Old town - Rector's Office and former Astronomical Observatory building (right) and the Central Library building (left) with the Central Library Courtyard in front of the buildingsThe History Facutly building (left) and the Central Library building (right) with the arched gates to Mikalojus Dukša Courtyard (left) and Mathias Casimir Sarbievius Courtyard (forward). The Old Campus of the university has 13 courtyardsAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018
Continue ReadingThree crosses are believed to have first been erected on this hill above the Old Town of Vilnius in the 17th century to commemorate a group of 14 Franciscan monks from a nearby monastery who were martyred in the 14th century The monument has changed several times. The present one was built in 1989 to replace one that had been removed by the Soviet authorities in the 1950sOne of the best panoramic views of the Old Town of Vilnius is offered from the Hill of Three CrossesAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020
Continue ReadingThe church was originally Gothic but in 1750-1755 it was restored according to design by Franz Ignatius Hoffer and acquired some late Baroque and Rococo featuresNearby the church building stand the 17th-18th-century buildings of the Carmelite Monastery which had a rich archive and library. A study centre opereted there. In 1797-1944 it housed the Ecclesiastical Seminary Today the buildings are used by the Centre for Book Research and Libraries, and the church is closed to the publicAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020
Continue ReadingThe interior sculptural décor was created by Pietro Perti (Italian master) in 1700-1705. Twin towers were built on in the 18th century. It was built by the efforts of Casimir Sapieha the Younger (1637-1720) in 1694-1717 On the façade frieze two Christian soldiers taken into captivity by the Muslims are represented. The main goal of the Trinitarian Order was returning such captives to their homelands The church has an impressive cupola (dome), the interior is adorned with stucco relief works and sculptures - a large part of them is survived. The church is a "sister" to the Church of St. Peter and St Paul in Vilnius (Antakalnis)All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019
Continue ReadingAt the egde of Vingio Park, stands a Classical chapel built by Governor Nikolai Repnin for his wife in 1799-1800Behind the chapel, one can find the restored graves of the German, Russian, Polish, Turkish and Austro-Hungarian soldiers killed in both world wars A monument to the soldiers of the Central Powers killed in WWI in Vingio ParkAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020
Continue ReadingThe church was financed by Grand Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Grand Hetman, and Vilnius Voivode - Lew Sapieha, who had converted to Roman Catholicism from Calvinism. He was one of the most influential nobles in the Grand Duchy of LithuaniaLew Sapieha gave the church and surrounding buildings for the Bernardine nuns to have a convent and built a Sapieha family mausoleum in the churchThe convent was also a place where the daughters of rich aristocrats were taught. Today, the Church Heritage Museum operates in the churchAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019
Continue ReadingMindaugas Bridge is constructed in 2003. It has the name of the only Lithuanian King crowned on July 6th, 1253On the foothill on the left riverside of Neris, there is a Renaissance building of Old Arsenal followed by the buildings of House of the Castle Keeper and New Arsenal On the right riverside of Neris, a new business center of Vilnius is growing during the last two decadesAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019
Continue ReadingThe silver cofin of St. Casimir is under a plaster canopy accompanied by relics. Under the cofin is a miraculous painting in a silver frame, with a silver statue with the saint's attributes placed on the cofin. The relief features a very rare depiction of a smiling Blessed Virgin Mary with Baby JesusIn the chapel there are eight silver-plated wooden Baroque statues of the Kings and Grand Dukes of Poland and Lithuania from the Gediminid and Jagiellon dynasties from the 17th centuryThree-Handed Image of St. Casimir c. 1520. This painting is considered to be miraculous. In 1743 the painting was put into a silver, gold-plated framing. St. Casimir is holding lilies and a rosary, which are his symbolsAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020
Continue ReadingIn 1695 the Trinitarians set up a community on the right bank of the River Neris just to the north of Vilnius. Therefore, the place is known as Trinapolis (a city of the Trinitarians)In 1750-1760 Trinapolis was reconstructed in the late Baroque style. It was a summer residence of Vilnius bishopsIn Soviet times the church was closed down. Today, the monastery is used as a retreat house by an order of nuns, and the church is not regularly openAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2022
Continue ReadingEvangelical Lutheran Church
Užupis Art Incubator (2)
Church of the Holy Spirit & Former Dominican Monastery (Exterior)
Royal Palace – Inner Courtyard
The Wroblewski Library of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences
The House of Signatories (Karol Sztral’s House)
The Inner Courtyard of the Presidential Palace in Vilnius
Literatų Street
The Old Arsenal in Vilnius
The Kenessa of Vilnius – Karaite sanctuary
Choral Synagogue in Vilnius
Vilnius University Est. 1579
The Hill of Three Crosses
The Church of St. George the Martyr
Church of Our Lord Jesus and the Trinitarian Monastery
Vingio Park in Vilnius
Church of St. Michael the Archangel
Vilnius Panorama of the Neris River
Chapel of St. Casimir (interior)
The Church of the Holy Trinity and Trinapolis in Vilnius