The Russian Street in Vilnius

The Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund (1432-1440), who ruled briefly after the death of his brother Vytautas the Great (died in 1430), granted equal rights to the Russian Orthodox believers living in the capital-city of Vilnius – before long they came to constitute one half of the members of the city board and guild elders

In the Middle Ages Vilnius (today Old Town) was increasingly multy-national as it was the case with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania as well. The city was, in fact, divided into four quarters according to the ethnic and religious belonging of its citizens: the German Quarter, the Russian Quarter, the Jewish Quarter, and the Tartar Quarter. Each of these city quarters had the main street named according to the ethnic belonging of their inhabitants

The Russian Street in Old Town of Vilnius ends with the Russian Orthodox Cathedral (Sobor) of the Dormition of the Holy Mother of God. The first church at this spot was erected in the mid-14th century (when ethnic Lithuanians still have been the pagans) by the pagan Grand Duke Algirdas for his Russian Orthodox wife. The present building of the Cathedral dates mostly from the 1860’s.

Adam Mickiewicz Courtyard of the Vilnius University

Earlier in this courtyard was an artillery school. The Rector of the Vilnius University S. Malewski as well as lived in the building of this courtyardA poet Adam Mickiewicz spent much time with his son in their house in 1818-1819. As the first-year student, he lived in one of those buildings. Later, it became a gathering place of the PhilomatsThe courtyard is surrounded by two-storey buildings. A Gothic façade of one of them is facing Pilies StreetAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2023

Gediminas Tower

Upper Caste's Gediminas Tower (14th century) with the Royal Palace of Lithuania (the Palace of Grand Dukes of Lithuania, 16th century). Today, it houses a museum and an observation deck from which it can be seen a beautiful panorama of the city from the 75 m. high perchThe museum exposition features plans of castlereconstruction as well as armamentsGediminas Tower with the Lithuanian tricolor flag became a symbol of Lithuania. Gediminas Tower is a Western tower of the Higher Castle of Vilnius with an octagonal plan, stone foundations, and mainly brick walls built in the Gothic mannerAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018

The Museum of Archaeology of Lithuania

The museum is located in the north wing of the Old Arsenal and looks at Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Age Lithuania followed by the various tribes that inhabited the area until they combined to form a state in the 13th centuryThe museum displays object found in burial sites, such as pins, amulets, rings, brooches, knives or necklaces. You can as well as see regional dressses of Lithuanian tribes before the formation of the state in the mid-13th century The museum shows a hoard of some 16.000 17th-century coins found in 1999 in Vilnius. It is believed that the hoard may have been hidden during the 1700-1721 Great Northen War. Nevertheless, it is the largest collection of old coins to be found in Lithuania All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020

Vilnius Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree decoration at the Cathedral Basilica Square in Vilnius. The belfry is seen in the backgroundChristmas decoration in front of the principal building of the castle complex in Vilnius Old Town - Cathedral BasilicaCathedral Basilica of Vilnius is erected on the place of the pagan altar with a ceasred fire to the pagan god Perkūnas (god of Thunder)All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019

The Kenessa of Vilnius – Karaite sanctuary

The 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

Vilnius Old Town Hall

The Town Hall hosted a court, archive, weapons depository, as well as a prison for artisans that had broken the law. Burgomasters also held meetings in the Town Hall, as did the Council of Merchants Since 1991, Vilnius Old Town Hall once again is functioning as a place for holding important events like art exhibitions, concerts, conferences, meetings, etcIn the Middle Ages, the Town Hall Square was a place where physical punishment was carried out. There were gallows and a scaffold nearby, where executions were carried outAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019

The Belfry of the Cathedral Basilica in Vilnius

Its foundations are superimposed on the remains of a square tower, one of the oldest brick buildings in Lithuania, whose bricks are bound in the pre-Cothis (Baltic) manner An oval four-story tower with loopholes was built on these remains. Originally, it was a defensive tower of the Lower CastleThe underground square part dates from the 13th century, and the round part - from the late 14th century All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019

Literatų Street

An 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

Courtyard of the Medical Collegium (2)

A small doorway in a plain building at Pilies (Castle) Street leads through a vaulted passage into a large yard. The yard was the original place of the Botanical Garden of the Vilnius University. It was founded by a French botanist, Jean Gilibert, in 1782The Botanical Garden remained in this yard for 10 years when it was transferred to Sereikiškių Park, and as well as provided accommodation for the university professors. Before becoming the Botanic Garden, the buildings around had been a college for noblemen. After the university was closed in the mid-19th century, the buildings were used by the Medical AcademyThe yard is the best and most probably the single place in Vilnius from where to admire the spectacularly decorated top of the apse of the Church of St. John's (the church in the grand courtyard of the University of Vilnius)All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav ...

Church of St. Archangel Raphael

The church is an elegant late Baroque monument built-in 1702-1730. It is made even more attractive by an asymmetrical monastery ensemble in 1713-1730The towers date from the mid-18th century. They end in rococo domes with lanterns Both the church and the monastery belonged to the Jesuit Order. The monastery was intended for the Jesuit monks with 10 years of service experience seeking to become professed Jesiuts, i.e., to make the last ceremonial vowes All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019

Church of St. Theresa and the Monastery of the Barefoot Carmelites

It was built from 1633 to 1654 under the patronage of the Vice-Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Stephen Pac. Most probably the exterior was designed by Italian Constantino Tencalla. The exterior of the Church of St. Theresa is designed according to the models of Roman architecture: it is noble and harmonious, built along with the vertical principle with volutes and side obelisksThe St. Theresa Church (left) is located at Dawn St. nearby the Gate of Dawn (at the top) that is famous for its miraculous image of the Mother of Mercy (or Mary of Vilnius)The chapel is built by the Barefoot Carmelite monks for the miraculous picture of Mary of Vilnius in 1671. The St. Theresa Church was built with a large Barefoot Carmelite Monastery, established near Vilnius' defensive wall All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018

The Church of St. George the Martyr

The 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

The Bastion of the Vilnius Defensive Wall (II)

The architect of the Vilnius Bastion is unknown. The building that rose in the early 17th century is attributed to the period of late Renaissance and in that period Vilnius did not have a municipal architectThe wars of the mid-17th century and the 18th century weakened the military power of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The army led by the Russian Emperor Aleksey Mikhailovich approached Vilnius in August 1655 and seized the cityWhen Vilnius was liberated in 1660, the city's defensive fortifications needed repair. However, there was not enough funds and the citizens were unable to maintain defensive fortifications, supply them with arms and gunpowder and provide securityAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020

Church of St. Stephen

St. Lazarus' almshouse operated in this church, plague and famine victims were buried there. In 1715, the church and the monastery were given to the brethren of St. Rochus who tended to sick people, and in 1752 - to the sisters of MaryIn a cemetery at the church many outstanding people were buried, among others architect Laurynas Stuoka-Gucevičius. A memorial plaque to him is set up on the south façade of the church. However, later the cemetery was turned into a storage site of construction materialsThe church was severely damaged during a fire in 1794. The church was reconstructed and slightly transformed in 1801-1806. In 1864, the convent was closed down, and the buildings converted into a prisonAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020

Lithuania – Geographical Center of Europe

A geographical centre of Europe - 25 km far from Vilnius. From 2015 Summer You will get a special Certificate that you have visited the Geographical center of Europe. Don't miss the chance to get it for freeThe Baltic States of Europe - Estonia, Latvia & LithuaniaVytis (The Knight) - The Coat of Arm of both historical Grand Duchy of Lithuania and present-day the Republic of LithuaniaOrigins of images: Facebook, Twitter, Wikimedia, Wikipedia, Flickr, Google, Imageinjection & Pinterest.Read our Disclaimer/Legal Statement!Donate to Support UsWe would like to ask you to consider a small donation to help our team keep working.

Jonas Basanavičius Monument in Vilnius

A monument to dr. Jonas Basanavičius in Vilnius in front of the building of the Lithuanian National PhilharmonicDr. Jonas Basanavičius chaired the session of Lithuanian Council that adopted the Act of Independence of Lithuania on 1918-02-16. He was the first to sign the Act of the Proclamation of the Lithuanian IndependenceBalancing between Lithuanian and Polish interests, he refused to participate in the opening of the Polish Stefan Batory University (today Vilnius University)All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020

The Bastion of the Vilnius Defensive Wall (I)

The Bastion is comprised of a tower, cannon room and 48 m. the long corridor connecting it with the towerThe walls and moats of the Bastion were excavated in 1965-1970, and the canon room was renovated in 1985-1986 The entire Bastion is converted into a museum, and since 1987 it houses an exhibition of defensive fortifications and weaponryAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019

St. Johns’ Church

The church received its current form in 1738-1749 after fires in the cityThe church was rebuilted by Vilnius Baroque architect J. K. Glaubitz in the ornate Late Baroque style, and installed 24 altars insite The church bell tower received its current shape in 1737. The bell tower is 68 m tall. It is the tallest building in Vilnius Old TownAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018

Šiltadaržio St. in Vilnius

Šiltadaržio St. is ending at Bernardinų St.Art Printing House Culture Center with the Theater in the streetIn the streeet, there is a Toy Museum and other cultural atractionsAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020

Church of St. Anne

Church of St. Anne (left) and Bernardine Church (right). The church of St. Anne is a unique monument of red firebrick Gothic architecture in LithuaniaSt. Anne Church, designed in 1495-1500 by Benedikt Rejt, built up at the turn of the 15th century, and renovated in 1902-1909. 35 different kinds of brick were used help in creating the church. The façade was reinforced in 1960-1970St. Anne Church - a church which French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte wanted to put on his palm and carry it over to Paris. The Church of St. Anne is symmetrical, marked by graceful, pointed forms that continue upwardAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018