Church of the Heart of Jesus and the Convent of the Visitationists in Vilnius

A semi-circular corridor of the Bastion of Vilnius, where cannons were lined up at embrasures, was called a casemate. A special platform with a parapet for heavy artillery was built on the terrace of the bastionA 48-m long, 2,8-m wide and 3,5 m high impressive tunnel leads from the tower to the underground casemate. Cannons brought to the tower would be rolled down this tunnelThe main part of the Bastion of Vilnius is the casemate. It is an underground horseshoe-shaped room for cannons. The casemate forms a semicircle around a 3-4 metre-high hill heightened with sand. From the outside the façade is 8 m high, and sloping, and is built from bricksAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020

In 1780, Vilnius Bishop Ignacy Massalski settled in Verkiai. He commissioned Lithuanian architect Laurynas Gucevičius to reconstruct an earlier palace. The general plan and maintenance buildings were designed by Lithuanian architect Martin KnackfussThe ensemble encompasses the park of 36 ha. Situated on two terraces, the park consisted of two parts - the upper and the great park. A view of Vilnius and the Neris River  is exposed from a steep slopeSince 1960 the ensemble belongs to the Lithuanian Academy of Science and is gradually renovatedAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2021

Originally, the Vilnius Lower Castle's jurisdictional court and administration was housed in this building during the 17th and 18th centuries. In the 18th century it was reconstructed into a weapons store-house and militarry baracks. Today, the museum holds the most important archaeological, historical, and ethnic cultural collections of Lithuania that cover Lithuania's history from the Stone Age to the present-day. In front of the building is a monument to King Mindaugas In 2003, a monument to King Mindaugas was erected in the square in front of the building of New Arsenal (today Lithuanian National Museum)In the 19th century, an entrance in the Classical style was biultAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018

Beside the main house (close to the Antakalnio St.) stands a residential house, in which the first exhibition of Lithuanian art took place in 1907A monument to the brothers Vileišis in Vilnius near the River NerisThe main Vileišis building was one of the first in Vilnius, for whose construction a rare material in Lithuania - concrete - was used. The main house was built in 1904-1906 by the Lithuanian businessman and public figure Petras Vileišis according to a design by engineer August Klein   All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018

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

All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic

The organ, made by famous German master Adam G. Casparini in 1776, is one of the most valuable cultural monuments of Lithuania. The organ itself is the only surviving original 18th-century instrument in LithuaniaThe church has many Baroque frescoes. In the cupola, there is a multi-figural composition "Apotheosis of the Holy Spirit" (neo-Baroque, 19th century)The altars and the pulpit are lavishly decorated with round and relief sculptures and ornamentation All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018

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 church is Gothic, with some Baroque forms that it acquired in the late 18th centuryIn 1812 the church was partly destroyed by the French army that used it as a granary. Since 1864 the church was closed and converted into an archive The church adjoins a monastery, the oldest in Lithuania, whose construction began in Gediminas' times (in 1334)All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018

Tour № 1 – Šventaragis ValleyCathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus & St. VladislausCathedral 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 TowerRoyal Palace of Lithuania (the Palace of Grand Dukes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania)Upper CastleUpper Castle’s West (Gediminas) TowerOld Arsenal – Museum of Applied ArtNew Arsenal – Lithuanian National MuseumMonument 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 QuarterVilnius University – Historical Campus (est. 1579)Vilnius University – the Bronze door of the Central LibraryVilnius University – Historical Campus (inside, including 12 university’s courtyards, Domus Philologiae, Smuglevičius Hall, White (Observatory) ...

The main façade of the Presidential Palace (Prezidentura) in Vilnius at Simonas Daukantas SquareThe presidential coat-of-arms is adorning the entrance to the President's Chancellery on University StreetThe Inner Courtyard of the Presidential Palace - the palace of the President of the Republic of Lithuania since 1997All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018

Grand Duke Gediminas is considered as the founder of the city of Vilnius. The monument is located in front of the Royal Palace and Cathedral Basilica in the very downtown of VilniusGediminas was a diplomatic politician, creating ties with the Roman Pope and other European rulers. He created favourable conditions for merchants and guildsmen to come to the city. Gediminas was a Grand Duke of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from 1316 to 1341During the time of Gediminas, people of different ethnicities and confessions began to live in Vilnius. He is the founder of the Gediminian-Jagelonian ruling dynasty of Lithuania and later of Poland as well (till 1572)All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018

In 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 

One of the Latin inscriptions: "This house is that of Urania: be gone profane worries! Here the humble Earth is scorned: from here one rises to the stars"Here it was a Jesuit pharmacy. Medical herbs were grown in the courtyardThe buildings of the Observatory Courtyard are the oldest in the university ensembleAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018

The 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

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

The 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

It was built by the Benedictine Sisters near their convent. It acquired its present-day appearance after a great fire in Vilnius in 1737. The church has a rich interior decorated with stucco mouldings and artificial marble. Today the church is restored and adapted for concerts. It also hosts the International Christopher Summer Music FestivalFlanking the church on Vilniaus Street, a particularly elegant Chapel of Providence was erected in 1641 and rebuilt in 1746The single-nave church has 9 magnificent Late Baroque altars and a pulpitAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018

The present church was built in the late 17th century, after its predecessor was burnt down in the 1655 during the war with Russia. The church was completed only in the middle of the 18th century The nave is 24 metres high, making it the tallest in Vilnius; and its length is the same, with accounts for its concentrated appearance when viewed from the sideIn the north tower is a particularly ornate chapel, dedicated to the Dominican St. Hyacinth, with frescoes depicting scenes from his life. The fresco above the entrance depicts the Virgin Mary and Angels. The church was returned to the Dominicans in 1993All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018

The life and work of Dr. Jurgis and Marija Šlapelis reflects the life of the region of Vilnius from the second half of the 19th century to 1940. Both of them have been cultural figures in Lithuania. Marija was actress. They published Lithuanian books that were banned at that timeDr. Jurgis and Marija Šlapelis owned the only Lithuanian language bookstore in Vilnius during 1906-1949. The Šlapelis family bought the house in 1926. Before, it was a goldsmith's workshops, and later housed a small holet called the Hotel de Philadelphie, and a wine shop The building is an example of the 17-th century architecture. Dr. Jurgis died in 1941, and Marija in 1977 at the age of 97. After WWII, the house was nationalised, and, therefore, Marija Šlapelis was forced to live in two small rooms upstairs, with the only access to them through another person's quarters. Marija stipulated in her ...