House-Monument with Gothic Façade

The 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

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 inhabitantsThe Russian Street in Old Town of Vilnius ends with the Russian Orthodox Cathedral (Sobor) of the Dormition of the Holy Mother ...

The 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

This building in Savičiaus Street in Vilnius Old Town acquired its present appearance in the 18th century with the 19th-century façade. Until the mid-19th century, the building was home to Vilnius governors and burgomasters In 1995, on the artist's 120th anniversary, a memorial culture center and the flat museum was opened in this house. The center and museum, today, hosts lectures on music, art, and philosophy, as well as chamber concertsM. K. Čiurlionis created 350 musical pieces and around 500 artworks. When he lived in this house, he created his most remarkable paintingsAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019

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

One house in Augustijonų Street in Vilnius Old Town. Behind the house is the Church of Our Lady, Comfort of the AfflictedA view from Augustijonų Street on the top of the tower of the Church of Our Lady, Comfort of the Afflicted. This church used to be known for its lavish decoration, but the altars, pulpit, and organ were removed in 1852 when it was transformed into a Russian Orthodox Church   One courtyard in Augustijonų Street in front of the Church of Our Lady, Comfort of the AfflictedAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019

Choral 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

The garden reminiscent of a so-called secret garden (giardino segreto) could have been planned in the style of an Italian parkThe Renaissance Garden was located between the Royal Palace and the Upper Castle with the Tower of Gediminas. The stairs and other elements were designed by the Italian architect and sculptor Bernardino Zanobi da Gianottis. An Italian priest, Francesco, took care of the garden plantsEvidence of the history of the garden lies in the relics from various periods that survived in the cultural layers of the Lower Castle with the Renaissance Royal PalaceAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020

The Užupis Art Incubator is open to all beginning and experienced artistsA view from the Užupis Art Incubator to the Russian Orthodox Church of the Blessed Mother of GodThe River of Vilnia seen from the Užupis Art IncubatorAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020

Polish King Jan Sobieski, Russian Emperor Alexander I and French Emperor Napoleon I visited the mansion on various occasions. The building was reconstructed in 1839-1841. The present façade is ClassicalA Florentine artist Michelangelo Palloni, was invited from Italy in 1674 to work at Pažaislis monastery and church near Kaunas, and Mykolas Kazimieras Pacas then commissioned him to paint frescoes for of this estate.Unfortunately, none of the original interior, which also included rich stucco work, remainsAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2022

A building of Jewish Center of Culture and Information in the area of the Large Jewish Ghetto in 1941-1943. In this house a famous Vilnius resident Dr. Tzemach Shabad livedTzemach Shabad (1864-1935) was not only a good doctor, but a societal and community figure, and humanist as well. A monument (in 2007 erected) to him on the territory of WWII Large Jewish GhettoA plaque of a plan of the Jewish Ghetto in 1941-1943. There were Small and Large Jewish Ghettos existing from September 6th, 1941 to September 23rd, 1943. Today, September 23rd is the National Memorial Day for the Holocaust/Genocide of the Lithuanian Jews All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019

Užupio street is the main street in the city's district of Užupis. The district was in the Soviet time one of the most dilapidated districts in Vilnius. Many of the buildings did not have electricity and sanitary facilities, and the streets were unlitThe River Užupis which separates Užupis district from the Old Town. On one side of the river is a unique ensemble of sacred buildings and a park, while on the other side is "Republic of Užupis", where a number of artists live and work"Angel of Užupis" sculpture. An angel is playing a trumpet that provides ideas about Užupis to others and protects the district. The 24th Article of the Constitution of Užupis, for instance, says that "Everyone has the right to understand nothing". The district is separated from the Old Town by the River Vilnia on three sides, and by a high hill on the fourth sideAll photos ...

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

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

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 

Hostel Courtyard of the Old Campus of the Vilnius UniversityIn the late 19th century all houses of the courtyard were reconstructed and in the early 21st century water supply and sewerage systems were installed. Apartments were rented in those housesInterior of the present-day Faculty of Philosophy. After the reconstruction was completed in the spring of 2005, the Faculty of Philosophy was relocated hereAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2023

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

The courtyard of the palace. In 1834 the building was reconstructed and acquired its present appearance. In 1919 it was given to the university and was home to several well-known professors The façade is harmonious, moderately decorated. The façades of the servants' house facing the courtyard and Bokšto Str. (No. 5) Today the palace houses the Vilnius Picture Gallery and the Lithuanian Art MuseumAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019

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

Althought it appears quite large from the outside, the thikness of the tower's walls make it a relatively small exibition space. Its floors hold various items of weaponry and engravings, and models which give an idea of how the site looked and was used in earlier timesThere are models of the three castles from the 14th and early 17th century. They provide an interesting comparison, to show how the site developedThe focal attraction of the museum is the view from the roof, and a narrow staircase leads visitors up to a parapet that overlooks the entire center of the city. This is the best place from which to appreciate the variety of colours of the Old TownAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020