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Kybyn (pl. Kybynlar) is the most popular Karaite dish in Lithuania, which is a roll made of leavened dough in the shape of a half-moon, whithlamb and beef inside
A Karaite wooden house with its back stickling out into the street because of a lack of room, and always with three windows – one for God, one for Vytautas, and one for a guest
All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic
© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018
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If you go through the gates of the dungeon you find yourself in a small inner courtyard paved with stones. It is surrounded in a circle by a two-story wooden galleryThe Trakai History Museum was established in the castle in 1962. There are today total of 16 exhibition hallsWhen enemies attacked, the wooden galleries were burned, which made it more difficult to get into the palaceAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019
Continue ReadingWonderful views of Trakai Castle from the palace's terrace. The palace, which sits on the shores of Lake Galvė, is compact, with an almost square shape The backside of the Užutrakis Manor Estate facing Lake Galvė. The main fasçade faces the park and the backside has a terrace overlooking the lakeThe Classicist Luis XVI style interior was heavily damaged during the Soviet period when the palace was nationalisedAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020
Continue ReadingA 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.
Continue ReadingNew Trakai is one of Lithuania's loveliest towns. It stretches out along a narrow peninsula between lakes, and it is a frequent destination for Vilnius residents, and visitors from abroad The largest lakes, such as Galvė, Skaistis, Bernardinai, and Totoriškės are connected together. Lake salmon breed in Lake AkmenaThe Trakai Historical National Park was included in the preliminary UNESCO World Heritage List in 2003. Trakai was Lithuania's second capital in Middle Ages. Its time of glory began under Grand Duke Vytautas the Great, who strengthened the Peninsula Castle, and built the most famous monument of Lithuania's ancient history - the Island CastleAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019
Continue ReadingUntil the 15th century, the castle was the residence of the Lithuanian Grand Dukes. The complex was built from the beginning of the 14th century to the beginning of the 15th century The castle is comprised of two parts - the bailey and the residential palace, which is divided by a canal, which at the same time was filled with lake waterThe castle is surrounded in a circle by a two-story wooden galleryAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018
Continue ReadingA plate devoted to Napoleon's Army in New Trakai in 1812A plate devoted to Napoleon's Army in New Trakai in 1812A plate devoted to Napoleon's Army in New Trakai in 1812All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018
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 ReadingA 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
Continue ReadingTrakai Island Castle is comprised of two parts - the bailey (grand courtyard of the lower part of the castle) and residential palace (upper part of the castle), which is divided by a canal, which at the time was filled with lake waterIn bailey lived the castle's garrison, which was for defending. The courtyard was used for general purposes The bailey of Trakai Island Castle has four defensive towers including gate towerAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019
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 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 ReadingThe present building of the Karaites Kenessa is reconstructed at the beginning of the 20th century based on a design of the Russian architect Mihkail ProzorovThe Kenessa of New Trakai is small and almost rectangular in shape. The first floor is for mailes, and the balcony is for women. The cupola is covered with wooden planks painted blue There is a facet for washing your hands near the entrance. The services are held in Hebrew and the local dialect of Karaite languageAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018
Continue ReadingThe exhibition displays a collection of everyday articles, art, weapons, and documents, with a majority of the objects from the personal collection of Seraya Shapshal Near the museum's entrance, there is a memorial plaque to Seraya Shapshal, the founder of the museum and spiritual leader (Gahan) of the KaraitesSeraya Shapshal, the Gahan, was the last great spiritual leader of the KaraitesAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020
Continue ReadingThe 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
Continue ReadingThe Royal Palace of Lithuania (the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania) is a part of the complex of buildings of the Lower Castle in VilniusThe entrance gate to the palace. The palace gained Early Baroque features after the reconstructions in the 1630sInner courtyard of the Royal Palace. In the 16th century, Lithuanian Grand Duke and King of Poland Sigismund the Old reconstructed the buildings in the magnificent Renaissance style and designed the residenceAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018
Continue ReadingSculpture of Roman God Bacchus in the park in front of Užutrakis Manor EstateAll the sculptures, busts, and vases in the park have been destroyed during the Soviet timeAfter 1990, the vases, busts, and copies of famous sculptures were made and placed in their original places in the park around the palace All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020
Continue ReadingAfter being baptized in 1251 into the Roman Catholicism in 1251, Grand Duke Mindaugas built the first cathedral in Vilnius on the site of the present-day Cathedral Basilica (Cathedral of St. Stanislaus and St. Vladislaus). Before that, in pagan times an altar, a sacred fire or even a Perkūnas sanctuary was located on the site of today's Cathedral Basilica The creation of the Lithuanian state started as late as the 13th century. Its first outstanding ruler Mindaugas was baptized in 1251 and crowned King of Lithuania on July 6th, 1253. Today, July 6th is a national holiday of Lithuanian statehood It is assumed that it was Mindaugas who built the first Cathedral in Vilnius. Traces of the original Cathedral incorporating Romanesque style features have been discovered in the vaults of the present Cathedral. After Mindaugas's death, the Christian (Roman Catholic) Cathedral was turned into a place of pagan worship. The author ...
Continue ReadingThe largest lakes, such as Galvė, Skaistis, Bernardinai (Luka), and Totoriškės are connected together. All of them are offering great facilities for all kinds of water-sports on the lakesThe Trakai Rowing Museum has display objects from the beginning of the rowing sport in the mid-19th century up to the present, including championship trophies and prizes, and also a 19th-century sporting boatIn New Trakai exists Varnikai Botanical-Zoological Reserve Nature Trail All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2020
Continue ReadingNew Trakai was established on islands or groups of islands, because it was ideal for defensive purposesThe various parts of the city were connected into a whole by summer and winter roads. In the summer, the city was long, while in the winter it was circularNew Trakai was protected in particular because of its importance. Its defensive complex was finished at the end of the 14th century. It was comprised of the Peninsula and Island CastlesAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018
Continue ReadingIts 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
Continue ReadingResidential Palace at Trakai Island Castle
Užutrakis Manor Estate
Lithuania – Geographical Center of Europe
Lakes of Trakai
Island Castle of Trakai
Napoleon’s Grande Armée in New Trakai in 1812
The Kenessa of Vilnius – Karaite sanctuary
Jonas Basanavičius Monument in Vilnius
Bailey of Trakai Island Castle
The Church of St. George the Martyr
Vilnius University Est. 1579
Karaite Kenessa in New Trakai
Karaite Ethnographic Exhibition in New Trakai
The Museum of Archaeology of Lithuania
The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania
Užutrakis Minor Estate’s Park
King Mindaugas Monument
Water-Sport Facilities of The Trakai Historical National Park’s Lakes
New Trakai – The City Established on Islands
The Belfry of the Cathedral Basilica in Vilnius