The Defensive Wall of Vilnius

In 1503-1522, Vilnius was surrounded by a defensive wall. The construction of a brick defensive wall around Vilnius was provided for in the privilege of King of Poland and Grand Duke Jogaila of March 22nd, 1387, by which the Magdeburg Law was granted to the city [...]

Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2021-09-04 10 min read

It was not until 1503 when Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland Alexander Jagiellon granted a privilege that the construction of the wall began. The year 1522 is considered to mark the end of the construction, when Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund the Old exempted the residents of Vilnius from the duty of keeping guard at the castle and ordered 24 guards to be posted at the city gates

The length of the defensive wall was 2,5 kilometres having 10 gates. The wall surrounded the territory of today’s Old Town, approximatelly 100 hectars. The foundation of the defensive wall was built of stone, and bricks were mainly used at the level of loopholes and higher. The was was adapted for defence with gunpoweder-operated firearms

Until the late-18th century, the Vilnius defensive wall was frequently renovated. The wall served for the last time in 1794 during the uprising led by Tadeusz Kościuszko: the rebels managed to resist for several months