Vilnius-Sightseeng Guided Tours

November 2019
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Tour № 1 – Šventaragis Valley

Cathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus & St. Vladislaus
Cathedral 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 Tower
Royal Palace of Lithuania (the Palace of Grand Dukes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania)
Upper Castle
Upper Castle’s West (Gediminas) Tower
Old Arsenal – Museum of Applied Art
New Arsenal – Lithuanian National Museum
Monument 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 Quarter

Vilnius University – Historical Campus (est. 1579)
Vilnius University – the Bronze door of the Central Library
Vilnius University – Historical Campus (inside, including 12 university’s courtyards, Domus Philologiae, Smuglevičius Hall, White (Observatory) Hall, Lelewel Hall, Lithuanian Philology Centre, etc)
Vilnius University – Science Museum
St. Johns’ Church in the Great (Skarga) university’s Courtyard
St. Johns’ Church in the Great (Skarga) university’s Courtyard (inside, including Great alter, Altar of Maria of Loretto, Chapel of St. Anne, Altar of St. Victorino, Organ, several memorial plagues and frescos, etc)
St. Johns’ Church in the Great (Skarga) university’s Courtyard – Bell Tower
Dominican Street
University Street
St. John Street
Church of the Holy Cross and former Hospitaller Monastery
Monument to Laurinas Gucevičius (1753-1798)
Presidential Palace (Prezidentura)
Alumni (Alumnatas) Courtyard
Sanctuary of Divine Mercy
Church of the Holy Spirit and former Dominican Monastery
St. Ignatius Church and former Jesuit novitiate
Plaque for Righteous Among the Nations
Monument to Stanislaw Moniuszko (1819-1872)
St. Catherine’s Church and former Benedictine Monastery

Tour № 3 – From the Cathedral Basilica to Town Hall Square

Buildings of Pilies Street
House of the Signatories
Marija and Jurgis Šlapelis House Museum
Paraskeva Russian Orthodox Church
Pilies Street souvenir open market – What should you buy in Vilnius
Buildings of Didžioji (Great) Street
Vilnius Picture Gallery (Chodkiewicz Palace)
Stendhal House
Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church
Historical Town Hall
Buildings around the Square of Historical Town Hall
Former printing house of Francysk Skaryna (1486-1551) – the Magistrate House
Buildings of Savičiaus Street
Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis’ (1875-1911) Memorial Flat Museum
Church of Blessed Mary the Comforter and the Augustine Monastery
Kazys Varnelis’ (1917-2010) House Museum – Great and Small Guilds
Casimir Church
Buildings of Subačius Street
Bastion – an artillery fortification
Church of the Assumption and former Missionary Monastery

Tour № 4 – Quarter of Three Confessions

Buildings of Aušros Street
Radisson SAS Astorijos Hotel (former Italia hotel)
Building of National Philharmonic
Monument to Jonas Basanavičius (1851-1927) on the square in front of National Philharmonic
Memorial plaque to Ignacy Domeyko (1802-1889)
Baroque gate to Uniate Church of the Holy Trinity and former Basilian Monastery
Uniate Church of the Holy Trinity and former Basilian Monastery
Memorial plaque to Josaphat Kuncevic (St. Josaphat, 1580-1623)
Memorial plaque on the building of former Basilian Monastery where Adam Mickiewicz (1798-1855) was imprisoned
Russian Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit and monastery
Russian Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit (inside, including the remains of the Three Vilnius Martyrs kept under a wooden canopy in front of the iconostasis)
Church of St. Teresa (of Ávila, Spain) and former Carmelite Monastery
Church of St. Teresa (of Ávila, Spain) (inside, including the church’s mural paintings, the Chapel of Pac’s family’s mausoleum, impressive, gently-curved church’s pulpit and the altar)
Chapel of the Gate of Dawn (Medininkų Gate)
The sacred picture of the Holy Virgin Mary in the Chapel of the Gate of Dawn (Medininkų Gate)
Votive objects in the Chapel of the Gate of Dawn (Medininkų Gate)
The Gate of Dawn (Medininkų Gate) from the southern side with a Renaissance composition of Vytis

Tour № 5 – Jewish Quarter

Small and Large Vilnius Jewish Ghettos
Monument to the Vilna Gaon
Mark Antokolski (1840-1902) House
Former Mattityahu Strashun (1817-1885) Jewish Library
Vokiečių gatvė (German Street)
Contemporary Art Centre
„Barbara“ sculpture
Monument in remembrance of Vilnius Ghetto martyrs and fighters in 1941-1943
Church of St. Nicholas
A sculpture of Vilnius Patron Saint Christopher in the yard of the Church of St. Nicholas
Evangelical Lutheran Church
Amatų gildija (Artisan guild) open ceramic workshop and gallery
Former Vilnius ghetto theatre 1941-1943
Former Gothic façade at Karmelitų gatvę (Carmelite Street)
Closed courtyards with open galleries, characteristic of Old Town architecture
Church of All Saints and former Carmelite Monastery
A section of Vilnius historical defensive wall
The sculpture named „Egg“
Monument to Tzemach Shabad (1864-1935)
Choral Synagogue
Church of the Assumption of the Holy Virgin Mary and former Franciscan Monastery
Sculpture of the Holy Virgin Mary (The White Mother of God)
Suzin’s built Baroque-style family mausoleum chapel
A monument to Jozef Montwiłł (1850-1911)

Tour № 6 – Bends of the River Vilnia

Adam Mickiewicz’s Memorial Flat Museum
Church of St. Anne
Church of St. Francis and St. Bernardine
Chapel of the Holy Steps
Monument to Adam Mickiewicz
Church of St. Michael the Archangel
Adam Mickiewitz’s House
Sereikiškių Park
Amber Museum
Russian Orthodox Church of the Blessed Mother of God
„Angel of Užupis“ sculpture
Constitution of the „Republic of Užupis“
Church of St. Bartholomew
Bernardinų Cemetery

Tour № 7 – City Centre

Three Crosses Monument on the Three Crosses Hill
Church of St. Peter and St. Paul
Petras Vileišis Estate
Tuskulėnų Park with columbarium
A building of Lithuanian Energy
A building of Lithuanian Theatre, Music and Film (A Small Radziwiłł Palace)
A Great Radziwiłł Palace
Vilna Gaon Jewish State Museum
Sculpture or Roman Gary
A monument to Frank Zappa
Museum of Genocide Victims (former KGB Headquarters)
A plaque to Chiune Sugihara

All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic

Gediminas Tower

Upper Caste's Gediminas Tower (14th century) with the Royal Palace of Lithuania (the Palace of Grand Dukes of Lithuania, 16th century)The museum exposition features plans of castlereconstruction as well as armamentsGediminas Tower with the Lithuanian tricolor flag became a symbol of LithuaniaAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018

The Bastion of Vilnius

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

“Republic of Užupis”

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 districtAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018

National Martynas Mažvydas Library

Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania is a national cultural institution open to all users, active in the areas of dissemination of information, culture, science, and education, performing library activities and ensuring implementation of the national information policy falling within its competence The mission of the library is to be the Lithuanian space of knowledge-creating value for the public The vision of the library: to become an integral part of the state's information policy, culture, education, science, and economic progressAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019

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

Photo Slider Old Town in Vilnius: Vilnius University and Monastery Quarter

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

Church of Our Lord Jesus and the Trinitarian Monastery

The interior sculptural décor was created by Pietro Perti (Italian master) in 1700-1705. Twin towers were built on in the 18th century 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

Church of Blessed Mary the Comforter and the Augustine Monastery

The Augustines established themselves on this site in Vilnius Old Town after 1661. The monastery date from the late 18th centuryIn 1833-1842 the monastery housed the Vilnius Spiritual Academy. In 1859 it was converted into a Russian Orthodox Church of St. AndrewIn 1918 the church was returned to the Roman Catholics and renovated. After WWII the interior was destroyed during the installation of a ferroconcrete ceiling; the church was used as a warehouse in the Soviet timeAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019

Church of the Assumption of the Holy Virgin Mary and the Franciscan Monastery

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

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

The exterior of the Church of St. Theresa is designed according to the models of Roman architecture: it is noble and harmonious, built along 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

Jewish Quarter (I)

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

Royal Palace – Inner Courtyard

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 atticsAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018

Church of St. Catherine and Former Benedictine Monastery

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

M. K. Čiurlionis Memorial Flat Museum

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

Church of the Assumption

The Church of the Assumption is one of the Vilnius' most beautiful Baroque churches and most mature building of the Vilnius' Baroque schoolConstruction on the church began in 1695 and the final work was carried out by Vilnius' Baroque architect Johann Christoph Glaubitz (1700-1767) in 1750-1756The front façade is adorned by a domical rotunda vestibule, and two elegant towers with clocks All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2019

Defensive City Walls of Vilnius

It is thought that a settlement existed on this site before the times of Gediminas and even Mindaugas (killed in 1263), in the 12th centuryThere are several interesting buildings on Bokšto StreetView of Vilnius' Bastion from Bokšto StreetAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018

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

Cathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Vladislaus

Cathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Vladislaus in Vilnius. Today the Cathedral Basilica is in the Classicist style as it was redisigned in 1783-1801 by Lithuanian architect Laurynas Gucevičius Baroque-style Cathedral's St. Casimir's Chapel built in 1610-1632 for holding the remains of St. Casimir Cathedral Basilica Bell Tower. It is rebuilt tower that was part of the defensive wall that encircled the Lower CastleSaveAll photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018

Russian Orthodox Church of the Blessed Mother of God

The church is endowed by Juliana, the wife of Lithuania's Grand Duke Algirdas (1345-1377) and mother of Lithuania's and Poland's ruler Jogaila. Grand Duke of Lithuania Jogaila baptized Lithuania in 1387. She was buried in the churchFragments of Gothic masonry have survived in the bottom part and in some segments up to the top. The present façades and the cupola imitate Georgian medieval architectureIn 1415 the church was transformed into a cathedral. In 1511-1522 it was reconstructed by Prince Constantine Ostrogsky. In 1516 Helen (a Russian Orthodox), wife of Alexander Jagiellon (Polish King and Lithuanian Grand Duke) was buried there. In 1609 the cathedral was given to the Uniates (Greek Catholics). In 1865-1868 it rendered its present appearance, and it began to function as a church again All photos are copyrighted by Vladislav B. Sotirovic© Vladislav B. Sotirovic 2018

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