Vilnius Museums
Lower Castle Museum. Operating hours: from
10am to 5pm, closed on Saturdays and Sundays. The lower castle, the main residence of
Lithuania's grand dukes for about 300 years was destroyed in the 19th century and now
hosts concerts and plays on the site of the excavations. The Research Group of the Lower
Castle offers a guided tour (in English) tracing its evolution from the 13th - 16th
century. Look for an exhibition of archaeological finds on the second floor of the white
research building. Located immediately behind the cathedral.
Higher Castle Museum. Operating hours: from
11am to 6pm. After walking up Castle Hill, climb the 78 steps up the western tower of the
Higher Castle (also referred to as Gediminas Castle) to admire the breathtaking view of
Vilnius. The red brick tower is now all that remains of the Higher Castle. Dating back to
the 13th century, the castle was rebuilt in 1419 by the Grand Duke Vytautas following the
great fire of Vilnius, which caused damage equal to 60,000 silver pieces. In 1610 it was
used as a prison for the gentry. During the 1655 - 1661 Russian occupation the castle
towers and defensive walls were completely ruined and it was not until 1930 that any
attempt was made to restore the castle. The western tower was restored and is open for
viewing, alongside the preserved ruins of the Gothic palace and fragments of the defensive
wall and southern tower. Inside the three-storey tower you will find models of the castle
as it was in the 14th century, displays of 14 - 18th-century ammunition and arms and other
historical displays.
Amber Museum. Operating hors from 10am to
7pm, closed on Mondays. A two-story ode to amber completes with explanations in English,
German and Lithuanian about the formation, color, harvesting and processing of Baltic
Gold. Follow the history of amber through a series of ancient rooms in the cellar. Spiders
and cockroaches as well as leaves and other natural debris encased in amber are on
display. The 15th century kiln in the cellar was discovered during the construction of the
museum. Ancient amber as well as contemporary sculpted and natural pieces are on display.
Upstairs is home to a gallery of modern pieces of amber jewelry created by Lithuanian
artists. Great shop, too.
Museum of Applied Art. Operating hours: from
12am to 6pm, closed on Sundays and Mondays. Since 1987 in the renovated arsenal, the
museum houses Lithuanian and foreign applied art from the 14th through the 20th century in
addition to temporary exhibitions of applied art and design. Occasional musical
performances.
Lithuanian National Museum. Operating hours:
from 11am to 5pm, closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Founded in 1855, the museum counts some
700,000 exhibits on archeology, history and ethnography. Exhibits illustrate the history
of the people of Lithuania from the Stone Age to 1940, with recreated dwelling interiors.
The exhibit on the history and achievements of the Lithuanian Republic during the
inter-war period is excellent.
Cathedral (Arkikatedra Bazilika). Founded on
ancient pagan grounds dedicated to Perkunas, the god of thunder, the original church was
built by Mindaugas the Great, the first Lithuanian king to convert to Christianity. Of
interest is St Casimir's chapel, early Baroque (1623-1636), under which lie the mausoleums
of Alexander Jagiellon, the only Grand Duke known to be buried in Vilnius; the heart of
Vladislav IV; and the two wives of Grand Duke Sigismundus II Augustus including Barbora
Radvilaite. The bodies had been hidden under the Cathedral in the 17th century and were
only rediscovered in 1993. The freestanding bell tower is packed with old bells, which
were brought from country churches to Vilnius in 1967. Plans to make them into a carillon
failed. On July 6, 1998, it was announced that treasures dating back to the 16th century
had been found hidden in the walls of the Cathedral. The treasure consisting of about 270
jewel-encrusted gold and silver objects - mostly religious - is the largest such treasure
in Lithuania and is considered to be worth at least US$10 million. First discovered on
March 27, 1985, when workers stumbled across it, the gold was kept hidden for fear that
the Soviets would take it. Archaeologists agree that the treasure was hidden in 1655 when
Russian soldiers invaded Vilnius. Plans to put it on display are underway. On the
Cathedral roof, the beloved dominate Old Town after 46 years, massive symbols of
Lithuania's freedom and faith. Mass: 07:00, 08:00, 18:00, 19:00. Sun 08:00, 09:00, 10:00,
11:15, 12:30, 18:00, 19:00.
KGB Museum (Museum of Genocide Victims).
Opening hours: from 10am to 4pm, closed on Mondays. The cells in the basement of the
former KGB building, where thousands of Lithuanians were interrogated before being
deported to Siberia, have been left almost as they were when prisoners were packed into
them 20 to a cell. Take a tour with a former inmate who speaks Russian and Lithuanian.
Vilnus City Tour, 4 hours
The heart of the city is Gediminas Castle - the Vilnius
Acropolis - a testimony of honor to the city's antiquity. Dating back to the 13th
century, the castle was rebuilt in 1419 by the Grand Duke Vytautas. In 1610 it was used as
a prison for the gentry. Inside the three-store tower you will find models of the castle
as it was in the 14th century, displays of 14-18th century ammunition and arms and other
historical displays.
At the foot of the hill are the Lower Castle and the
Cathedral. In the Cathedral Square, in the 13th century, the first Catholic
Church - Cathedral was built to mark Lithuanian conversion to Catholicism. There you can
visit the mysterious 12th century cellars, remains of the pagan sanctuary and where many
famous Lithuanian personalities from medieval times are buried.
Just a few steps away from the Cathedral Square, are St.
Anne's, Bernardine and St. Nicholas Churches, a marvelous complex of Gothic and
Renaissance. St. Anne's Church is especially unforgettable. Its facade is patterned with
33 different varieties of bricks. According to the legend, Napoleon Bonaparte was so
impressed by St. Anne's Church, that he wanted to bring the Church back to France in the
palm of his hand. Right behind St. Anne's Church is Bernardine Church, built in the 16th
century in the Gothic style. The applied arts faculty allegedly used the organ pipes in
their compositions. Scaffolding still covers the frescoes in the nave, but those in the
sacristy have been fully restored. St. Nicholas Church is the oldest standing church in
Lithuania. German merchants before Lithuania's conversion to Christianity built it in
1320.
The Gate of Dawn - 16th century Renaissance -
originally formed part of the Old Town fortifications. In 1671 Carmelites from neighboring
St. Theresa's built a chapel in the gates to house a holy image of the Virgin Mary,
reputed for miracle-working powers.
Just a few steps away from the Gate of Dawn is Orthodox
Church of the Holy Spirit, built in the 17th century. Recently renovated, the icons
and decorations are now brilliant. See the well-preserved bodies of the martyred Saints
Anthony, Ivan and Eustacius lie.
The City Hall square was an administrative center
and a market place in the 16th century. Down by the Pilies Street - one of the oldest
streets of the Old Town - go to the University of Vilnius, the oldest University of
Eastern Europe. Established in 1579, it full of original comfortable courtyards arched
corridors and decorations. The University library contains the richest collection of books
and manuscripts in Eastern Europe.
In one of the University courtyards is St. John's Church.
It has 10 altars. This is the only church in the Baltics with so many altars. Really, it
is named after two Johns: the Church of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Apostle and
Evangelist. Visit to the Parliament - the Seimas as it is called in Lithuanian. You
will see the barricades - witness of a fight for independence in 1991.
Just near the Old Town is Sts. Peter and Paul Church
- a gem of Vilnius Baroque. The exterior is attractive, but the interior decor is just
amazing. About 2000 sculptures, relief and ornaments decorate the inside walls.
City Center Walking Tour, 4 hours
The heart of the city is Gediminas Castle - the Vilnius
Acropolis - a testimony of honour to the city's antiquity. Dating back to the 13th
century, the castle was rebuilt in 1419 by the Grand Duke Vytautas. In 1610 it was used as
a prison for the gentry. Inside the three-store tower you will find models of the castle
as it was in the 14th century, displays of 14-18th century ammunition and arms and other
historical displays.
At the foot of the hill is the Lower Castle and the
Cathedral. In the Cathedral Square, in the 13th century, the first Catholic Church
- Cathedral was built to mark Lithuanian conversion to Catholicism. There you can visit
the mysterious 12th century cellars, remains of the pagan sanctuary and where many famous
Lithuanian personalities from medieval times are buried.
Just a few steps away from the Cathedral Square, are St.
Anne's, Bernardine and St. Nicholas Churches, a marvelous complex of Gothic and
Renaissance. St. Anne's Church is especially unforgettable. Its facade is patterned with
33 different varieties of bricks. According to the legend, Napoleon Bonaparte was so
impressed by St. Anne's Church, that he wanted to bring the Church back to France in the
palm of his hand.
Right behind St. Anne's Church is Bernardine Church,
built in the 16th century in the Gothic style. The applied arts faculty allegedly used the
organ pipes in their compositions. Scaffolding still covers the frescoes in the nave, but
those in the sacristy have been fully restored.
St. Nicholas Church is the oldest standing
church in Lithuania. German merchants before Lithuania's conversion to Christianity built
it in 1320.
The Gate of Dawn - 16th century Renaissance -
originally formed part of the Old Town fortifications. In 1671 Carmelites from
neighbouring St. Theresa's built a chapel in the gates to house a holy image of the Virgin
Mary, reputed for miracle-working powers. Just a few steps away from the Gate of Dawn is Orthodox
Church of the Holy Spirit, built in the 17th century. Recently renovated, the icons
and decorations are now brilliant. See the well-preserved bodies of the martyred Saints
Anthony, Ivan and Eustacius lie.
The City Hall square was an administrative centre
and a market place in the 16th century. Down by the Pilies Street - one of the oldest
streets of the Old Town - go to the University of Vilnius, the oldest University of
Eastern Europe. Established in 1579, it full of original comfortable courtyards arched
corridors and decorations. The University library contains the richest collection of books
and manuscripts in Eastern Europe.
In one of the University courtyards is St. John's Church.
It has 10 altars. This is the only church in the Baltics with so many altars. Really, it
is named after two Johns: the Church of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Apostle and
Evangelist.
Tour to Trakai, 4 hours
Trakai is the city in southeastern Lithuania, 29 km west of
Vilnius, district center with 6000 inhabitants. Guests coming to Vilnius are likely to
visit Trakai, the ancient capital of Lithuania. Trakai is one of the oldest Lithuanian
settlements spreading over unique glacial terrain. The relief of Trakai features moraine
hills and numerous lakes. Many hills emerge from water like islands. The lakes of Trakai
lie in the highest enervations of a hilly massif and have a very small feeding area. The
latter feature makes the whole environmental complex quite a specific phenomenon from the
geo-ecological point of view.
Even at medieval times the national composition of the
town's population was rather mixed (Lithuanians, Russians, Germans, large number of Jews).
The ethnic groups of the population concentrated in certain parts of the town where they
had their houses of worship: a Roman Catholic Church, a Russian orthodox church, a Jewish
synagogue and a Karaite kinese.
Trakai is inhabited by the Karaites (Karaimes), too, who
settled here at the turn of 14th and 15th centuries. They settled in the town and its
vicinity and were granted various privileges. Several dozen of Karaite families still live
in Trakai up to the present time. They have retained their language and customs. The whole
Karaite heritage deserves special protection. This is the world's largest group of people
belonging to this tiny nation and residing in one area. Their history, customs and
ethnographical peculiarities are reflected at special exposition.
Trakai' peninsular castle was one of the latest Lithuanian
defense castles built in the Gothic style. The ruins of it, now lying in the center of
town, are the most vivid testimony of the fights against the Crusaders. The castle had
been built on a peninsula jutting out between Lake Galve and Lake of Bernardines. The
insular castle was a significant military stronghold. It was repeatedly repaired and
decorated.
The lakes of Trakai and the insular castle are famous in
legends. According to one of those legends Lake Skaistis ("Lucid") is so
transparent because it was filled with a young maden's tears... Long ago a young and
beautiful girl lived on the lake's shore. She was in love with a young warrior whom the
Grand Duke called to war against the Teutonic Knights. The girl waited for her sweetheart
for many years, but he never came back. While waiting, the girl shed her lucid tears.
Filled with them, the lake became lucid too.
Currently Trakai is the favorite outing place of Vilnius'
inhabitants. The Trakai insular castle museum presents an exhibition of prehistoric
findings and the Lithuanian Grand Dukes. The Trakai Lakes offer the variety of
waterspouts. Trakai is a unique monument of glacial landscape, Lithuanian history and of
the Karaite culture. As an original combination of nature and history, and an object of
great aesthetic significance, Trakai is visited by about 350 thousand people annually.
KAUNAS
Kaunas is the second largest city in Lithuania, first
mentioned in an old manuscript of 1361. Situated 100 km from Vilnius, in the valley of the
two longest rivers of Lithuania, the Nemunas and the Neris, the town itself became an
example of a confluence of people and cultures, and attractive blend of architecture and
nature.
Kaunas is an important industrial and cultural city with a
population of over 430.000. Kaunas is a city of very old-established cultural traditions,
on which the generations of prominent Lithuanian artists, composers and writers who lived
here have left their imprint. Their works are preserved in various museums and galleries.
For a tourist Kaunas is a relaxing city. Laisves aleja, the
main pedestrian street, is lined with museums, shops, and restaurants. It flows directly
into the Old Town where you will find an enchanting cobblestone street leading directly to
Town Hall Square. Through a business town, this easily accessible city has its fair of art
and nightlife. So strap on your walking shoes and hit the town. It won't take you long to
understand why it's so beloved.
Kaunas City tour, 3 hours
While on the Vilnius - Kaunas Highway, we will admire
Lithuanian countryside - tiny villages, forests and slopping hills. After 1.5 hour drive
we will arrive to Kaunas and start the tour of Kaunas.
The Old Town is a concentration of the most important
architectural monuments. The first impressive building that marks the beginning of the Old
Town, is the ruin of Kaunas Castle destroyed by crusaders in the 14th century and partly
reconstructed in this century as a national monuments. The castle originally had four
towers, but over the centuries the River Neris has washed them away, forcing the northern
walls to collapse.
Kaunas Old Town Hall is a combination of Baroque, and
Classical styles with a tall steeple. Construction was begun in 1542, and lasted twenty
years. At present, the first and second floors house the Marriage Hall, and the cellar,
the Ceramics Museum.
The Vytautas Church was built in the 15th century, and
belonged to the Franciscan Order. Gothic in style, it was built in a cross formation
without a tower. The steeple was built onto the facade in the 15th century.
Perkunas House (Perkunas - God of Thunder) was built at the
end of the 15th century. It is one of the most original and perfect examples of late
gothic architecture. It has been called the Perkunas House since the 19th century; a small
statue of the Thunder God was found in the walls in 1818.
The Old Town Hall Square, the most important architectural
accent of the Old Town, is reminiscent of the Middle Ages. The Archcathedral Basilica
first was mentioned in 1413. The monumental, brick, trinaved Basilica is in the Gothic
style. The interior of the Archicathedral contains many artistic monuments: paintings,
basrelief, furniture, and liturgical vessels and clothing. Laisves aleja is a pleasant
avenue for shopping and walking.
Freedom Monument is recognized symbol of Lithuanian
statehood, first erected in 1928, but levelled by the Stalinist regime, was re-established
in Unity Square. A hall of fame with the portraits of famous Lithuanian politicians and
writers begins at the liberty monument and ends at the eternal flame.
Tour of the Auk?taitija National Park, 3 hours
Lithuania's first national park - Auk?taitija National Park
- was designated in 1974 and covers an area of 40570 hectares in the regions of Ignalina,
Utena and Svencionys. Over 70 per cent of its territory is pine stands, including the
ancient woods of Azvinciai, Mincia and Linkmenos. Some of the pine trees in Azvinciai wood
are over 200 years old and the oaks of Trainiskis, Kaltanenai and Varniskiai are the
remains of the ancient oak-tree forests that once covered large territories here.
The park represents a picturesque forested and hilly
terrain abounding in lakes and having ethnographic villages; it contains quite a lot of
other cultural monuments. Scattered among the woods and hills are some 100 smaller and
larger lakes, often interconnected by rivulets and streams. The largest of them is Lake
Dringis (721 ha). Lake Tauragnas, the deepest in Lithuania (60.5 m deep) is also here.
The Baluosas features seven islands, one of that has a
little lake of its own, feeding the Baluosas waters through a small stream. Of some thirty
rivers on the territory of the park, the Zeimena is the most beautiful, although the
smaller ones - Kriauna, Lukna, Buka, Sventele, Stregzda - are no less attractive to
tourists, linguists and ethnographers alike.
The woods, marshes and meadows of the Auk?taitija National
Park abound in rare plant species, including a number of plants that are listed in the Red
Data Book of Lithuania and are protected as endangered species. The woods of the park are
the domains of elk, deer and wild boar. The lakes and rivers, too, are rich in wildlife,
from Canadian mink to a variety of birds that can bring quite a few exciting moments to a
devoted birdwatcher.
The park's territory embraces some 80 settlements and
villages, some of which have retained not only their old original layout but also archaic
wooden farm buildings and other structures. The Paluse village, which is the tourist
centre of the Auk?taitija National Park, was first mentioned in written sources in 1651.
It still boasts an octagonal wooden church dating back to 1757. Paluse is the starting
point of most of the tourist routes, both shorter and longer walks and a rowing-boat route
along a system of lakes and streams connecting them.
Accommodation is provided in old windmills turned into
tourist centres. The tour to Auk?taitija National Park starts in the Tourist Centre of
Paluse, by Lusiai Lake. On the shore of Lake Lusiai one can see the path of wooden
sculptures. Folk masters have carved them following the motifs of local legends. Paluse
has a church and bell tower ensemble built in 1750.
From the Ledakalnis hill one can observe a panorama typical
of the Auk?taitija National Park. Close nearby is the mound of Ginuciai on which the
castle of Linkmenys is supposed to have stood once. The village of Ginuciai boasts a 19th-
century technical monument - the Ginuciai water mill. Beyond Ginuciai lies the village of
Stripeikiai. 1984 witnessed the opening of the Old Beekeeping Museum. The museum features
the evolution of beekeeping in Lithuania, tools and methods of this trade, and various
types of beehives.
Past the museum flows the Tauragna that has its source in
the country's deepest lake - Tauragnas. Let us go back from Stripeikiai to Paluse through
different ethnographic villages. The park also has some old trees that remember the
ancient times. They are natural monuments. In the centre of the Park you will have
Lithuania authentic dinner with a folk music program. |
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This site was last
updated on October 29, 2000
