Vilnius, Lithuania

When I first saw the name Vilnius I thought it was a place somewhere in Italy. But I was wrong by about 2,500 km.

Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania and is located towards the southeast of the country. It is named after the Vilnia River. After Lithuania gained its independence in September 1991 the city has been transformed into a modern European city. Though many buildings have been renovated and a business and commercial area is being developed, Vilnius is known for its Old Town, the historical centre.



Panorama of Vilnius town
(Photo by Lestat (Jan Mehlich))

A medieval town with more than a thousand buildings built in different architectural styles - not only Baroque but  Gothic and Renaissance as well - there's so much historical culture to this city that it was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994.

So what is there to do in Vilnius?

Well, the Vilnius Castle Complex is also worth a visit to see the Gediminas Tower,  Cathedral Square and the Royal Palace of Lithuania. Gediminas was the Grand Duke of Lithuania who, through alliances, warfare and marriages, expanded the territory of Lithuania to include what is now known as Belarus, Ukraine, Transinistra.


St. Anne's Church
(Photo by Algirdas)

I'd also try and see the more than 60 churches in this city. One such is St. Anne's Church built for Anna, the Grand Duchess of Lithuania, the first wife of Vytautas the Great. It was initially built of wood but was destroyed by a fire in 1419.

There is also the Museum of Genocide Victims dedicated to the victims of the Soviet occupation as well as a memorial stone in the centre of what used to be a Jewish Ghetto during the Holocaust.

If you like Frank Zappa and his music, there is a bronze statue of him in the Naujamiestis district.  And swing by the Užupis district and browse through the numerous art galleries and workshops.

For movie buffs, the city of Vilnius was mentioned in the movie The Hunt for Red October and was supposed to be where Hannibal Lecter is from (Hannibal Rising).