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Vilnius, Lithuania

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Vilnius is the capital in Lithuania and a beguiling artists’ enclave with mysterious courtyards, worn cobbled streets and crumling corners, overshadowed by baroque beauty beyond belief. Vilnius is classified as a Gamma global city according to GaWC studies, and is known for its Old Town of beautiful architecture, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. Its Jewish influence until the 20th century has led to it being described as the "Jerusalem of Lithuania" and Napoleon named it "the Jerusalem of the North" as he was passing through in 1812 More information here and here.

Cathedral Basilica

The Cathedral of St. Stanislav and St. Vladislav is the most important place of worship for the country‘s Catholics and the venue for the main Christian, folk and national festivities.

Church of St Casimir

The Church was built by the Jesuits: work began on it in 1604, just two years after St Casimir had been canonised. It was dedicated to the memory of Saint Prince Casimir.

The church of St Anne

The church of St Anne is a masterpiece of the late Gothic period and has survived to the present day without changing for over 500 years.

TV-Tower

The TV tower played a major role in the events of 13 January 1991, when 14 unarmed civilians lost their lives and 700 were injured opposing the Soviet military seizure of the tower.

Cathedral Basilica

Cathedral Basilica

In 1922, the Cathedral was granted the title basilica (meaning „royal“). This is the highest church category awarded by the Pope only to very special churches.

Cathedral Basilica

Cathedral Basilica

St Peter and Paul’s Church

St Peter and Paul’s Church

St Peter and Paul’s Church is a masterpiece of the 17th-century. Baroque famous for its exceptional interior where one can see about 2,000 stucco figures.

St Peter and Paul’s Church

Legend has it that there was a temple of the pagan goddess Milda on this site. Once there was a wooden church there, which was destroyed during the time of wars with Moscow.

Palace of the Grand Dukes

The reconstructed Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, the former political, diplomatic, cultural center of the State, was one of the most famous in Europe in the 15th-17th centuries and was demolished in the beginning of the 19th century.

Palace of the Grand Dukes

Old Town

View of the old town from the top of Campanile of St. John’s Church.

Gediminas Tower

An observation deck on the top of the tower is the best place from which to appreciate a magnificent panorama of Vilnius.

Shakespeare boutique hotel

Shakespeare boutique hotel

Kempinski Hotel

Kempinski Hotel - Cathedral Square.

Church of St Casimir

The legend has it that as many as 700 people rolled the cornerstone from Antakalnis to the centre of the city. Today the stone can be still seen in the wall of the facade.

Church of St Casimir

KGB Museum

The Museum is set up in the former KGB headquarters where soviet crimes were planned and committed in the course of fifty years. The main part of the exposition is the former KGB inner prison preserved the way the soviet security men left it when they moved out of it in 1991.

Campanile of St. John’s Church

The Gates of Dawn

The painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, in the Chapel of the Gates of Dawn is known all over the world. Many churches in other countries have copies of this painting.

The church of St Anne

The Presidential Palace

 

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