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| Look up! Portico of Vilnius Cathedral |
Medieval
Vilnius was a city built of wood and stood little chance of surviving fires
that frequently raged. From the
beginning of the 15th c however, buildings started to be constructed
from brick and stone. The Vilnius we visited
has few buildings dating from Gothic and Renaissance times; mostly the architectural style
is Baroque and Classicism. In
2009, the city celebrated its 1000th year. Vilnius’s Old Town is now UNESCO Heritage listed.
Many of the
buildings are positively dripping with age and bursting with stories to tell. Some are still standing more-or-less as is,
though most have been modified over years.
Vilnius has a rather hectic history.
So, here is a little walking tour – don’t worry it’s only a virtual
stroll to take a look at a few of these structures.
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| Stone Tower, Castle of Gediminas |
#1: We’ll begin with the imposing Castle of Gediminas. Standing proudly over the Old Town, the
oldest, and only surviving structure of this complex is now the stone tower. This existing modification dating form 1419
is thought to have been over a timber fort dating from 1009. Hill forts, used since
the Bronze Age as defensive measures, are built on the crown of a hill and
provided fortified refuges or easily defended settlements. During the Dukes Wars, these timber
fortifications held ground against the Crusaders.
#2: Now it’s over to Vilnius Cathedral. King Mindaugas, who ruled 1251 -1263 (before our dreamer Gediminas), is said to have built the first Christian church in 1251 on the site of a pagan temple where the imposing, often modified Vilnius Cathedral has stood since 1491. Its current white, “Greek Temple” exterior balances an imposing interior.
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| Vilnius Cathedral Bell Tower & more rain.. |
The Cathedral's free-standing bell tower, also subject to various modifications over the years, was originally part of a gate in the medieval lower city’s defensive walls.
Rain, grey skies continued to follow us. We felt we weren't seeing the Baltic's best - city or countryside. Ah well, it was a sure sign of approaching winter, so we should be thankful for rain rather than snow perhaps.
#5: In 1387, Lithuania became a Christian state
and Vilnius was granted Magdeburg rights (town privileges). Thus the need for a town hall to carry out
those important administrative and community duties. The current Town Hall has had many makeovers, and although mentioned in 1503,
existed much earlier - 1403. Its current classical structure was
remodelled from Gothic plans in 1545, then again in 1799 largely due to fires
and other less natural causes. In 1812
Napoleon marched his disillusioned troops back through Vilnius on return from
his Moscow campaign. It is reported that
some 40,000 troops died in Vilnius due to starvation and the extreme cold.
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| St Anne's Church |
#3: Next we have St Anne’s Church which was once a simple wooden church built in 1394 to honour Anna, the wife of
Vytautas the Great, Grand Duke of Lithuania (1392-1430). It, like others, morphed into a flamboyant
grand design in 1495; now considered an unscathed, Gothic masterpiece. Admirers include Napoleon (1812) who, it is
said, expressed a wish to carry the church home in the palm of his hand.
#4: Nearby is the Bernadine Monastery.
Although a busy day for brides despite the rain, we stopped briefly to
admire this large Gothic church, with its later romantic additions. It too, once formed part of the city’s
defensive walls and was constructed over the site of an earlier timber church
built by Bernadine monks in the mid 1400’s. The church was again re-constructed in 1516
and its interior is said to have been quite stunning prior to the Soviet regime
using it as a garage. Restoration works
however, continue revealing unique murals and brightly coloured frescoes. The nearby Monastery, of the same era, now
houses the Art Academy. Lucky them!
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| Town Hall (and a bit of a car park at the time). It was a big wedding day though with lots of decorated cars about. |
#6: The impressive Palace of the Grand Dukes was originally constructed at the foot of
Castle Hill in Vilnius in 1441 for rulers
of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and future kings of Poland. Managing to survive 4th c sieges,
it came under the renovator’s eye in 1520 when Italian architects were
instructed to update it in fine Renaissance style. For four centuries it was the political,
administrative and cultural centre of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until destroyed
by Russians in 1802. A complex and
controversial project was undertaken in 2002 to restore the Palace and provide
Vilnius with a symbol of its past glories.
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| 1630's Icon in the Gate of Dawn |
#7: We leave the Old Town through the celebrated Gate of Dawn (1503), the one remaining chapel from the old defensive town
walls. In those days, an image of the
Virgin Mary was placed above all gates to protect the city. The icon in the chapel we can see is the Blessed
Virgin Mary Mother of Mercy, painted in 1630.
This famous icon is housed in a small chapel above the gate and is
believed to have miraculous powers. The
image remains the symbol of the city and a site of pilgrimage. In 1993, the Pope held prayers at the Gate of
Dawn Chapel.
#8: St Casmire’s is the first and oldest Baroque church (1604), so pretty in pink that we just had to include it in our list of visits. The original structure was burnt to the ground by Russians in 1655. Like the unwavering phoenix, it rose from its ashes again and again until it was returned to the Catholic Church in 1988.
Renovation has only recently been completed. And yes, today there was a bride and a wedding underway! How many churches do you expect to see in an historic old town anyway? Oh yes, Vilnius is known as the City of Churches….
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| St Casmire's |
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