The streets and squares of the Old Town are the place where the history of Vilnius began. Temples, souvenir shops, restaurants hide in the depths of medieval quarters. The main attractions of the Lithuanian capital are concentrated here. The historical centers of the cities of Northern Europe are somewhat similar to each other, but each has its own characteristics, so a walk through the old part of Vilnius will bring real pleasure to tourists.

The tower is located on Castle Hill and rises almost 50 meters above the city. The building is considered one of the symbols of the Lithuanian capital. The Gediminas Tower represents the remains of the Upper Castle of the XIV-XV centuries. Inside there is a branch of the Lithuanian National Museum, where you can learn many interesting facts from the history of the city.

One of the main attractions of Vilnius, a historical monument and a place of pilgrimage for Catholics from all over the Baltic States. The acute brahma (another name is the Aushros Gate) is a preserved part of the city wall with a chapel, which houses an important Christian shrine – the image of the Mother of God. The gate was erected at the beginning of the XVI century, in 1671 a wooden chapel appeared, later rebuilt from stone.

The building of the city administration, executed in a rather modest classical manner. In the XIX century, concerts, balls, receptions and performances were held here. The building is mentioned in the records of the XVI century, but at that time it was more like the Gothic buildings of Northern Europe. The Town Hall stands on one of the oldest squares in Vilnius. The Town Hall Square is surrounded by historical buildings and medieval streets.

The central street of Vilnius, which connects the four main squares of the capital: Lukis, Self-Government, Independence and Cathedral. The avenue was built in the middle of the XIX century, during the USSR it was named after Stalin and Lenin, then it was renamed in honor of Prince Gedemin. Mainly administrative and government offices are located on the street.

The oldest street in Vilnius, which runs through the whole city in the direction of Moscow. Kings, foreign guests and state ambassadors, as well as a traveling circus and touring musicians entered the city along it. Piles Street is small – only 500 meters in length, but this small square hosts many attractions. There are galleries, shops, museums and historical buildings.

The official residence of the President of Lithuania, where the higher clergy of Vilnius used to be housed. The building was built at the end of the XVIII century according to the project of L. Gutsevicius in the architectural style of the late classics. After Lithuania came under the protectorate of the Russian Empire, the office of the Russian governor settled in the palace. Russian, Polish and Prussian monarchs have visited here.

The oldest university in Eastern Europe. Many famous personalities studied there: poets Juliusz Slovak and Adam Mickiewicz, astronomer Igor Gavrilov and others. The complex of university buildings is a mixture of Gothic, classicism, Baroque and Renaissance. On the territory there is an old library, a botanical garden and a Catholic church. All these places can be viewed with a guided tour.

The complex is located in the Old Town on Vilnyaus Street. It is sometimes called the "Lithuanian Louvre", as an art museum is located on the territory, where masterpieces of European fine art are exhibited. The palace was built in the late Renaissance style. He belonged to the most noble family of the Lithuanian Principality – the Radziwills. This family was one of the very first in the state to receive the title.

The royal residence of the rulers of the Lithuanian state. The complex was first built near the Castle Hill in the XV century, but the years of devastating wars practically wiped it off the face of the earth. The palace was restored in the 2000s in its historical appearance, a museum was opened on its territory. It was the largest restoration project on a national scale, as it was associated with the revival of Lithuanian statehood.

The main Catholic Cathedral of Vilnius has the status of a "minor basilica", granted by the Vatican. The temple is located in the city center next to the Castle Hill. The coronations of Lithuanian rulers, starting with Prince Vytautas, took place on the territory of the cathedral. The architectural ensemble of the temple resembles the Greek pantheon, a powerful octagonal bell tower with a clock stands out against its background. It is assumed that earlier there was an altar of the pagan god of thunder Perkunas.

A picturesque Gothic temple that adorns the Lithuanian capital with its flying and elegant architecture. The first wooden church building was built in the XIV century, later it was destroyed and rebuilt more than once. At the beginning of the XIX century, the temple was declared a historical monument. Nearby is the Bernardine Church of St. Francis of Assisi, founded by the Franciscans in the XV century. It is made in the architectural style of Lithuanian Gothic.

An architectural monument in the Lithuanian Baroque style. In the pagan era, the shrine of the goddess Milda was located on the site of the temple. The Christian church was founded on this site by the will of Grand Duke Jagiello, the founder of the Jagiellonian dynasty. The modern building of the church was erected in the XVII century at the expense of the local magnate Kazimir Patz. The interior of the temple is distinguished by grace and beauty.

The temple is in the late Baroque style, which was built in the period from the XVII to the XIX centuries. The church belonged to the Benedictine Order. In Soviet times, there was a warehouse on its territory, so the building fell into severe desolation. After the formation of the independent Lithuanian state, large-scale restoration work was started to restore the historical appearance of the temple. Nowadays, St. Catherine's Church is the cultural center of Vilnius.

The church is an architectural monument in the early Baroque style. The facade of the temple is decorated with decorative elements that give the building an elegant and festive look. The church dome is crowned with a crown – a copy of the royal crown of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. The church is named after the canonized representative of the Jagiellonian dynasty, Casimir, who is considered the patron saint of Poland and Lithuania.

The temple is located on the territory of Vilnius University. It was built in the XV century, the work lasted more than 40 years. Since the XVI century, the church belonged to the Jesuit Order. The building is crowned by a bell tower 68 meters high. Not only divine services were held on the territory of the temple, but also student protests, honoring kings, theatrical productions.

The church at the Orthodox monastery, the main cathedral of the Lithuanian Orthodox Church. At the end of the XVI century there was a wooden church built at the expense of the wives of the Smolensk and Brest voivodes. After the adoption of the Union, this church remained the only Orthodox monastery on the territory of Vilna. At the beginning of the XVIII century, Swedish troops destroyed the church, but it was restored thanks to Peter I. In the middle of the XVIII century, the temple burned down, but was revived again.

The museum exposition was founded in the middle of the XIX century by the famous cultural figure E. Tyshkevich. By the end of the century, more than 15 thousand exhibits had already been collected in the funds. During numerous wars and repartitions of the territory of Lithuania, the main part of the collection came to Moscow. In the period between the two World Wars, almost the entire exposition had to be reassembled.

The museum complex includes several main branches: the National Art Gallery, the Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts, the Vilnius Art Gallery and the Radziwill Palace. As well as branches in other cities of Lithuania. Each branch and branch has its own interesting exposition and functions as an independent museum.

The museum is located in the former buildings of the NKVD and the KGB. It is known that every European country of the former Socialist bloc has its own museum, exposing the period when the state was under the rule of the USSR or in allied relations with it. Vilnius is no exception – the museum displays materials testifying to the repression and persecution of dissidents. And there is also extensive propaganda activity.

A religious monument located in the city park on Bald Mountain. It is very symbolic for Lithuania. The monument was erected in honor of the Franciscan monks who died at the hands of pagans (this version is not confirmed, there is only a legend). The first wooden crosses were installed at the beginning of the XVII century, then in 1740, 1916 and 1989 they were rebuilt from stone.

The TV tower is the center of Lithuanian radio and television broadcasting. The structure is located on the territory of a residential quarter, reaches a height of 326.5 meters. Inside there is a panoramic restaurant, from where, in good weather, you can see the surroundings of Vilnius for tens of kilometers around. The TV tower was built in the 1980s, and it is still the tallest structure on the territory of Lithuania.

One of the oldest quarters of Vilnius, where the creative and outrageous public prefers to settle. Since the XVI century, the urban poor, artisans, the working class and the poorest citizens have lived here. After the collapse of the USSR in the 90s, it was scary to even look at the territory of Uzhupis. Over time, dilapidated and deserted buildings were chosen by artists, poets, actors, musicians, so the area was transformed. Now it is poetically called the "Republic of Uzhupis".

The park is located outside Vilnius in the geographical center of Europe. It is an open-air museum complex, where dozens of sculptural compositions are exhibited. Masters from different countries took part in the creation of the exhibition. The park covers an area of 55 hectares, to view the entire collection of sculptures, you need to travel by bicycle.

At the beginning of the XIV century, Trakai was the capital of the Lithuanian Principality. The grandiose and powerful princely castle reminds of those times. The structure stands on an island, surrounded by incredible natural landscapes. The castle was built in the medieval Romanesque manner, the fortress walls are 3.5 meters thick, and the harsh outlines of the towers remind of the past power of the Lithuanian lands.