Vilnius
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The magnifiscent city of Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania. It is located in the southeast part of Lithuania and with its appr. 540, 000 residents it is second largest city of the Baltic states.
Vilnius has been the power center since the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and has growth and fortified through the days of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Russian regime.
City has been vivid since its founding in 12th century and it has peculiar architectural diversity, with Baroque here is preserved also Gothic, Renaissance and Neoclassical buildings together with the hideous Soviet architecture.
Things to observe
Uzupis
This boheme district partially within the Old Town have been inhabited by artists and counterculture people since Soviet era and in 1997 it declared itself as a quasi-autonomic ”republic” with its own constitution, flag, president and the minister cabinet – the constitution includes articles such ”A dog has the right to be a dog.” and ”Everyone has the right to love and take care of a cat.”. In Uzupis can feel artistic atmosphere and relaxed atmosphere in every step.
Old Town
The Old Town of Vilnius has been listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1994 and it is greate place for history-lovers and sightseeing walk enthusiasts. Its main hub Pilies Street is known for its cafés and street markets. Here is Gothic Church of St. Anne, National Museum and the Neo-Classical cathedral of the city.
The Gate of Dawn
Gate of Dawn is the only one preserved of 9 defensive gates of Vilnius built in 1503-1522 and it was the tallest. It is one of the most important religious and cultural monuments of Lithuania.
It has a remarkable chapel, which is well-known for its The Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of Mercy miracle painting.
Top 5 in Vilnius
- Old Town street markets
- Uzupis
- Vilnius TV Tower
- Gediminas Tower
- Church of St. Anne in the Old Town
How to get in Vilnius
Vilnius has an international airport. Bus routes 1, 2, 88 and 3G goes to city centre from the airport.
Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai trains operate from the airport to main station for ~1€. Train timetables are visible here
Eurolines and Ecolines operate bus service between Vilnius and Kaunas, Kaliningrad, Riga, Tallinn, St. Petersburg and Warsaw. Also Lux Express operates from various cities to Vilnius.
Text: Timo Hellman
Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Flickr with CC / Lestath, William Heusmann, Jullo Gago, Karmen media, Bernt Rostad[/fusion_text]
