Things to see and do Vilnius

To the east of the centre, located in a small forest, this cemetery has a memorial honouring Napoleon's soldiers who died of starvation or wounds in Vilnius during the Russian retreat. The remains of 2,000 of them were discovered in 2002. There are also graves of Polish soldiers, and those of the victims of the Soviet special forces killed on 13 January 1991. Moving! If you walk through the park, you will find beautiful views of Vilnius.

At the end of the Cathedral, at the end of the park, you can take the rue Pilies (Pilies gatvė). The old town with its narrow streets and internal courtyards dating back to the th century is going back to the shopping and pedestrian streets.

The city is proud of its churches; there were more than two hundred years ago, and now only are still there. On the Vokiečių Boulevard with wide perspectives, the evangelical Lutheran church is completely invisible from the street. Further afield, in the far west of the old town, the baroque churches of the Holy Spirit (Aušros Vartų 10) and Sainte-Catherine (Vilnius gatvė) are set up. Outside the old town, on Antakalnio at No. 1 (take the bus), the church Saints-Pierre-et-Paul, built in the th on the ancient pagan site of the goddess of Love, dominates the horizon. In Baroque style, with its countless sculptures, it deserves a visit. Other Places of Worship: in Basanavičiaus, the church of the Romanov built in 1913, Russian Orthodox Sanctuary; and, on Liubarto (north bank, near Vingis Park), the Kenessa, church of the Karaites people of Lithuania.

In 2009, on the anniversary of the millennium when Lithuania's name was first mentioned, the Grand Duke's Palace was rebuilt at the foot of the Gediminas castle hill, after 7 years of major construction work. Today, you can discover the ruins of the former sites, works of art and the great hall, which bears witness to successive architectural styles: Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque. Numerous events are held here on a regular basis.

First mentioned in 1524, it is one of the symbols of Vilnius. In the ^17th century, a wooden chapel was built to house an image of the Virgin Mary, who, according to custom, was supposed to protect the city. After a fire, a stone chapel was built in its place. The miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary is one of the finest examples of Renaissance painting in Lithuania. It is venerated by Catholics, Orthodox and Uniates alike, with numerous ex-votos.

It was here, at the confluence of the Neris and Vilnia rivers, that the formation of the city of Vilnius began. It was also a place for lovers' meetings, a market place and a fairground in the 19th century, and became the centre of popular gatherings at the time of independence. At the foot of the belfry is the "Stebuklas", which means "miracle". In 1989, the Baltic Way, a human chain of almost 600 km from Vilnius to Riga and Tallinn, began on this slab and rekindled the struggle for independence from the USSR. You can stand on the slab, make a wish and turn around three times to make it come true. At the end of the square, an equestrian statue of Grand Duke Gediminas, the founder of Vilnius, was unveiled in September 1996 on an ancient pagan site.

Built of wood in the 13th century,on an ancient pagan site honoring Perkūnas (the god of Thunder), the cathedral (Arkikatedra Bazilika) found its present form at the time of Grand Duke Vytautas in the 15th century. It was originally built in Gothic style and has been restored many times. The statues on the north side are of saints and apostles. The south wing houses the Chapel of St. Casimir (protector of the country), under which lie the remains of Lithuanian royalty and nobility. During the Soviet period, the cathedral became a painting gallery. Since independence, the large white building in the centre of the city has resumed its daily religious services. About 100 meters from the cathedral, in the long building of the former arsenal, is the National Museum. A little further on, in Arsenalo 3a, you can visit the Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts (Taikomosios dailės ir dizaino muziejus) - open Tuesday to Saturday from 11am to 6pm, Sundays until 4pm (tapestries, jewellery and ceramics).

Separated from the cathedral, the bell tower recalls the line of the moat that surrounded the square until the 19th century and the destruction of the low castle by the Russians. It is 57 m high. In the 17th century, a clock was installed there (open from May to September from Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 7 pm, from October to April until 6 pm). Today, behind the cathedral, the remains of the castle and the excavations can be visited.

Behind the Cathedral Square (after the statue of Gediminas), a paved path climbs up the park to Mount Gediminas(kalnas).

According to legend, Franciscan monks were crucified here in the 17th century. Wooden crosses commemorated this episode, but they were razed by the Soviets after the Second World War. Later, as a memorial, the Lithuanians erected these three large new concrete crosses, while leaving the remains of the old ones as a reminder of the period of Soviet oppression. It can be accessed through the Kalnų Park. From there, very nice view of the city.

It was founded in 1579 by the Jesuits. It was one of the largest centres of higher education in Eastern Europe until 1832, when it was closed by the Russians and reopened in 1919, when the country gained its first independence. The whole university was formed over the course of a few centuries, which is why there are examples of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and classical architecture. Founded in 1570, the library contains more than 5,000 old books and manuscripts. From the top of the church tower, there is a beautiful view of the old town

The red-brick Gothic Church of St. Anne dates from the late ^15th and early ^16th centuries. It is Lithuania's most significant late Gothic monument. Legend has it that Napoleon, seduced by the church, wanted to pick it up and carry it in the palm of his hand back to France like a fragile gem. Don't hesitate to visit the church to learn more and admire its interior.

Behind the Cathedral Square (just past the statue of Gediminas, the Grand Duke of Lithuania in 1316), a paved path climbs through the park to Mount Gediminas(kalnas), the original base of Vilnius. Good to know: Mount Gediminas can also be reached by a funicular from the inner courtyard of the Museum of Ethnography and History, open daily from 10 am to 5 pm, from April to October daily from 10 am to 7 pm. On this hill, Gediminas built the upper castle, first mentioned in the chronicles in 1323. Today, part of the castle has been restored and the western tower, called Gediminas Tower (Gedimino pilies bokštas) - the symbol of Vilnius - is the best preserved. From the top of the tower, where the Lithuanian flag flies, there is a magnificent panorama of the city: to the far east stands the Three Crosses Hill (Trys kryžių kalnas), to the south stretches the Old Town, and to the west, the Gediminas shopping avenue runs into the new town districts behind the banks of the Neris River, while in the distance the new districts dating from the Soviet period loom. Just to enjoy this view of the city, you won't regret having come this far! Inside the Gediminas Tower, a remnant of the Vilnius High Castle, there is a small museum displaying armour from the 16th to the 18th century and models illustrating the castle at different times.

Behind a rather ordinary facade, this church (Šv. apaštalų Petro ir Povilo bažnyčia) hides impressive Baroque decorations. Don't miss the opportunity to discover it! Inside, there are about 2,000 stucco sculptures made by Italian artists in the late 17th century. Not far from the entrance is the tomb of the aristocrat Mykolas Kazimieras Pacas, who wanted the church to be built to immortalise the liberation of Vilnius from the Russians.

This bastion is the remains of the "barbican", a fortification system that Vilnius was equipped with in the 17th century. Construction began in 1503, covering a perimeter of 2.5 km. The museum contains a collection of military equipment, weapons and ancient armour. The site offers a beautiful view of the old town. Today, the only things that remain are the legends about a basilisk that lived in the bastion and an underground tunnel connecting the castles of Vilnius and Trakai.

Opposite the university entrance, on Daukanto Square, guards stand guard over the presidential palace, restored and inaugurated in 1997. Since the ^16th century, it had been the residence of the bishops of Vilnius. With the Russian occupation at the end of the ^18th century, the palace became the seat of the imperial government. Napoleon stayed here during his Russian campaign. The Changing of the Guard ceremony takes place every day at 6 p.m. in front of the palace. The flag-raising ceremony takes place every Sunday at noon.

The Užupis alternative cultural center is known for its Galera art gallery and avant-garde exhibitions. As the name suggests, the spaces are made available to artists and craftspeople to help them grow and get started. The Incubator is also well known for its sculpture exhibitions, which change from time to time, and for hosting the "information center" of the Republic of Užupis. There's also a store selling design made in Lithuania.

The Church of Saints John (Baptist and Evangelist), with its ^18th-century Baroque façade and bell tower, dominates the magnificent inner courtyards of Vilnius University. From Tuesday to Saturday, 9am to 7pm, you can climb to the top of the bell tower and admire the panorama from the highest building in the old town (45 m high). Organ concerts are often held here.

Opposite, the Observatory's double dome, whose facades are decorated with zodiac signs, dates back to the ^16th century.

The museum is dedicated to the everyday life of Lithuanians from the 13th century to the Second World War. The first rooms are devoted to painting. The most interesting is on the first floor with the reconstruction of the traditional habitat during the ages and the linen costumes. There are also wooden pagan crosses and religious paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries. Near the museum is a statue of Mindaugas, the first grand duke of all Lithuania and the first and only Lithuanian king. The base of the statue is surrounded by symbols of the ancient Baltic calendar.

The Centre of Contemporary Art is an opportunity to discover modern Lithuanian creations. It has a small, but pleasant cafe-restaurant.

In the extension of Pilies street, Didžiooji Street opens on the square of the old town hall, the place Rotušòs (pronounced rtoutchesse), now invaded by foreign brands. Right of town hall has been built a centre of contemporary art. Near the square Rotusos, the oldest church in the city, the Baroque church Saint-Casimir, set up by the Jesuits at the beginning of the th century, was converted to the czars in the Orthodox Church and transformed by the Sociétiques into the Atheism Museum!

This alley connects Užupis Street with the Vilnius Academy of Arts - obviously for an artists' district! Surmounted by metal pillars at its start, the walls that delimit the alley are tagged by various artists before leading to staircases, a wasteland and the banks of the Vilnia river. Named after Jonas Mekas, the Lithuanian writer and filmmaker who emigrated to the United States and was a friend of Andy Warhol. Extend your walk to the Fluxus Bridge, a tribute to Jurgis George Mačiūnas, founder of this artistic movement.

Incredible: a prison just a stone's throw from the Old Town! From the beginning of the ^20th century until 2019, Lukiškės gaols kept political prisoners (including former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin) and common criminals behind bars. Soon after its closure, this fortress was taken over by artists and creators to turn it into a place of joy rather than suffering. Guided tours are organized so as not to forget its original vocation. The prison was also used as a film location for season 4 of Stranger Things.

Vilnius's newest museum. In a setting designed by Daniel Libeskind, scientists Danguolė and Viktoras Butkus display the thousands of works of modern and contemporary art they have collected over the years. What makes the museum so special? Almost exclusively Lithuanian artists from the last sixty years. Exhibitions change twice a year, so you can discover other works and artists depending on the theme. It's a great way to learn more about contemporary Lithuanian art. A big bonus? A floor reserved for children.