Weathervanes have been around since antiquity, decorating temples for the ancient Greeks, the roofs of the richest patrician houses for the Romans, and the palaces of ancient Chinese rulers.
In medieval Europe, weathervanes decorated cathedrals, town halls, and royal palaces, while from the late 19th century onwards, they became a popular decoration for the villas of the richest city dwellers, the most impressive apartment blocks and the most luxurious administrative buildings. Weathervanes were used to indicate the direction and strength of the wind (especially in port cities) and depicted a symbol (coat of arms) of a country, city or tribe, or were simply a decorative element that was visible from afar.
It is known that as early as the 17th century, weathervanes decorated many buildings, including the tower of Vilnius City Hall, the Palace of the Grand Dukes, the Baroque-style cathedral, the University, and others. Nowadays, Vilnius has a large number and variety of weathervanes, the majority of which are made of metal; the number of them is growing with new ones being erected in the city every year. It is not only on old buildings that are decorated with weathervanes but also new private houses too. They are not just found in the city centre; there are also many to discover in other areas of the city.
