The Television Tower and Vingis Park Route

Although today’s cathedral, designed by Laurynas Gucevičius, is in the Classical style, there are traces of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque in its walls. The cathedral’s dungeons conceal ceramic glazed tiles dating back to the time of Mindaugas and the oldest fresco in Lithuania (late 14th century) depicting the crucifixion of Christ. Prince Alexander, the wives of Sigismund Augustus, Elizabeth of Habsburg and Barbara Radziwiłł, are laid to rest here. St. Casimir, the patron saint of Lithuania and young people, rests in the magnificent Baroque chapel – he is the only Lithuanian saint.

The museum was established in 1992. During the Nazi era, the Gestapo used the building, and it was converted into the KGB headquarters during Soviet times. It is the only museum of its kind in the Baltic States to be housed in the same building used for more than 50 years by the repressive Soviet institutions – the NKVD and the NKGB-MGB-KGB. These institutions plotted and carried out the deportation, arrest, persecution, and crushing of the Lithuanian people’s aspirations to regain independence. The names and partisan pseudonyms of the heroes who were convicted, murdered, and buried in Tuskulėnai have been carved into the wall of the building. 

The construction of the Seimas Building on the site of the former youth stadium ‘Žalgiris’ began in 1976 (architects – Algimantas and Vytautas Nasvyčiai). The new building was to serve as the seat of the Supreme Council of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. On 11 March 1990, the independence of the Lithuanian State was restored in this very place. In January 1991, thanks to the defenders of the parliament, the Seimas Building became a fortress impregnable to Soviet aggression.

The Karoliniškės Landscape Reserve was established back in 1960 in order to preserve the erosion gullies, the Plikakalnis outcrop, and rare plant species. The picturesque 160-ha territory stretches along the slopes of the Neris Valley, opposite Vingis Park. The reserve attracts visitors with hiking trails of various lengths: the Raguvų Bottom Trail, the Hill Ridges Trail, and the Forest Edge Trail, all of which provide easy access to the places and objects of interest of the reserve. The road from Žvėrynas to Karoliniškės Manor used to wind through the reserve. But that’s a story for another day.

Vilnius TV Tower is the tallest building in Lithuania (326.4 m). It has been transmitting radio and TV signals to Vilnius residents since 1981. The tower gained a prominent place in Lithuanian history on 13 January 1991, when 14 people died defending it from Soviet troops. The tower’s ground floor houses the Museum of the Struggle for Freedom, commemorating the events of 1991. The deaths of the Lithuanian defenders are also commemorated with small granite obelisks. In 2011, a park of historical antennae was opened near the tower.

One of the reasons why Lazdynai has earned its fame is its coexistence with nature. Rather than radically changing the terrain and cutting down old trees, the designers intended to leave many patches of green. Perhaps the most spectacular natural feature in the Karoliniškės Landscape Reserve is the Plikakalnis outcrop. It has a relative height of 59 m and is second only to the Pūčkoriai outcrop (relative height 65 m). At the top of the escarpment, there is a viewing platform where you can admire Vingis Park and the magnificent panorama of the city. The Plikakalnis outcrop is a state-protected geological monument.

When designing residential areas, green spaces were consciously left between them. Located between Karoliniškės and Lazdynai, the ‘Pasakų’ or Fairytale Park is one such space designed by the landscape architect Romualdas Jurgilis and opened in 1987. Wooden sculptures with fairytale and mythological motifs decorate the paths that wind through the pine forest. Residents of the surrounding neighbourhoods love to stroll in the park, do sports, and enjoy the fresh air. Don’t be surprised to see a squirrel, a hedgehog, or a rare bird.

It is the largest forest park in the capital, with the Neris River on three sides. Vingis Park is the traditional venue for the Song Festival. It has also been the venue for the concerts of world-famous music stars, such as Lady Gaga, Elton John, Sting, Robbie Williams, etc. In 1997, the band Fojė gave a farewell concert here that was attended by 60,000 people; this concert was the largest ever in Lithuania. The Vingis branch of the Botanical Garden of Vilnius University is the jewel of the park. With its long tradition and history, the Garden hosts more than 1,200 plants from all geographical zones of the world.

The church was built in 1913 on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the Tsar Romanov dynasty and named after the Apostolic Tsar Constantine and Saint Mikhail Malein. 13 bells were brought from Moscow, and the Grand Duchess Yelizaveta Romanova came to attend the consecration ceremony. After the outbreak of war in 1915, the bells and all the other assets of the church were sent to Russia. In the same year, the Germans who occupied the city kept curfew violators in the church. The church was reopened as a house of worship in 1919. During the 2014 reconstruction, the green-painted domes of the church were returned to their original golden colour.

.

The monument to American rock legend Frank Zappa was erected in 1995. Although Frank Zappa had nothing to do with Lithuania and never visited our country, he had a loyal fan club here. This monument was created thanks to Sauliaus Paukštys, who had visited America in 1992 (the year before Zappa’s death) and saw his idol. Many Lithuanians admired Zappa’s personality and his anti-state lyrics. After collecting more than 300 signatures in a petition, Paukštys was granted permission by Vilnius City Council to erect the monument. The sculpture is by Konstantinas Bogdanas. In 2010, a copy of the sculpture was donated to Zappa’s hometown of Baltimore.

With ornate Rococo decorations, this late Baroque church was built between 1625 and 1743, and next to it is the former convent of Benedictine nuns. The Great Fire of Vilnius spared neither the church nor convent. After the fire, the reconstruction of the church was led by architect Johan Christoph Glaubitz, and it is thanks to him that the church has taken on the form we see today. During and after the Second World War, the church and the convent were severely damaged; many valuable works of art were lost. During the Soviet era, the church was owned by the Vilnius Art Museum and used as a warehouse, while the convent was used for offices and apartments. Today, the church hosts various cultural events and classical music festivals.

Vilnius Town Hall has stood on this site since the late 14th century when it became the centre of municipal government, with living quarters for the guard and ‘vaitas’ (the governor of the city appointed by the Grand Duke), a prison, small trading stalls for renting, and the city’s main market on the square. Rebuilt after fires and other disasters, the Town Hall today has a classical appearance. Vilnius Town Hall is the late 18th century work of Laurynas Gucevičius. During the reign of the Tsar, the Town Hall was transformed into a city theatre, where one of the most famous operas of Stanisław Moniuszko, ‘Halka’, was premiered. During the Soviet era, the Art Museum was housed here. Today, the Town Hall is a representative building for events and concerts.

The Gates of Dawn (Aušros Vartai) is the only surviving gate in the defensive wall of Vilnius City. The shooting holes, still visible on the outer side of the gate, remind us of the defensive function of the structure. Inside the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, you can see the icon of the Virgin Mary, venerated by Christians as miraculous. During the 18th century, during the defence of the city against the Swedes, the image of Our Lady was hit by a bullet; the hole it left is still visible today (on the right sleeve).