Touch and Hear Vilnius

Hello there, I’m Vilnius. In the 700 years of my existence, I have collected many fascinating stories about myself, my squares and streets, my buildings and sculptures, and, of course, interesting people. I invite you to get to know me better – discover lots of nooks and crannies and unvisited places. You will experience unusual sensations on your journey; you will touch interesting objects in the Old Town and even hear them talking. The route is enhanced with audio visualisation, making it convenient and accessible for those with visual impairments.

The tour starts at the public transport stop ‘Karaliaus Mindaugas Tiltas’ (King Mindaugas Bridge) on the National Museum side. It can be reached by Trolleybus 2, 4, 12, 17, and 20. 

Before each object, I’ll tell you how to get safely from one place to the next. Once you have reached it and found the characteristic sign, listen to the story. In the more challenging sections, you will hear several recordings with directional signs. This way, you’ll complete the whole route, section by section. 

I recommend bringing disposable gloves because I’ll invite you to touch and explore the more interesting objects.  

Oh, you’re already here? Great – let’s get going! Turn your back to the bus stop shelter and the street; follow the cobbled path towards the King Mindaugas Monument for about 60 steps, keeping to the left. The boundary of the path is marked by a grassy verge and low-rise lampposts on your left. Pass one side path on the left, do not turn, and continue until you feel that the cobbles underfoot have been replaced by a pavement of broken stones. Don’t be alarmed if low oak branches touch your head on the way. Walk straight ahead for about 22 steps until you can feel the pedestal of the monument with your white cane; the base of the monument is about ten centimetres high. Stop there and listen to the story.

In front of you stands a monument to Lithuania’s only King – Mindaugas. The monument, which is almost one and a half metres high, was created by the sculptor Regimantas Midvikis and depicts King Mindaugas sitting on his throne and holding the royal regalia: a sceptre and an orb – the symbol of power. There is a solar calendar around the monument, commemorating not only Christian festivals but also those of ancient Lithuanian pagan beliefs. This reveals that King Mindaugas did not completely renounce his religion and that his conversion to Christianity was partly related to his ambition to become king.

Attention! There are two stages to get to the next object. (pause) Stage one. Turn and walk in the direction of 10 o’clock by walking around the circular pedestal on your left. Then, walk straight ahead for about 30 steps until you reach the main stairs of the National Museum. We will meet you there.

Are you already in front of the stairs? Now, for Stage 2. Turn 90 degrees to the right and go straight, following along the edge of the stairs. Keep the stairs on your left and walk along the cobbled pavement surface for 18 steps until the cobbled pavement ends. You will then reach a brick path about 1.5 metres wide, bordered by grass on both sides. Walk for about 90 paces until the end of the path curves slightly to the right; in five paces, it will meet another path crossing it. Stop here and listen to another story.

I hope you are now at the spot where the paved paths intersect. In front of you, to the right, under the maple trees in a small part, the sculpture called ‘Lithuanian Ballad’ by Vladas Vildžiūnas stands on a small hill. Stay where you are, and just listen to the story behind it. (pause) The sculpture was created in 1973 to commemorate the 650th anniversary of Vilnius. The modernist dolomite sculpture has elements of Cubist style and Lithuanian folk art. It depicts the busts of three old men with beards. There are several interpretations of the sculpture. The first is that the monument was dedicated to the three great rulers of Lithuania: King Mindaugas and the Grand Dukes Gediminas and Vytautas, while another version is that the sculpture depicts a ploughman, a soldier, and a poet. And some others say that it depicts three dwarfs. What Is definitely true, though, is that the Soviet bureaucracy thought it had too many nationalistic features, so the sculptor was reprimanded.

Now, move towards the narrow passage between the Palace of the Grand Dukes and the Cathedral. Turn at 10 o’clock and walk forward. Keep the edge of the grass on your right – the small lamp posts marking the boundary of the path will help you go in the right direction. In 130 footsteps, you will come to the corner of the Cathedral building on your right, which you can feel with your white cane. You will also know you have reached the Cathedral by the change in acoustics and perhaps even by the stronger gust of wind between the buildings. Let’s meet there.

The magnificent buildings of the Palace of the Grand Dukes and the Cathedral almost touch each other; there is a gap just a few metres wide between them. If you clap your hands in the passage, you will hear the sound echoing off the walls. The Cathedral is the building on the right. Burnt and reborn many times, the present Cathedral was built according to a design by Laurynas Stuokos-Gucevičius in 1781. It has not changed much since then. On the left stands the 13th-century Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. It has been rebuilt on the basis of a piecemeal collection of archaeological finds, historical documents, and ancient drawings. It is a symbol of the Lithuanian state’s longevity, historical awareness, and cultural heritage.

Now, head towards the monument to Gediminas. Follow the wall of the Cathedral on your right and go straight down the passage between the Palace of the Grand Dukes and the Cathedral. After about 90 paces, you will come to a low wall or some steps. If you reach the low wall, go to the left of it. If you come to the steps, walk to the right of them. Walk forwards and stop 30 paces after walking forwards, keeping the steps on your left.

Grand Duke Gediminas of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania is looking down on you from a high pedestal. The bronze figure of Duke Gediminas is depicted next to a horse. He is holding a sword in his left hand and holding up his right hand to bless the city. The Lithuanian ruler was not only characterised by his robust physique but also by his decisive character. Renowned for his diplomatic skills, the ruler left an extremely deep imprint on his country. If we were to suddenly travel back in time to the reign of Grand Duke Gediminas, we would find ourselves in a territory twice the size of Lithuania. 

The most interesting thing is that this sculpture speaks! The voice of Algirdas Kaušpēdas reads a text composed by Andrius Tapinas. Let’s listen.

Did you take a selfie with the ruler of Lithuania? Now, let’s go to the miniature model of the old castles of Vilnius. Follow the stairs on your left for about 25 steps until you reach a wall. Then, climb the three steps on your left and immediately turn right at a 90-degree right angle. Move along the green area on the right for 25 paces until you feel with your cane that the pavement has been replaced by stone slabs. Turn left here and follow the boundaries of the solid stone pavement; you will come to a bronze tactile model 25 paces later. Go around the model on your right, and you will find its legend in Braille at your fingertips. Listen to the audio narration of this object.

The architects Gediminas Antanas Sakalis and Algirdas Rasimavičius, together with the sculptor Gediminas Piekuras, created the outdoor model ‘Cathedral’ for the programme ‘I Create Vilnius’. You can feel with your palms and fingers what the old castles and hills of Vilnius looked like in the second half of the 16th century – the heyday of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Based on historical data provided by the National Museum, the bronze model depicts the ensemble of the Upper and Lower Castles of Vilnius with the Cathedral and the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. The range presented in the model represents approximately 50 metres, i.e. the distance from the Bell Tower of the Cathedral to the Palace of the Grand Dukes. Let’s walk our fingers around the layout to find the castles, the defensive wall, the towers of the wall, the surrounding buildings, and the River Neris and River Vilnelė. With your arms stretched out, you will cover almost the entire territory of the castles – from the former Vilnelė riverbed on the left to the slopes of the Hill of the Three Crosses and Bekes Hill on the right. Isn’t it wonderful to be able to touch the history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania?

You will now need to reach the left side of Pilies Street. There are two stages of the journey: the first is to the Šventaragio Street pedestrian crossing, and the second is from the crossing to the corner of Pilies and Bernardinų Streets. (pause) If you are facing the model, turn right at right angles and walk straight ahead for about 30 paces until you come to a block of stone about one metre high; you will feel the stone mass. Turn 90 degrees to the right and walk about 22 paces to the curb. As you approach, turn left and follow the kerb on your right for about 55 paces to the traffic-light-controlled pedestrian crossing over Šventaragio Street with an audible signal. Stop and wait for the go signal. 

After crossing the street, turn right. A shallow gutter separates the pavement from the cobbled street on the right. It will be easier if you follow it. The gutter will gradually turn left, and you will find yourself in Pilies Street (that‘s Castle Street) as you follow it. This is a lively city, so be careful on this busy stretch – watch out for tripping hazards like a left-behind scooter or outdoor café chair. Seventy-five paces after the traffic lights, the gutter will turn left at right angles. Walk along it, and in 13 steps, you will reach the first building on the left-hand side of Bernardinų Street. You will recognise it by stretching your arm out at chest height and grasping none other than… a teapot! Meet me there!

In front of you is a wall of colourful teapots, popular with both locals and tourists; the teapots are hung at various heights. The wall features more than ten exhibits created by the sculptor Eimantas Ludavičius. The artist has thus cheerfully decorated the wall of the former tea shop. To the right of the corner of the building, one and a half metres away, is the entrance to the winery with two protruding steps – be careful not to trip over them.

If you are now standing outside the shop door, some of the teapots are to the left of the door, and there are some more to the right of the door. Don’t be afraid to raise your arms, as some of the exhibits are at eye level or even higher. The teapots are decorated with symmetrical patterns, zodiac signs, people’s faces, and scenes from everyday life. The teapot furthest to the right of the door is truly unique, decorated with a blue-printed map of old Vilnius. 

Feel the sizes and shapes of all the teapots: some are one piece, and some are made up of two parts. Some are very sleek, while others are more pointed and angular. There are some with elegant, chunky handles, while others have stern, more massive handles, and there are many with larger or smaller lids. Although the tea room is no longer here, the cheerful advertisement remains. 

From the wall of teapots, walk on the left side of the pavement for about 60 paces down Bernardinių Street until you find with your white cane the bricked-up arch in the wall. Then stop.

Šioje vietoje prasideda viena seniausių Vilniuje Bernardinų gatvė, vedanti Šventosios Onos bažnyčios link. Bernardinų gatvė formavosi gotikos laikotarpiu. Ji buvo šalutinė gatvelė greta senojo kelio, jungusio pilies kompleksą su Polocko keliu. Nemaža dalis namų išsaugojo charakteringus XVII ir XVIII a. kiemus, į kuriuos patenkama pro vartus arba arkas. Restauruojant pastatus paliktos autentiško mūro detalės – arkos ir nišos. Anksčiau gatvė buvo metru žemiau, bet, laikui bėgant ir išklojus ją grindiniu, gatvė „paaugo“, o senosios arkos nusileido. Gatvės pradžioje įrengta olandiškomis čerpėmis dengta arka, o tolyn besitęsianti gatvė yra tokia siaura, kad susikibę rankomis 2 žmonės pasiektų jos mūrines sienas. Toliau eisime kairės pusės šaligatviu, stabtelsime už 55-ių metrų ir rasime vieną autentišką arką.

Vilnius is an old and dusty city, so now I recommend putting on a glove and exploring by hand. The arch, which has been walled up and turned into an alcove, is characterised by the fact that it has been ‘sunk’ into the ground – or rather, the pavement has been raised so high over time that only a little more than half the height of the arch is visible. Stand in front of the arch and measure its height compared with your height. Now that you are so close, you can touch the exposed masonry in the vault of the semi-circular arch on the right-hand side. The plaster has been removed here, leaving a rectangular open fragment that allows you to explore the historical layers of the city. This front arch is called the voussoir. The exposed bricks in the apex are now much decayed, but when you touch them with your fingers, you can still feel that the vault was built in an arch and that the bricks are arranged like rays from the sides and top of the vault. If it were not for the exposed brickwork, we would not know what lies beneath the modern exterior, as the old brick wall and arch are now plastered and painted yellow. Additional layers of paint have tried to hide some graffiti painted around the arch and on it, but traces of modern graffiti still remain.

Now, walk about 65 steps forward on the pavement on the same side of the street. You will pass an archway into a courtyard on your left. Stop ten paces later.

When you face the wall, you can touch it with your hand and feel the structure of the old masonry. Bernardinų Street was shaped during the Gothic period. It was a side street next to the old road connecting the castle complex with the road to Polatsk (a city now in modern Belarus). Many of the houses have retained their characteristic 17th– and 18th-century courtyards, which are accessed through gates or arches. The restoration of the buildings has retained authentic masonry details such as arches and niches. The street used to be one metre lower, but over time, with the paving of the street, the street level has grown higher, and the old arches have dropped below the surface. 

This street was home to a printer, a canonist, an architect, and a painter. The poet Adam Mickiewicz also lived in one of the houses with his mathematician friend. At that time, he was editing his poem ‘Gražina’.

From here, proceed to the courtyard of the Church Heritage Museum. We get there in 2 stages (pause). First, cross the street, turn left and walk along the pavement for about 120 steps. At the end of the street, on your right, you will feel the corner of the last building.

Are you already at the street corner? Then, turn right after the building and follow the narrow pavement straight ahead for about 45 steps. On your right are the walls of the houses with shutters, and on your left is a kerb with cars parked alongside. After counting your steps, turn left, cross the street carefully, and you’ll be in front of the gates to the churchyard.  Here, you will find a wealth of revelations. 

The courtyard of St Michael’s Church is home to the Church Heritage Museum. The museum and its courtyard are open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. If it is open today, please go inside: take the two steps down or go down the sloping ramp on the right side of the gate. Turn right and walk along the wall. After five steps, watch out for the stairs perpendicular to you – keep them on your right. In another eight steps, there are authentic, religious wooden sculptures against the wall. Two of them are next to each other, and the third is five steps away from the first. After passing the sculptures, a few steps away in the direction of half past eleven, you will come to the original church bells, lowered on a stand. Be careful, as the legs of the wooden bell stand protrude widely sideways, so be careful not to trip over them.

By stretching out your hand, you can touch the bells, and if you gently tap them, the bells of different sizes will ring out in two different tones. Experience them by touching them; I’ll tell you about these two grey-greenish bells. One is pretty big, while the other is slightly smaller. Since 2009, these bells have been on display in the Church Heritage Museum, in the open air, encased in a wood and metal structure – they once hung in All Saints’ Church belonging to the Carmelites of the Old Order of Vilnius. The bells were cast in 1733 by the Vilnius craftsman Carl Gottlieb Sparr.

Let’s first examine the smaller bell. This bell was recast by Ferski in 1912. We do not know why. During the casting process, some of the earlier decorative forms were preserved as some of the previous decorative moulds were used. When you touch the surface, you will find the relief image of the nun – Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi – on one side of the bell. On the other side is the scene of the Crucifixion of Jesus. Several raised bands run horizontally around the body of the bell: some are decorative, with ornamental patterns, while two more horizontal lines contain raised inscriptions. The text on the band surrounding the upper part of the bell indicates that the bell belongs to the Carmelites. The author of the recast version and the year in which it was recast are indicated below.

Now, examine the large bell. It was consecrated in the name of the prophet Elijah, so it is not surprising that on one side of the bell, the relief of the prophet Elijah is cast. The prophet holds a fiery sword in his hand. On the other side of the bell’s waist, the scene of Christ’s crucifixion can be found, as well as depictions of the Mother of God, Saint John the Evangelist, and Saint Mary Magdalene. Three bands of raised lettering run horizontally around the bell’s waist: one line encircles the upper part of the bell, and the other two run along the lower edge, one above and one slightly below. The text testifies to who owns the bell and proclaims the Carmelite motto. It also records the date of the bell’s casting – 1733 – and the purpose of the bell. The signature of the bell’s maker, Carl Gottlieb Sparr, can also be seen. Parallel to the bands of inscriptions, there are bands of Baroque ornaments of different widths. 

In the inner part of the churchyard, to the left of the gate, there are two more bells. If you are interested, you can reach them after passing the gate along the left wall. It is up to you to decide whether you would like to go towards these other bells. 

Most of the route has already been explored, so we invite you to discover the last point of interest – the talking miniature ceramics exhibition on Literatų Street.

From the church yard, retrace your steps, returning back to the yard gate, following the wall of the church fence on your left. 

Once you have gone through the gate, turn left immediately. Just be careful; after the first few steps, there is a thick tree right in the middle of the pavement. From the gate, walk 20 paces along the pavement, keeping the low stone wall on your left until it (and you) bear slightly to the left at 11 o’clock. Go straight on towards Literatų Street, keep to the right-hand edge of the pavement for 90 paces. Keep going until you come to the second signpost. You will recognise it when you tap it with your white support cane – it sounds lower than the first one, and there will also be a low stone wall to its left. 

This pole marks the point where you need to turn right (with your back to the wall) and cross Volano Street, which is rather quiet. When you reach the pavement curb on the other side, find the curved corner of the pavement and the boundary made of cobblestones to the left of the pavement. The border of the wall marks the beginning of a new object – the first part of the Literatų Street installations. Oh, by the way, there’s a cosy little restaurant with outdoor tables on the left, in case you fancy some liquid refreshment or a bite to eat. 

The route culminates in the short but charismatic Literatų Street, whose curiosities start in the wall on your right. The first part of the street runs for 30 metres. The street only got its current name at the beginning of the 20th century because of the printing presses and bookshops that used to be here. Even more interestingly, Adam Mickiewicz used to rent an apartment in the attic of a four-storey building on this street. The poet also used it as a hiding place during the events of 1823 when members of the Philomath Society were arrested in Vilnius. That is until Mickiewicz was arrested in October and taken to the Basilian Monastery (the Monastery of the Holy Trinity) for imprisonment. On 28 May 2011, a wall was unveiled on Literatų Street, where artists and other craftspeople had been working for two years on plaques made of metal, wood, glass, and other small objects dedicated to literary greats. Small glazed tiles, relief sculptural miniatures, and other small works of art are simply embedded in the wall. The project was originally intended to be temporary, but it has grown organically. More than 200 miniature works of art dedicated to literary figures who are connected to Lithuania in one way or another adorn the walls of Literatų Street. There are three stretches of walls on this street decorated with such artwork. As you wander along the entire street and explore the three sections, you will find works dedicated to the graffomaniacs, the forefathers for their fairy tales, unknown everyday poets, or the literary magazines called ‘Keturi vėjai’ and ‘Trečias frontas’. And, of course, dedicated to specific authors: Antanas Baranauskas, Janina Degutyte, Kristijonas Donelaitis, Sigitas Geda, Jurga Ivanauskaitė, Vytautas Kernagias, Maironas, Martynas Mažvydas, Oskaras Milašius, Adomas Mickevičius, Kristina Sabaliauskaitė, Tomas Venclova, Žemaitė, and many more.

The artworks are small and in a variety of colours and shapes: square, rectangular, oval and round, and they may be raised or recessed in the wall. Some resemble small sculptures that are slightly detached from the wall, while others are like bas-reliefs in the shape of picture frames or even teeth or resemble envelopes and photographs with dedications. The ones that really stand out are a four-bladed propeller in honour of the members of the member of the ‘Keturi vėjai’ (‘Four Winds’) avant-garde poetry movement, a compass case for Matas Šalčius, a plaque with a Braille inscription for Pranas Daunis and a book jointly dedicated to writers, which sticks out of the wall and protrudes out to the side. All the exhibits are interesting and extraordinary in their own way. 

The first part of the exhibition ends with a slight incline of a few centimetres and some metal grid covers on the right at the bottom before you reach the wall, so don’t be alarmed.

The second part of the Literatų Street Miniatures is about 45 steps away from the end of the first part. Go round the corner of the protruding house and turn right after it. Go along the wall of the house with shutters on your right and the edge of the pavement with the stone gutter on your left. In 23 paces, next to the street gutter on your left, you will see the one-metre-high bollards marking the edge of the pavement. When the wall and window shutters on the right end, the second part of the exhibition starts two steps later and continues for about 15 steps. See you there.

You know, the wall itself will tell you more about itself. Hang on – you have an incoming call. Text by Vaiva Grainytė, voiced by Rimantė Valiukaitė.

It is probably only possible for the walls to talk in Vilnius. Now, here’s a heads-up for your taste buds. Just on the left of the exhibition is the Beigelistų Bakery, whose delicacies are hard to resist. Just sayin’! Whether you want to eat or not is up to you. It just remains for me to inform you that this is the end of the route. If you go straight up Literatų Street, you will reach Pilies Street in 75 metres. You can either book a shuttle service from there or, alternatively, turn right, and you will be heading towards Šventaragio Street and Cathedral Square. 

I am glad you spent time with me today. 

I look forward to seeing you again soon. 

Yours,

Vilnius.