Verkiai

It is assumed that around the 13th century in this picturesque place, a diamond-shaped temple is built, an altar, two pillars rise to it. So the most impressive pagan rites had to take place here. Although there is very little reliable information about the possibly former temple, its importance to the ancient Lithuanians is evidenced by the fact that after the baptism of Lithuania in 1387 It was Verkius who gave Jogaila to the bishop of Vilnius, and since then the area has been taken over by the Catholics. Soon a chapel was built on the place of the former altar, later Bishops E. Valavičius, K. Bžostovoskis and others built luxurious residences right here. 18th century help the location of the palace was moved to the current location further from the mountain ledge, and the remains of the old palace were demolished, replaced by a 19th-century building. avg. a rotunda was built, and already in the 20th century. help – a symbolic altar reminiscent of the pagan era arose.

The history of the Verkiai Palace  is best learned by standing on the meadow at the barred entrance to the dungeons. These are the remnants of the magnificent central palace building with a dome, which we can now only see in pictures. The idea to build them came from Vilnius bishop I. Masalski, who liked Verkiai very much. For the construction of the new residence, he invited the classicist architects M. Knakfus and L. Gucevičius, who designed the ensemble, the axis of which was the central palace that has not survived and two offices from the sides (the surviving ones, you just have to see them). Despite great ambitions, the central palace was never completed, so the bishop himself lived in the office. However, this did not prevent Verkiai from becoming the center of entertainment and festivities in the suburbs of Vilnius: there was a large collection of paintings, a rich library, valuable collections of weapons and fossils, and secret meetings of the masonic lodge were held in the manor pavilion (Žaliųių Ežerų st. 53). The “golden age” of tears did not last long – in 1794, the controversial Masalski was publicly hanged in Warsaw. Several later owners of Verkiai still tried to save the huge building of the central palace, but in the end rational thinking prevailed – around 1844, by the decision of the owner L. Wittgenstein, the central palace was demolished, and the remaining building materials were used to transform the eastern office into a luxurious residence with a water tower and a glass winter garden. and other amenities. Since the two offices were once identical, the game “find 10 differences” will help you clearly understand what transformations L. Wittgenstein made in the morning office. Today, it is the most luxurious surviving building of Verkiai Palace.

Admire the monumental building with columns designed by L. Gucevičius, which used to be a drive-in tavern – here you could not only have a snack, but also stay longer. The second floor of the building accommodated horsemen and carriages, and the first floor housed hunting hooves, horns, saddles, harnesses, and a room for hunting dogs was installed on the sides. There were living rooms on both floors. After the Second World War, the tavern was converted into stables, the authentic interior was destroyed.

The small buildings on the other side of the street are also historical and belonged to Verkių Manor. These are the peasant school (Žaliųjų Ežerų St. 30), residential houses of the estate’s hired workers (kumetynas), (No. 26), cowshed and fire station (No. 24), post office (No. 22). This group of buildings dates back to the 18th century. help was sometimes called a Dutch sidecar.

After being at the top of the mountain, it’s time to go down to the river. It is believed that the 15th-16th century episcopal palace in Verkiai was down by the Neris, and not on the hill, where there might have been a functioning cemetery at the time, so try to imagine a grand 500-year-old palace as you walk along the shore, and you can choose the place yourself – residences from this period location not determined. In a small complex of buildings on Verkių st. 77-81, the economic center of the manor could have been formed since long ago, because the Turniškės stream flows here, there are preserved ponds, the miller’s house (No. 81), and the ruins of mills. The house marked with the number 77 is often called a “vilute”, sometimes – the house of a pilgrim or a manor housekeeper. Its exact history is unknown, but it must have been a residential house, its current forms came from the classicism era, the 18th century. help Maybe the first residence of the bishop once stood on these foundations before the rebuilding?

Water mills are the main driving force of the farm of Verkiai Palace, which really should not have run out, after all, even today you can see more than one stream rushing straight to the Neris from the steep slope. In this place, right next to the mountain, a mill decorated with columns already stood in the 18th century. help (painted by the artist P. Smuglevičius), but there is no doubt that it existed before. The mill operated until 1975 and now houses a restaurant. As you go up the bank of the Verkiai stream, you can see another structure – it is a former water lifting station, which was needed for the water to reach the palace at the top of the mountain.
Note the stand depicting the Verkiai in the mid-19th century. A ferry looms at the bottom of the picture. Of course, a simple water current-driven ferry at this place from the old gorge Verkiai and Valakampiai. After a long break, both banks of the Neris have been connected again – since 2018, the “Uperis” ferry for cyclists and pedestrians has been operating in the warm season.

The Church of the Discovery of the Holy Cross was built to signify the end of the Way of the Cross in Vilnius – the hill on which the shrine is built corresponds to Golgotha Mountain in the topography of Calvary, and the Stations of the Cross dedicated to the crucifixion of Jesus are incorporated right into the church itself. Sources say that the first wooden church was built in this place by Bishop J. Bialozoras and Dominican monks in 1664-1669. After the first temple burned down, a new brick one was built by the Dominicans of Warsaw, and in the middle of the 18th century it was rebuilt once again according to the canons of the late baroque and took on its present form. The nearby buildings belonged to the Dominican monastery, but during the tsar’s reign it was closed in 1850, and the church was left to function (it also functioned during the Soviet era). The Jerusalem cemetery is worth attention – it is unique in the scale of the city of Vilnius, because it remained in the cemetery, and burials are still held here today.

The so-called New Jerusalems were established all over Europe from the 15th century as a variant of the real places of Christ’s suffering and resurrection, this was especially relevant for pilgrims who did not have enough money to travel to the Holy Land. Calvary was often chosen in an area with similarities to biblical allotments (hills, rivers, valleys). In 1662, Bishop Jurgis Bialozoras began to build a pilgrimage path in Verkiai near Vilnius, the main motive of this initiative is the finally achieved victory over the Muscovites who had controlled the city for several years. The surrounding hills were given biblical names: Golgotha, Mary, Zion, Alyva, and the stream flowing in the area was named Kedron (Cedron). By 1669, the first wooden chapel on the road should have been built, but due to repeated fires, starting in 1755, they were replaced with brick ones. During the tsarist period, interest in Vilnius Calvary did not decrease, it even increased – tourist guides were allowed, contemporaries wrote that during Pentecost, about tens of thousands of believers gathered in Verkii. During the Soviet era, visiting the Way of the Cross was officially prohibited, in 1962-1963 they were destroyed (except for the four closest to the church), but worshipers placed stone crosses in their places, planted flowers at the foundation site, and called them tracks, so the way was alive in people’s minds. In 1990-2002, the Calvary of Vilnius was accurately reconstructed according to the richly preserved iconographic material. The length of the Way of the Cross is about 7 km. The most impressive processions take place during Pentecost.

During the Soviet years, the employees of various factories, departments and other organizations were allocated areas on the outskirts of cities to create collective gardens. The aim of this initiative was to provide the residents with the opportunity to satisfy their inclination towards earthworks, as well as supplement their food ration with freshly grown goods. Imagine – many Vilnius settlers were actually people who had just arrived from the province, and for them life in cramped apartment blocks could become real suffering. Thus, the 6-acre garden plots became like an intermediate connection between the village and the city, providing refreshment on weekends. Kalvariju gardens are the first collective gardens in Vilnius, established in 1953, when urban life did not even smell in these areas. This massif is also the best example of the transformation of the last decades – after the restoration of independence, much larger houses were allowed to be built on garden plots, so here in Calvary, next to a wooden building that has not been modestly repaired, you can see new “gardeners” residences that have almost turned into apartment buildings.

Right next to large residential areas and the bustle of the city, as if in an oasis of peace, the rehabilitation center “Pušyno kelias” operates. Its history dates back to 1964, when it opened its doors as a prophylactic for one of the largest factories in Vilnius – “Elfa”. During the construction of the treatment facility, the paths of the Cross and even the foundations of one demolished chapel were “climbed”. After Lithuania regained its independence and the “Elfa” factory went bankrupt, it was decided that the sanatorium could not close and turn into another profitable apartment building, that harmony must be maintained in this place: Cross Road will be restored as a spiritual healing center, and “Pušyno kelias” will continue to function as a body healer.

The right tributary of the Neris, Cedron (Kedron), received its biblical name in the 17th century during the construction of the Way of the Cross of Calvary in Verkiai. Another name is used – Baltupis. The stream starts in the forest near Fabijoniškės, then it crosses the busy streets of Geležinio Vilko and Kalvarijos. In the area of the Way of the Cross, the Cedron Valley is the most romantic – here it escapes from the noise and dust of the city and quietly meanders through the misty forest. Above the stream stands the only wooden chapel of the Way of the Cross. In the past, pilgrims at this place often did not use the bridge, but simply crossed the stream barefoot or on their knees, its water was considered holy.

On a hot summer day (and not only), it is necessary to stop at Verkiai spring. It is inconvenient to reach the spring gushing under the trees by car, so only the most persistent come here. However, once you come, you keep coming back. It is said that its water cures eye diseases, helps to rejuvenate, and coffee brewed with this water is much tastier. It is true that due to the extreme weather of recent years, the spring is a bit run down, so if its spring is weak, you can go down the hill and find a more watery place.