Vilnius has always been a green city, which is noticeable if you look at old maps or read memoirs about the city. Located in the dip of a vale, the Old Town is like a crown around the green hills of Vilnius, and in the very heart of the city, there were and still are green oases in some places. The city’s greenery can be traced back to sacred groves, some of which were later integrated into the landscape of the growing city. Initially, gardens were mainly built around monasteries and the estates of noblemen. The first urban gardens can be traced back to the 16th century, when cherry trees, other fruit trees, and herbs were already cultivated. From the 17th century onwards, the gardens were filled with imported plants.
The biggest changes in the landscape of Vilnius took place in the 19th century. The destruction of palaces and monasteries by the Tsarist government, the rise of botanical science and the closure of the University of Vilnius, as well as greening the streets – popular in Europe at the time, and the expansion of the city all had a significant impact on the landscape and the green areas of the town. Changes continued throughout the complex history of the 20th century.
Let’s take a walk through the old gardens of Vilnius, recalling their history and that of the city, as well as remembering the people who cared for them – or, conversely, destroyed them.
