Vilnius for children

These dogs are called Lithuanian Hounds. This breed of hunting dogs is one of the oldest, and the only one that started in Lithuania. In the old days, Lithuanian dukes not only brought weapons to the hunt, they would also take a pack of hounds, making it easier to track wild animals.

Pay attention: Where is hte third puppy’s tail pointing?

Just imagine: Trained dogs only answer to their given names. What do you think? What could the name of these three hounds be?

Moses is a prophet from the Old Testament. He was the one who received the Ten Commandments from God. But why is this outstanding man pictures with horns on his head? When the Bible was translated from Hebrew to Latin, the Hebrew word meaning ‘shining’ also meant ‘ray of glory looking like horns’. This is why there are images of Moses with horns in many works of art.

Pay attention: How many statues of apostles are keeping Moses company on the central facade of the Cathedral?

Just imagine: Moses is shown speaking quite seriously. What do you think he would say to the visitors in the square, if he suddenly came to life?

In the spring of 1931, Vilnius was flooded by the rivers Vilnia and Neris. This line etched in stone shows how high the floodwaters rosw. The flood did a lot of damage, but every dark cloud has a silver lining: while the cellars of the Cathedral were being repaired after the flood, the crypt of Barbora Radvilaitė, the Queen of Poland and the Grand Dutchess of Lithuania, was discovered!

Pay attention: What letter is written next to the numbers? What could it mean?

Just imagine: It was possible to drive a car in the city during the flood. How did residents move around the city while the water was so high?

These little bears are more than a hundred years old! They used to decorate a confectionary shop that was in this building until World War I. The shop sold sweets made by Viktorija, a famous maker of chocolate in Vilnius at that time.

Pay attention: How many bears adorn the building’s facade?

Just imagien: The bears were repainted during renovation of the building. What was their colour a hundred years ago?

This very special door is made of bronze and weights several hundred kilograms! The door was made to mark the 450th anniversary of the first Lithuanian book, written by Martynas Mažvydas. On the door you can see images of some of the most important events in Lithuanian culture as well as people who helped preserve the Lithuanian language and Vilnius University.

Pay attention: What was the title of the first Lithuanian book?

Just imagine: The shape of the door handle is unnusual. What do they represent?

These little elephants are supporting a chess board on their backs. Chess is one of the oldest board games in the world. Several decades ago there was a chess club in the building next door, and the club commissioned this sculpture. The sculptor is Vytenis Jankūnas.

Pay attention: Are the more black or white squares on the board?

Just imagine: You can see the whole inner courtyard of the Presidential Palace in front of you. It’s kind of empty, isn’t it? If you were an architect, would you put something in the middle of the square?

The houses in Literatų Street are decorated with more than 200 little works of art, using tiles and other objects. Every work of art is here to honour a writer of Lithuanian, Polish, Belarusian or other ethniv origin who is somehow related to Vilnius. The famous Adam Mickiewicz lived here, in Literatų Street, for some time.

Pay attention: What is the number of the little piece dedicated to Adam Mickiewicz?

Just imagina: If you were a poet, what symbol would you choose to represent you in this street?

The Church of Saint Anne was built over 500 years ago and is considered to be one of the most beautiful buildings in Vilnius. There is even a legend that, when the Emperor Napoleon saw the church, he said he would like to carry it back to Paris in the palm of his hand!

Pay attention: The doors of the church are adorned with beautiful handles. What fairy-tale characters can you see on them?

Just imagine: You can see the letters S and A repeating again and again on the door. What could they possibly mean?

This little bronze mermaid has been daydreaming in her niche at the Vilnia River embankment since 2002. The owner of a cafe here in the Užupis neighbourhood came up with the idea to have such a mermaid. It is sometimes saud that, thanks to the magic of this mermaid, travellers from all over the world started flocking to artsy Užupis.

Pay attentio: What numbers do you see etched in the stone above the little mermaid?

Just imagine: The mermaid is alone all the time… What kind of sculpture could keep her company?

This is one of the oldest monuments in Vilnius. It was put up in 1933 to honour a brave deed by the Polish schoolboy Mieczysław Dordzik. He saved a drowning four-year-old Jewisg boy, Khatskel Kharmats, who had fallen into the flooded river. Sadly, while saving the other boy’s life, Mieczysław lost his own…

Pay attention: This monument’s location is quite unusual, although it was intended to stand on the riverbank. In your opinion, which one of these streets did not exist at that time?

Just imagine: Nowadays we have heroes toom people who save lives and do good. Think of someone you know who is like that. Is there anyone you would like to honour with a monument?

The ancestors of the Lithuanian believed in many gods and goddesses. This sculpture represents one of them, Medeinė, sometimes also called Žvorūna, the goddess of forests and hunting. It is said that even King Mindaugas made offering to her!

Pay attention: The bear is wearing a ring on one of his paws. Which paw is it?

Just imagine: What offerings did people make to Medeinė?

Saint Casimir was a prince of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland, and is now honoured as a saint and the patron of Lithuania. That is why Jesuit monks built this church. According to the legend, the cornerstone for the church was rolled from the Antakalnis neighbourhood to the Old Town by as many as 700 people! Part of this cornerstone can be seen today in the front wall of the church.

Pay attention: Notice the little angel’s face over the door. How many more such angels can you count in the facade of the church?

Just imagine: If you step a little further away from the church, you see a large ornate crown on top of it. Lithuania has had only one king, Mindaugas. If you could choose someone to be the king of Lithuania now, who would it be?

This statue is a monument to the Jewish doctor Tsemakh Shabad. He was known in and around Vilnius for his kind deeds: he founded an orphanage, treated children and poor people for free and worked to educate the public about health. Later on, this remarkable man was the inspiration for the main character in a famous story for children, Doctor Aybolit.

Pay attention: What is the little girl holding in her arms?

Just imagine: What is the doctor saying to the little girl?

Saint Christopher is a patron and saint of Vilnius and of all travellers. According to legend, he lived next to a river and would carry passengers to the other side on his strong sholders. Once, a little boy asked Christopher to help him cross the river. During the crossing the boy kept getting heavier, and the pair almost drowned! After reaching the other side, the boy told Christopher that in fact he was Jesus Christ and had to bear the heavy burden of all the hardships of this world.

Pay attention: What is written on the base of the sculpture?

Just imagine: Theball that the boy is holding in his hands symbolyses the hardships one must endure in this world. What hardships are the people of the world facing today?

In medieval times Vilnius was surrounded by a wall built to protect against an enemy’s attack. These were nine gates in the wall, throught which one could enter the city. One of those gates was here, at the crossroads of Trakų and Pylimo Streets. The statue is of an armed sentry, standing guard at the entrance to the city. Unfortunately, today only a very small part of the wall remains, and there is only one gate, the Gate of Dawn.

Pay attention: What do you see on the shield of the guardian?

Just imagine: What if you had a shield? What sign or symbol would you choose to decorate it with?