What is and where is Vilnius?
What is Lithuania?
Why have we landed here – in the Central courtyard of Vilnius University?
Vilnius spaces of historical importance and richness
Two enlightening panoramas of Vilnius
The Legend of Vilnius: Gediminas’ dream and the Iron Wolf
Vilnius symbols
Which Vilnius citizen is most famous in the World? Oginski, Dzerzhinsky or Zappa?
15 important events of Vilnius history
Who is the most outstanding person who lived in Vilnius – Čiurlionis, Mickiewicz or Miłosz?
Who is the most outstanding architect of Vilnius – Glaubitz, Guciewicz or Wiwulski?
The most famous Vilnius photographer – Bułhak?
Most legendary Vilnius masterpiece – the Church of St. Anne’s?
100 contemporary creative people of Vilnius. Portrait gallery by photographer Algimantas Aleksandravičius

Vilnius symbols

  • The coat of arms – St. Christopher. Although, following the legend, Vilnius’ symbol could easily be the Iron Wolf, Vilnius city Coat of Arms contains St. Christopher, who is depicted carrying baby Jesus across the river and holding a sprouting tree branch with a double cross on its top. It is thought that this Coat of Arms has appeared around the time of the Christianisation of Lithuania in 1387, when Vilnius received self governance – the Magdeburg rights.

  • Vilnius icon and the famous urban dominant – Gediminas Tower. Gediminas Tower is another easily recognised symbol of Vilnius. It is the only remaining tower of the Upper Castle. This tower is directly connected to the founding times and early history of the city. Because of its significance, all the sides competing for Vilnius in the 20th century confirmed their presence by flying their flag from Gediminas Tower.

  • Famous Vilnius painting – Mother of Mercy of Aušros (Dawn) Gates. Next to the Church of St. Theresa, above the Medininkai or Aušros Gates of the defence wall surrounding the Old Town, a site of worship of the Holy Virgin Mary and a place of pilgrimage emerged in 17-18th c. This site is one of the main centres of worship of the Holy Virgin Mary in Central Europe, equal only to, for example, Czestochowa in Poland. Aušros Gates and the Madonna painting were celebrated by two great poets at the beginning of the 19th century – Adam Mickiewicz and Juliusz Słowacki.

  • A meeting place by the Belfry of the Cathedral. Vilnius visitors can be trusted with a little secret of Vilnius citizens. Arranging a date or a meeting with somebody who doesn’t know the city very well, a person always suggests meeting at the Belfry, the most popular place to meet.

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