The National Museum of Lithuania
The National Museum of Lithuania is the largest depository of the Lithuanian historical heritage, where museum valuables reflecting the cultural history of the country are collected, preserved, studied and popularised on a systematic basis. At the same time it is the oldest museum of Lithuania, with its roots in the Vilnius Museum of Antiquities established in 1855 on the initiative of culture historian Count Eustache Tyszkiewicz. The Museum and the main expositions of the National Museum of Lithuania are located in the historical centre of Vilnius, in the buildings within the territory of Vilnius Castles.

 

This museum is located in the former headquarters of the KGB. Historical and documentary materials related to repressions executed by occupational authorities against the population of Lithuania in 1940-1990, materials about anti-Soviet and anti-Nazi resistance and information about participants of resistance forces and victims of genocide are all collected here. The central part of the exposition is the internal prison (interrogation chambers) of the NKVD-MGB-KGB. The former execution chamber is also open to visitors. Information about executions is presented in information stands.

www.genocid.lt/muziejus

 

This is the building where the independence of Lithuania was declared and the Act of Independence of Lithuania was signed on 16 February 1918. The museum houses a regularly updated exposition dedicated to signatories of the Act of 16 February.
www.lnm.lt

 

Visitors are especially fond of the tower due to the beautiful panorama of the Old Town and the city centre that can be seen from the top.
Models of Vilnius Castles from the second half of the 15th and the beginning of the 17th century and weaponry and iconography of Old Vilnius are exhibited in the tower. Visitors can get to the top of the Gediminas Hill by a funicular railway from the enclosed courtyard of the National Museum of Lithuania or on foot along a cobbled road from Sereikiškės Park.

 

The Television Tower
The Television Tower is one of the tallest buildings in Eastern Europe. It is 326,5 metres high. A photographic exhibition devoted to fourteen unarmed civilians who were killed during the tragic events of 13 January 1991 is mounted on the ground floor. Crosses and monuments near the entrance perpetuate one of the country’s biggest fights for independence. The tower is open to visitors: a lift takes them in 45 seconds up to an observation platform. This is a circular room (at the height of 165 metres), which revolves slowly, taking about one hour to complete one revolution. There is a café, and viewers can appreciate a spectacular view of Vilnius and even of the panorama of the surrounding countryside within the radius of 50 kilometres.

 

The bastion is a Renaissance defence complex of authentic construction situated next to the former city wall and dating back to the 17th century. It houses an historic exposition of armaments and provides visitors with the possibility to enjoy a wonderful panorama of the Old Town.

Adress: Bokšto st. 20/18

The Cathedral of St. Stanislav and St. Vladislav is the most important place of worship for the country‘s Catholics and the venue for the main Christian, folk and national festivities. In 1922, the Cathedral was granted the title basilica (meaning „royal“). This is the hightes church category awarded by the Pope only to very special churches.

 

The construction is massive and thickset and, if necessary, it could be used not only for prayers, but for defence. This possibility is also supported by the 19 embrasures in the northern facade. Admire the peaked windows, the ladder buttresses, the peaceful plane composition of the facade and the 17th century Renaissance pediment bearing a 19th century fresco catching the Gothic part of the church.
In Soviet times, the Bernardine Church was closed and turned into a warehouse. After the restoration of independence, Franciskan monks who had been working underground returned to the church. The Bernardine Church is currently being restored.

 

he Gates of Dawn is one of the most visited shrines in Vilnius that is famous not only in Lithuania but also abroad, worshipped by the representatives of other creeds too. This is the only surviving gate of the first original five gates in the city wall that was built between 1503 and 1522. The gates were first mentioned in 1514.

The Gallery "Akademija" belongs to Vilnius Academy of Arts. The first works of the students of the Academy of Arts are exhibited here, and creative work of lecturers and professors is presented. At the shop of the Gallery one can buy small paintings, works of graphics, sculptures, ceramics, and publications on art of the Publishing House of Vilnius Academy of Arts.

Adress: Pilies str. 44/2, Vilnius

 

Vilnius Academy of Art is the only Lithuanian high school that has been educating art professionals for more than 200 years. Nearly two thousand students study in its faculties such as the Faculty of Visual and Applied Arts, Architecture and Design, Humanitarian and Social Sciences as well as Kaunas and Telšiai Faculties of Arts. After the completion of the related study programmes the graduates will become professional graphic artists, sculptors, designers (interior, costume, metal plastics, etc.), architects, painters, etc. The lecturers of the Academy as well as its graduates and students have received many national and international high-level awards and they constantly participate in the competitions and exhibitions both in Lithuania and abroad.
Telšiai Faculty of Arts has been preparing professional jewellers since 1998 (bachelors in metal plastics) who continue their master’s degree studies in the Design Department of Vilnius Academy of Art.
Side by side to the usual academic, scholarly and creative activity, Vilnius Academy of Art pays much attention to the qualification of students and lecturers in the sphere of creative entrepreneurship.
With the same purpose, the jewellery gallery “ARgenTum” has been launched.
The main objective of the gallery is the organization of individual, collective, conceptual, methodical, and experimental jewellery and other kind of exhibitions.

Adress: Latako str. 2, Vilnius

 

Artifex is a textile gallery-studio, a venue of the Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts, where visitors can learn about new tendencies in textile art and the process of creation as well as see orignal works of artists and examples of textile design.

Adress: Gaono str. 1, Vilnius

 

 

The Contemporary Art Centre is the largest art centre in the Baltic States. Retrospectives of well-known local and world artists are held, however, the most important sphere of the activities of the Contemporary Art Centre is presentation of the latest international art tendencies. About 60 thousand people visit the events organised by the Contemporary Art Centre annually.

 

design gallery and shop

 

Jonas Mekas was born in 1922 in Semeniskiai, Lithuania. He currently lives and works in New York. In 1944, Jonas Mekas and his brother, Adolfas, were taken by the Nazis and imprisoned in a forced labor camp in Nazi Germany for eight months. After the War, he studied philosophy at the University of Mainz from 1946-48 and at the end of 1949, he emigrated with his brother to the U.S. settling in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in New York.

 

n 1989 scientists of the French National Geographical Institute established that the geographic centre of Europe is in Lithuania, 26 kilometres north of Vilnius.
The first mark of the geographic centre – a commemorative stone – was erected on a hill by Bernotai in 1991. This monument did not survive. When commemorating Lithuania’s membership of the European Union, the outstanding Lithuanian sculptor Gediminas Jakūbonis created a composition – a column of white granite with a crown of stars over it.
Touch the huge commemorative stone placed in the very centre of the European continent, visit the Tourist Information Centre of Vilnius district and receive a certificate confirming that you have been to the centre of Europe!

www.vatic.ten.lt, www.egc.lt

 

At the distance of 20 kilometres from the centre of Vilnius there is one of the most impressive museums of contemporary art where nature and art are combined. Europos parkas was established in 1991 seeking to give an artistic significance to the geographical centre of Europe in the language of art. More than 100 sculptures by various sculptors of the world are on display there. The collection includes large-scale works by such famous contemporary artists as M. Abakanowicz, Dennis Oppenheim, Le Witt and others. You will see here not only the world’s largest artwork made of TV sets and acknowledged by Guinness World Records but also many other works of art exhibited in the open air.

 

Užupis is one of the oldest districts of Vilnius, mentioned in the historical sources as far back as the 16th century. Once it was called the “salt road” to Polock. In olden times it was the suburb where the poor and mainly craftsmen, lived. There were many mills and at one time it was even the brothel district.

Mindaugas Navakas sculpture "Dviaukštis"

Within the framework of the public places humanisation programme aimed at contemporary interpretation of the city’s open space, the work by Mindaugas Navakas “Two-storey” was built on the bank of Vilnius Neris River next to the White Bridge.

 

 

Robertas Antinis  skulpture "Puskalnis"

The sculpture “Half Mountain” of Robertas Antinis, the Laureate of the National Premium of Culture and Art, combines the landscape of embankments of the Neris and ground art traditions. The sculpture is an upward continuation of the meander of the river – it looks as a natural springboard growing from the ground.

 

 

Vladas Urbanavičius sculpture "Krantinės arka"

Within the framework of the public places humanisation programme aimed at contemporary interpretation of the city’s open space, on Vilnius Neris embankment between Mindaugo Bridge and Green Bridge next to the Energy Museum, construction of the sculpture by Vladas Urbanavičius "Embankment Arch" was completed.

Over 700 samples of the Baltic art: pins, brooches, buttons and necklaces made of metal, amber, brass, bone or horn; over 50 most characteristic ancient engravings, drawings, works of graphics and paintings of the greatest artistic value. They were collected and brought to Vilnius thanks to tremendous effort and kind-hearted assistance of the partners from various museums in Lithuania and Europe. Their value exceeds millions of Litas. Next to the ancient artefacts you will find the works by contemporary artists interpreting the Baltic culture and its symbols. The overall exposition area reaches 300 m².

Frank Zappa Monument

Zappa himself never visited Lithuania, although his antiestablishment stance made him an extremely popular figure among anti-Communist youths in Eastern Europe. In 1992, Lithuania’s first full year of independence, Saulius Paukstys, a Vilnius photographer and the president of the country’s Zappa fan club, had a brief audience with the musician while visiting California. He was so moved that when Zappa succumbed to cancer the next year, Paukstys went about seeking to memorialize him.

 

It was constructed in Kalnai Park on the Hill of Three Crosses (alternatively, the Bleak Hill Lithuanian: Plikasis kalnas) in 1916, in the place where the three wooden crosses used to stand at least since 1636. The wooden crosses collapsed in 1869 and tsarist authorities did not allow for them to be rebuilt. The new monument by Antoni Wiwulski was covertly erected in 1916. It was blown up under the order of the Soviet Government on 30 May 1950. Eventually the crosses were restored and consecrated on 14 June 1989.
The Three Crosses are constructed of concrete, painted in white. The rebuilt crosses now are 1.8 metres (5 ft 11 in) higher than those of 1916. A spectacular panorama of the Vilnius Old Town can be observed from top of the hill.

 

 

There is a bust of composer and artist Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis near the Art School named after him. Some time in the past, there was an idea to erect a monument to Frank Zappa here but later it was decided that a monument to the Lithuanian artist would be more appropriate.
M. K.Čiurlionis (1875 – 1911) was a prominent Lithuanian artist and composer, a pioneer of professional Lithuanian music who in his creations went far beyond the boundaries of his culture. His works reflect philosophical, religious and art trends that existed in the late 19th and early 20th century.
M. K.Čiurlionis’ paintings can be hardly put into a single style frame and are considered the most valuable Lithuanian contribution to the world culture. His works are mentioned among famous modernist painters such as M.Kandinsky, E.Munch, O.Redon, F.Kupka and others.
The musical heritage of M. K.Čiurlionis includes symphony, choir and piano music, pieces for string instruments and the organ.

Stikliai hotel has a stylish Lobby Bar and ornate Winter Garden, with an old fireplace and luxury furniture, the old Tavern and the internationally acclaimed Restaurant, which offers an excellent food. Since 1992 the Restaurant is a member of Chaine des Rotisseurs.

 

Hunters’ restaurant Lokys is known for a fine flavor of history of Lithuania. Situated in the old town of Vilnius the restaurant offers many historic delights - among these, of course, delicious food according to traditional recipes.

 

Restaurant MEDININKAI is one of the oldest, most famous and best restaurants in Vilnius old town. Restaurant Medininkai today follows the tradition of offering excellent international cuisine and courteous, first-class service in surroundings of refined elegance and impeccable hospitality.

Adress: Vilniaus st. 39

Work hours:

VI  08-13

 

Lots of delicious delights on offer at this market including home made honey and milk straight from the cow!!!

Kalvarijų st. 61
Work hours:
II–VII 7.00–14.00

 

Conventiently located near to the train station this market is a bit of a hotch-potch of kiosks selling clothing and food.

Pylimo st. 58/ Bazilijonų st. 1

Work hours:
II–V 7.00–17.00, VI–VII 7.00–15.00

 

s one of the oldest Vilnius clubs established in the premises of the ex Soviet bomb shelter. The venue is mainly known for attracting people passionate for the best international dancing music. They feature some of the best Lithuanian and foreign DJ’s who arrive to play the hottest tunes from the world’s dance-floors. The London-chic interior here is stylish and unique for its combination of colourful lighting, leather and some examples of modern art exhibited in one of the rooms. The entrance to the club, which is a rather long tunnel, adds to the character as well.
The sound and lighting systems, as well as the service are known for their very high quality.

Adress: Jasinskio st. 16

 

is a newly opened club in Vilnius. The club is a part of a large network of super clubs around the world. I visited Pacha in London and the glamorous Pacha Ibiza and was very curious about the one in Vilnius.
The stylish colourful interior here is Mediterranean inspired with mosaic walls, sea like colours and flashing lights. With a few halls it’s easy to find space on the dance floor, those who would prefer some rest there are a few quieter hideaways.
Music is mainly Ibiza house but other types of music is played in the other hall. Sometimes live shows are taking place and they also present some of the best international DJ’s. One of the fancy drinks that is worth trying is the special Pacha cherry mojito. They also offer a variety of snacks. The crowd here is diverse and seem friendly. In my opinion Pacha has got the perfect clubbing formula and is one of the classiest clubs in Vilnius.

Adress: Gynėjų st. 14

 

Gaze across Vilnius from 17.00 to 1.00 (2.30 Fridays and Saturdays) from our striking lounge. In the evenings, chilled music draws a cool crowd, enjoying cocktails and bar snacks. Ask to borrow our binoculars – you’ll be amazed how much there is to see.

Konstitucijos av. 20