Vilnius Top Attractions
Churches KGB Museum Stand in the centre of Europe Cathedral and bell tower The Parks Gediminas Tower
With around two-dozen churches and cathedrals of note, Vilnius outshines some of Europe’s best-known pilgrimage sites. Not only this, but some of the architecture on offer includes the very finest baroque and gothic buildings you are likely to stumble across anywhere in Europe. Highlights include the Holy Trinity church’s rococo gate and belfry, the baroque masterpiece St.Catherine’s Church, magnificent St. Anne’s Church and the 700-year old St. Nicholas’ Church.
Vilnius old town
The Baltic States can certainly boast some magnificent old towns, that are right up there with the best Europe has to offer. Vilnius sets itself aside from the competition by taking the accolade for Europe’s largest preserved old town. Vilnius old town is lower key than Riga and less contrived than Tallinn. Beyond the ‘main drag’ there are hours of deserted streets and lanes to be explored that are bereft of the tourist masses.
The Gates of Dawn
No, this isn’t the title of a brand new Sci-fi film. This chapel combines beautiful with the slightly strange, which might help explain why the Gates of Dawn has allegedly been witness to countless miracles over the centuries.
Don’t treat a trip to Vilnius’ KGB Museum lightly. The former torture rooms and prison remain much as they were during Soviet times and rarely fail to make an impact upon visitors to the site. A visit here will most likely upset you, but if you want a true sense of Lithuania, which goes beyond the candyfloss image of the city then this is a must.
Although there’s very little to see aside from a NATO-emblem style mosaic, this spot is becoming increasingly popular with ‘longitudinal tourists’ who are keen to add the centre of Europe to their ‘I’ve been there experience list’ along with the Equator, the North Cape and the Europe/Asia dividing line, which can be eyed from the window of the train from Moscow to Beijing. Experts have indeed agreed that Vilnius lies at the true heart of continental Europe, although you will have to travel about 25 kilometres out of the city centre to see the ‘official spot’.
The Republic of Uzupis
Copenhagen has got Kristiana. Hamburg has St. Pauli. But when it comes to pseudo, slightly autonomous republics, the Uzupis Republic in the middle of Vilnius is perhaps the modern day European king of independence and bohemia.
Uzupis claims to have its own President, prime minister and army; and frankly given the amount of corruption that goes on at government levels in the Baltic States are the members of Uzupis’ establishment any less worthy of power?!
National holidays include ‘The day of the white tablecloths’, while most distinguished residents are more likely to be painters and poets rather than boring bankers or greedy real estate moguls.
Vilnius Cathedral and bell tower dominate the centre of the Lithuanian capital. The cathedral interior is a fascinating ensemble of tombstones, frescos and sculptures. Meanwhile, outside the c14th bell tower bears more than a passing resemblance to a more wonky tower in the Italian city of Pisa.
If Vilnius is as magnificent as we claim then why, you might ask, do we list its parks amongst the city’s top attractions? The answer is because the rolling hills, parkland and greenery of central Vilnius combine with the architectural aesthetic to fashion this unique city which so many people love more than anywhere else in Europe.
What would Vilnius be without Gediminas Tower? Well, it would remain a fantastically beautiful and laid back city just the same, but without Gediminas Tower stood proudly above the skyline Vilnius would lose something that somehow defines the city.
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