Vilnius University Vilnius University is the pride of the city and a symbol of free thought. It is a magnificent institution that dates back longer than most universities in Europe. The University celebrated its 400:th anniversary in 1979. The beauty of the interiors is hard to match. Top that, Stockholm University! Smugleviciaus sale, the professors' reading room. This is not just “a room”, it has to be the most good-looking room in existence! Smugleviciaus sale, the professors' reading room from another angle. The professors' reading room with a fantastic ceiling with inserts in blue and yellow. Lelevelio sale, the librarians' office. Lelevelio sale, the librarians' office. The professors' reading room “The White Hall” under the clock-tower. The Linguistic Institution with fantastic, contemporary ceiling paintings. The Linguistic Institution with fantastic, contemporary ceiling paintings. The Linguistic Institution with fantastic, contemporary ceiling paintings. The Linguistic Institution with fantastic, contemporary ceiling paintings. The Linguistic Institution, the Tree of Life. The Linguistic Institution, the coffin symbolising the suffering of the Baltic peoples. The Muses, wall painting in Greek style in the Linguistic Institution. Baranauskas hall, with wall paintings of Lithuanian famous people. Detail of wall painting, depicting bishop Antanas Baranauskas, poet, 1835-1902. Litera, the University bookshop, with an interior that surpasses most other bookshops. The bookshop from another angle. All walls have frescoes. The ceiling of the bookshop is completely covered in humouristic paintings of teachers that worked at the university, with symbols of their profession. Sarbievijaus Yard, one of the 12 university yards, as green and quiet as befits a schoolyard. It really invites studies. Beautiful colours on the renovated walls contrasting nicely with the sky. The Observatory Yard. Viewed up towards the Observatory balcony with the clock tower behind. The clock is so old it has been removed for restoration. Sarbievijaus Yard from another angle. Panorama made from the clock tower, with the Cathedral in the middle. The houses and yards of the university are in the front. The Alumnae, the old “dormitory” was built by old Italian renaissance masters. The Observatory clock tower as viewed from the yard of the President’s Palace on University Street (Universitetu gatve). The Observatory is the balcony to the right. The only thing left of the clock is four square holes. Walking straight up to the tower you will get to the new Library door and the University Main Entrance. The other tower sticking up is the University Church. In 2004 the Library got its new grand entrance door, that was so expensive it caused a commotion in the newspapers. Well, it’s so nice, I don’t mind it costing a arm and a leg. The door has some bronze... plaques describing the art of printing in Lithuania, commemorating the first Lithuanian printed book and some early scientists. The Catechism... and the Book of sermons, of course. The writing around the book images is 16:th-century Lithuanian from the books, fully readable to a modern day Lithuanian. That’s exciting. Note the cat in the printer’s shop. The door of the Historic Faculty is rather more austere. The University is so magnificent that a main entrance like this seems like an understatement. It doesn’t match up to the Library luxury door right beside.   This mean looking guy stands next to the University main entrance. His name is Kristijonas Donelaitis (1716-1780) and he was a priest and writer. He wrote first Lithuanian work of fiction. His greatest work is “Metai” (The Seasons) which describes the seasons passing, the nature’s course and life in general, in a humorous way.

City and City Districts

To Selection Page

Churches

Vilnius Picture Gallery - Lietuvos dailes muziejos Sure, the Dutch painters, like van Gogh and those were great, and yes, the French 19:th century painters could paint OK, but the Lithuanian ones from the same time were just as good. Convince yourself by visiting the Vilnius Picture Gallery in the Old Town. The house was made an art museum in 1994. The museum is housed in a former palace built in the 17:th century by the noble Lithuanian Chodkeviciai family. The gallery starts with room number one, displaying fictive pictures of all early kings. Painting number one shows Grand Duke Vytautas. No one knows what he looked like. Ceilings and walls are completely intact, with stucco and gold leaf. I could live there. Perhaps the museum’s most famous painting of all, “Harvest Girl” (Pjoveja) av Kanutas Ruseckas. It is used everywhere, on chocolate gift boxes and such. “Forest Fire” (Misko gaisras) av Vincas Dmachauskas is another famous painting. It reminds me al lot of the Finnish “Burn-beating Fins” (Svedjefinnar) I saw in Helsinki If you are a true Vilnius fan and know the city and surroundings, there’s a lot of goodies to be found here. Especially in the Vilnius exhibition, such as Basanavicius’ paintings and copperplates of environments and buildings from the 18:th century. With a little imagination you’ll recognise modern Vilnius and after some time you can navigate around on the century old images. All names and descriptions of the works are translated into faltering English. It is somewhat miserable that a government-run museum doesn’t use proper translations. “The Lower Castle” has become “The Law Castle”. Maybe, perhaps photography was just a little prohibited, but I thought it was better that I show the works to the world than they remain unseen. People weren’t exactly stampeding to get into the museum. Unfortunately they had only two paintings by Cirulionis, the great composer, mystic and Science Fiction painter. If you want to se more of him, you’ll have to got to the Ciurlionis Museum in Kaunas. Do it! Ciurlionis is unique, to say the least.

Vilnius' Opera The Vilnius Opera is a magnificent building with extravagant interiors. It was built in the Soviet days, but works well and has good acoustics anyway. In those days, when the Bolshoi Theatre was booked, the great operas and plays were premiered in Vilnius instead. In the Opera House bar. This is how a bar should look like. All sorts of liquors, coffee and goodies for the pleasure-seeking opera-goer, and not like in Stockholm, buns in plastic bags, with astronomic prices. The Lithuanian National Museum - Lietuvos nacionalinis muziejos The National Museum is situated in a park beside the cathedral, below the castle hill with Gediminas Tower. The house is slightly crooked in the middle because it is built along the old city wall (gone a long time ago). It was originally built as an arsenal (and is therefore on 1 Arsenal Street), but has been rebuilt many times. The last time they did something to it was in the 17:th century. The museum depicts Lithuanian history from the sticks and stones age, through crooked-rusty-swords age, farming society with harvest and flax preparation, traditional costume, kings, the Radvilas family’s contributions to museums, and a giant painting of the nobleman and culture magnate Tiskevicius. The history of Vilnius University and staff is also illustrated, with images from the end of the 19:th century when the university was closed and used as a museum. Don’t expect flashy tableaux or fantastic dioramas. Instead it is more of the grey everyday history from a country which had to fight and bleed to be allowed to show it. Paintings, on the other hand, you’ll find at Vilnius Picture Gallery in the Old Town. History about weapons and fighting is on the War Museum in the Arsenal. The museum is in the absolute city centre, beside the cathedral. In front of the gate is the new statue of king Mindaugas. Lithuania has a very rich costume tradition. The ornate wooden crosses are district specific, and are found all over the country. The gentleman to the left is Rector Primarius Skarga, who was ordered to change his religious school in Vilnius to a university. He became its first headmaster in 1580 and had the first schoolyard named after him. Skargas’ yard. In the middle is a collection of religious art, objects saved from the Communists from various churches around the country. All this is things you really should see if you are interested in Lithuanian history. These giant Vatican keys are salvaged from the church in Trakai village. One room contains an unpleasant collection of object from the Soviet time, art and objects collected from or made by the innumerable Lithuanians deported, tortured and eliminated in the Soviet concentration camps. This not very nice picture shows the Soviet Union border made in barbed wire, with crosses in all the places where captive Lithuanians died or were executed. Lithuania is inserted, properly scaled, in the upper left corner. Then there are old diaries, suitcases, weapons and terrible stories about life in Siberia, and the horrible life and death of the Forest Brothers in Lithuania’s forests. Martynas Mazvydas National Library of Lithuania - Lietuvos nacionaline Martyno Mazvydo biblioteka In 1547 Martynas Mazvydas had the first book in Lithuanian language printed, the Catechism (n.b. only 160 years after the country was Christened, in 1387) and so laid the foundation of all Lithuanian library activity. Thus he has been honoured by giving his name to the Lithuanian National Library. The interior is more than grand, it’s super-grand. But you won’t get in there. Only the library card holders, the “readers” will get in through the electronic gates. As a tourist you might want to expose yourself to a lengthy registration procedure, or sweet-talk them into giving you a temporary pass. This probably helps decreasing theft, but it doesn’t feel like a public library. The National Library is situated beside the Parliament on Independence Square. Between the library and the Parliament is a pool with a controlled waterfall and a fountain at the far end. The house was built long before Communism. It looks nice. The Commies would never make adornments like this. This is the most common view of the library in the media, the main staircase to the first floor. At the far wall is a giant glass mosaic. With your back against the glass mosaic the staircase looks like this. Mazvydas stands opposite and checks you out. Just like in Swedish libraries, there are computerised, microfilm and cardboard catalogues. All registration on cardboard cards ended in 1997. Here Mazvydas himself sits, writing in a specialist literature room. Behind him is a replica of his first Lithuanian book, the Catechism. The first text page in the first book, beginning: “Brothers and sisters, take me and read me.” Sculptor K. Kisielis. A specialist literature room. The large, enormous book collections are absent. This is an ordering library. The books are kept all over the town, but you could get any book within an hour. Unknown giant. Any comments welcome. Electronic gates and guards probably lets the library keep its books. A bar at the library? This would be unthinkable in sober Sweden, but on the continent it’s okay. They would rather enjoy than sit around and be bored. About Martynas Mazvydas circa 1520 - 1563 Martynas Mazvydas was a priest, poet, author, public educator and a hip guy in general. He printed the first book in Lithuanian, the beginning of all Lithuanian literature and poetry. The book was called “The simple words of Catechism” but was much more than a religious textbook. It also had an ABC book and a number of songs. The idea was to teach the Lithuanian people to read their own language and spread the culture, apart from fearing God. He tried to eliminate the remains of paganism and push for Protestantism. The book starts with a dedication to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, two prefaces in Latin and Lithuanian, and then the famous Lithuanian preface. Knigieles pacias byla Letuvinikump ir Zemaiciump, that is “The Book speaks to Lithuanians and Zemaitijans”. It is the book, or perhaps the art of reading, that proclaims to its brothers and sisters that the world waits for the one who starts reading here. The cover text (left) reads “The simple words of the Catechism, a reading and writing manual, songs for Christians and for young children, recently prepared i Köningsberg, the eighth day in the moth of January in the Lord’s year 1547. Glory be unto God alone.” KNIGIELES Pacias byla Letuvinikump ir Zemaiciump BRalei, seseris, imkiet mani ir skaitikiet   Jr tatai skaitidami permanikiet. Maksla šito tevai iusu trakzdava tureti,   Ale to negaleia ne venu budu gauti. Regiety to nareia sava akimis,   Taip yr išgirsti sava ausimis. Jau nu, ka tevai nakada neregieia,   Nu šitai viss iusump ateia. Veizdekiet ir dabakietese, zmanes vysas,   Šitai eit iusump zadis dagaus karalistas. Malanei ir su dziauksmu ta zadi prijimkiet,   A iusu ukiusu šeimina makikiet. Sunus, dukteris iusu tur tatai makiety,   Visa šyrdy tur ta deva zady milety. Jei, bralei, seseris, tus zadzius nepapeiksit,   Deva teva ir sunu sau milu padarisit. Jr pašlavinti pa akimis deva busit.   Visosu daiktosu palaimi turesit. Šitu makslu deva tikrai pazysyt   Jr dagaus karalistasp prisiartysyt. The LITTLE BOOK [Itself] Speaks to Lithuanians and Zemaitijans Brothers, sisters, take me and read me,   And reading, consider this: Your fathers fervently desired to have this doctrine   But were not able to obtain it in any way. They wanted to see it with their eyes,   And also to hear it with their ears. Now what your fathers never saw,   Now all this has come to you. All men, look and pay attention,   Look the word of the kingdom of heaven is coming to you. Receive this word graciously and with joy   And teach the family in your homes. Your sons and daughters should know this   And love this word of God with all their heart. If your brothers and sisters will not scorn these words,   You will make God the Father and the Son dear to you. And you will be blessed under the eyes of God.   You will have blessing in all things. With this doctrine you will truly know God   And will come near to the kingdom of heaven. The same text is reproduced on the extravagant door to the University Library. The reason that the book was published in Köningsberg (Karaliauciai = King’s City), modern day Kaliningrad, is that it was the capital of ancient Little Lithuania, stretching from Kalaipeda in the north to Karaliauciai in the south. He addresses both Zemaitijans and Lithuanians, because Little Lithuania was his country, partly overlapped by Zemaitija, an independent country at the time. Greater Lithuania, on the other hand, once stretched all the way to the Black Sea and nearly reached Moscow. The text is in a Zemaitijan dialect, the language spoken near Kalipeda. The text misses many diacritical marks, so it is not possible to pinpoint it to any one of the dialects spoken around 1547. Scientists differ about where Mazvydas actually lived although his official dwelling is in present day Kaliningrad. Tourists still visit it. Despite there being no distinction between “i” and “j”, and the pronunciation of some characters have changed (“y”, long i-sound is now “i” in some modern Lithuanian words etc)... and ancient character combinations of ch-sounds has been replaced by accented characters (sch > š, sz > z) a modern day Lithuanian has no problems reading the text as the sounds are still the same. The Lithuanian language is unique in that written and spoken languages are identical. And an “ump” (u with nose) and an “asp” (e with nose) here and there was something you just had to accept in the medieval days. They are concessions for the cases. (Swedish, on the other hand, has changed so much since the 16:th century that you have to be a linguist to be able to understand and old text.) He was a smart man, Mazvydas. He fixed his own copyright by weaving his name into the first letter of each line (in Latin):) MARTINUS MAŠVIDIUS and not only in the introduction but at many other places in the text. There are statues of Mazvydas all over the country. He has even got a mountain peak in Khirgistan named after him. The Mazvydas Peak stretches 4560 meters above sea level, and is part of the Terskej Alatau range. It got its name from Lithuanian climbers, the first ones there, in 1979. Read more about Zemaitija here.

City and City Districts

To Selection Page

Churches

Restaurant Lokys (The Bear) One of the hangouts that survived the transition to Capitalism is the restaurant Lokys (The Bear), which never lost its popularity. It is partly housed in the tunnels and vaults under the Old Town. A bit of spelunkering. These vaults have been food places, beer places, shops and assembly halls since medieval times. Lokys opened in 1972. Those who went here at the time, agree it was cheap and good. You could have a plate of sausages, a cup of coffee and a great night out for three roubles. Lokys was popular. It’s still a great place today, with very elegant, attentive and polite service, although the prices have been adjusted towards a tourist level. Then, it was ABBA in the loudspeakers, whereas today a medieval image is preferred, with more folk music at low level, so you can fully enjoy the food. More about food in general is on the Food page< FONT COLOR="white">. There’s a big bear in the street and the Lokys flag hangs in the archway. A sunny summers day you might want to eat in the back yard. But in the evening one dines down in the vaults. Follow us down the winding staircase down to the cellar. A large bearskin is nailed to the wall in the entrance. Down in one of the vaults we meet Mr. Bear himself. The cosy factor is high. Lighting has been arranged to create a cheerful atmosphere. The food is exquisite and the menu is available in several languages. Gediminas the Grand Duke and his pals had nothing better to do than to hunt boars in the old days. There are room for large groups in the cellar. There is also a “Swedish Room” upstairs.

Café Freskas Silence is an rare commodity in any metropolis. But you can find it if you look around. Café Freskas in the old City Hall is one of the few eating places where you can escape pop music, rest your mind and enjoy very well cooked food in an elegant theatre environment, with low-key violin music. The staff is very attentive and polite and the service is excellent. The silence might seem a bit expensive, though, as the prices are quite elevated. A small sign at the back of the old City Hall on City Hall Square hides something nice. Elegant, calm environment, exquisite food and wine. The place can be rented for private parties. The wine of the house is good and the Mexican dishes are quite fiery. The apple tart was somehow microscopic. Freskas is a theatre café. The old City Hall is now a theatre and assembly room. There are lots of theatre props on the walls. Chic or kitsch? Anyway it’s theatre stuff. “Pizarro was here.“ Bring the big wallet, go there and spoil yourself.

Europa Centras, the Latest and Most Elegant We said earlier that Vilnius was divided in two major parts, the Old and the New Town. A third one has been added. The Europa Centras. Because Vilnius lies at Europe’s geographic centre, they decided that the new high-risers about to eat the age-old Snipiskes should be named the ”Centre of Europe”. The renovated hotels and new shopping high-towers are assembled on Neris’ northern shore, just where it makes a turn in the middle of the city. Is this Vilnius’ new skyline? The tower is a business hotel with a view balcony on the top, and a square with a fountain at its foot. Take the lift to the 31:st floor a sunny day, and there is Vilnius at your feet, just like a painting. Bring a good binocular! One has to admit that it looks fine. The centre is a long, undulating building with glass roof, interesting... café-cocoons hanging in the air, and video monitors everywhere. Sony’s elegant showroom, one of the few shops not selling... fashion and glittering knick-knacks, and the chocolate shop on the bottom floor, are the only shops worthy of some real interest. The new City Hall is to the left, and a bank to the right. Some distance away the high-risers continue scraping the skies. Here, traditional Lithuania is completely lost, and merged with a pan-European, streamlined mixture of glossy high-price fashion, trinket shops, glass and aluminium. Looking around, you see only fashion and more fashion, likely to bore you to death. Carelessly made, fashion-coloured clothes with fashion looks, presented by booming rock music for the new generation of fashion kids, who have left the old poverty behind, or who never had the misfortune of having to live through it. For the fashion hysteric this is, of course, paradise. It is now just as easy to buy short-lived garments in Vilnius as in Paris or London.

City and City Districts

To Selection Page

Churches