The Lithuanian Capital Vilnius
One of the great legends about the origin of the city of Vilnius is the legend of the Iron Wolf. In the legend, it is told that Grand Duke Gediminas, one night after returning from a hunt to his castle in Trakai, had a strange dream. In the dream, he saw a gigantic iron wolf standing on a hill, howling in the moonlight. The arrows Gediminas shot at the wolf bounced off. The prince was very impressed by this dream and sent for his priest to offer sacrifices. The priest saw in his dream the vision of an armored castle on a hill, surrounded by a city. In 1323, Gediminas began the construction of the castle in Vilnius.
Today, you can stroll through the medieval streets of Vilnius, known for its colorful architectural diversity. Classicism, Baroque, Gothic, Art Nouveau, or Renaissance—these styles harmoniously unite to create a total work of art. Did you know that there are still over 1,200 medieval buildings and 48 churches in Vilnius? For this reason, Vilnius is often referred to as the "Rome of the East." Or have you heard the famous tale that Napoleon Bonaparte, when he was in Vilnius, was so enchanted by the beauty of St. Anne's Church that he wanted to "carry it back to Paris in his arms"? Let yourself be enchanted by this beauty and visit St. Anne's Church in Vilnius. Or take a stroll through Užupis, a "Republic" of artists, an alternative district where many artists live and work. The "Republic" of Užupis has its own president, a constitution, a national anthem, and a landmark—a trumpeting angel.
Take your time, visit the many remarkable sights, try Lithuanian specialties in one of the cozy cellars, and enjoy wonderful moments in our Lithuanian capital—Vilnius.
Trakai
28 kilometers west of Vilnius lies a small and very old town, Trakai. It was the capital of the Lithuanian Empire before Vilnius and is located in one of the most beautiful areas of the country. The place is famous for its Gothic water castle built in the 14th century, located on an island between Lake Galvė, Lake Luka, and Lake Tatars. It is often referred to as the "City on the Water." The castle was restored in the 20th century based on old plans and drawings and now houses a historical museum that presents the history of the castle and Lithuania.
The small town is also known for its ethnic minority, the Karaim (Karaites), who were brought from the Crimean Peninsula as palace guards to the castle in Trakai in the 14th century. They form a unique Jewish religious community within the Turkic peoples that recognizes only the Old Testament. To this day, the Karaim have preserved their own customs and traditions and speak a unique Karaim language, related to Turkish. Stroll along Karaimų Street, visit the colorful wooden houses, the Karaim prayer house (Kenesa), the Ethnographic Karaim Museum, and try the culinary specialty "Kibinai"—a traditional pastry filled with lamb and onions. A boat tour around Trakai is also worthwhile to enjoy the beautiful landscape of lakes and gentle hills.
Geographic Center of Europe
Did you know that the geographic center of Europe is located 26 km north of Vilnius? The center of Europe was calculated by French scientists in 1989. To commemorate this impressive fact, a 9-ton stone was rolled onto a hill in 1997, which now marks the geographic center of Europe. The location of the geographic center of Europe in Lithuania is recognized and has been recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.
Kernavė
About 40 km northwest of Vilnius, on the banks of the Neris River, lies the small town of Kernavė. Once a thriving trading town in the 14th century, the first capital of Lithuania before Vilnius and Trakai, the ancestral homeland of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, and the coronation site of the first and former king Mindaugas, today it is a nationally known archaeological and historical cultural reserve protected by UNESCO World Heritage, often referred to as the "Troy of Lithuania." The main attractions of Kernavė are the five hillforts formed due to glacial movements during the Ice Age, the neo-Gothic brick church, and the archaeological museum about the settlement history of the region. Be sure to climb the hillforts to enjoy the breathtaking views.
Image credits: ©M.Jovaisa_LithuaniaTravel, ©L.Ciunys_LithuaniaTravel, ©A.Varanka_LithuaniaTravel
Text: ©UAB "BaltTours", 2020
