OBJECTS FOR VISITING: VILNIUS OLD TOWN

1. Aušros Vartai (Gate of Dawn) ŽVEJŲ G. 2. Folk Artist Jonas Bugailiškis’ Art Studio-

Museum Ž YGIMANTŲ G. 3. Church of St. Theresa OSCIU T. K 4. Church of the Holy Spirit and Monastery 5. Museum of Amber Figures K. ŠKIRPOS AL. 6. Basilian Gate ARSENALO G.32 . Route for People 7. Philharmonic Society TILTO G. 29 30 8. Church of St. Casimir V. Kudirkos a. 9. Town Hall GEDIMINO PR. 31 24 10. Contemporary Art Centre 33 27 28 with Movement .G SUAINLIV .G . 25 11. Russian Orthodox Church of St. Michael G 23 22 I Ų 26 12. French Cultural Centre ODMIN 13. Vilnius Picture Gallery OINORIAM .G 21 17 20 Disabilities 14. Church of St. Paraskeva (Piatnica) Sereikiškių VILNIAUS G. . 15. Social Institutions Information Centre – parkas

Souvenir Shop PILIES G. 19 18 16. House of Signatories 16

ŠV. JONO G. 17. Pilies Street 15 MALŪ N Ų 18. Church of St. Francis from Assisi (Ber- ONŲ G. 14 G . nardine) DOMININK OJI G. 12 ŽI S 13 19. Church of St. Anne Ų G.. TIKLIŲ G. TRAK DID

20. Exposition Halls Titanikas VOKIE 11 BOKŠTO G.

21. Sereikiškių Park ČIŲ G. 22. Juškus Gallery 9 23. Part of the Park (Valley of Šventaragis) KŪDRŲ G. G. 8 ER O 10 IMI 24. Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania PYLIMO G. Z A ŲŲ G. K 25. Monument to Grand Duke Gediminas K . V Š EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS: 26. Cathedral Square, Bell Tower RŪDNIN 7 27. Tile Miracle 6 4 28. Cathedral and Chapel of St. Casimir Narrow pavement Well-adjusted to visiting / easily acces- 5 3 ŠOS G. M. DAUK sible 29. Monument to King Mindaugas 2 30. New and Old Arsenal 1 ŠV. DVASIOS G. No adapted toilet available Object to be viewed from the outside 31. Funicular and Gediminas Castle Hill only 32. Museum of Applied Art Adapted toilet available 33. Money Museum Information board available

One step at the entrance Only the ground floor is adapted to be visited Admission fee is charged / paid Only one part adapted to be visited You are recommended to become acquainted with the route prior to travelling and to assess your physi- services cal condition and your strength. We recommend you to travel together with an accompanying person. Check opening (visiting) times Hillside Duration of the route is 2 - 4 hours (the duration depends on whether you visit museums or not). Total length of the offered route is about 3 kilometres. Ring a special bell on entering Uneven pavement / doorstep at the A shorter route is also possible: entrance • when a person travels from Pilies Street to Cathedral Square (without turning into Maironio Street) – One room adapted to the disabled Lift / special chairlift about 2 kilometres. • when one travels from Pilies Street to Cathedral Square (without turning into Maironio Street) and the Two rooms adapted to the disabled By arrangement. Advance booking only route ends in Cathedral Square (without turning into Arsenalo Street) – about 1,5 kilometres. 1 Aušros Vartai (Gate of Dawn) The massive Philharmonic Society building, formerly the City Hall was built in 1902 in place of a Gothic Aušros Vartų g. 12 / www.ausrosvartai.lt Russian merchants’ inn. Today it is one of the most luxurious historicism-style buildings in Vilnius. The The Gate of Dawn is the only surviving gate of the original ten gates in the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society unites the best Lithuanian music performers and ensembles. The city wall built in 1514. The Chapel with its painting of the Mother of God, Philharmonic Society holds symphonic and chamber music concerts. The Philharmonic Hall can be visited the Mother of Mercy, acknowledged miraculous is one of the most significant but it is recommended to call about the tickets in advance. religious, historical and cultural places in Lithuania. 8 Church of St. Casimir Didžioji g. 34 / www.kazimiero.lt 2 Folk Artist Jonas Bugailiškis’ Art Studio-Museum Tel. +370 5 212 1715 Aušros Vartų g. 17-10 / www.bugailiskis.com It was built by the Jesuits: work began on it in 1604, just two years after St. Tel.: +370 652 36613, +370 5 261 7666 Casimir had been canonised and it was dedicated to his memory. The Ba- Jonas Bugailiškis is a member of the Lithuanian Union of Folk Artists, a sculp- roque Church is famous for its magnificent domes. In the 19th – 20th century tor, master of musical instruments and children’s toys. One can see various the Church was closed down several times, the purpose of the building was works of the folk artist in his creative workshop (the courtyard). changed (in 1932 it was converted into an Orthodox church, and in 1966 it was turned into a Museum of Atheism and continued to be used as such until 1988); it was reconsecrated in 1991. 3 Church of St. Theresa Aušros Vartų g. 14 / www.ausrosvartai.lt 9 Town Hall Tel. +370 5 212 3513 Didžioji g. 31 / www.vilniausrotuse.lt The Church is one of the earliest Baroque churches in Vilnius. It was built Tel. +370 5 261 8007 on the initiative and with funds from vice chancellor Stephan Pac between The Town Hall was established by Jogaila’s privilege and was built as a sym- 1633 and 1654. Later the Pociej Chapel-mausoleum devoted to that family bol of granting Vilnius the Magdeburg Rights at the end of the 14th century. was attached to it. There is one of the most beautiful altars (the High Altar), The Town Hall contained a magistrate, courtrooms, the treasury, the archive, paintings by famous Lithuanian painters in the Church. special premises for keeping standard metres and measures, storerooms for grain, the arsenal and the basement being used as prison cells. The pre- 4 Church of the Holy Spirit and Monastery sent building was constructed at the end of the 18th century according to a project by architect Laurynas Aušros Vartų g. 10 (courtyard) Gucevičius in a strict Classical style after fire destroyed the earlier gothic building. Later it was converted Legend has it that three courtiers of Grand Duke of Lithuania Algirdas who into a theatre, and art museum and the palace of artists. Today the Town Hall is used for different official had already converted to Orthodoxy, refused to renounce their new faith and ceremonies, concerts and exhibitions. were tortured to death by the pagan priests nearby the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Church was built in the 16th century. In the 19th century it was 10 Contemporary Art Centre decided to create a place of the cult of the relics of the three martyrs. Monas- Vokiečių g. 2 / www.cac.lt teries, both male and female, at the Orthodox Church are the only Orthodox Tel. +370 5 212 1945 monasteries to remain open in Lithuania today. The Contemporary Art Centre is the largest contemporary art centre in the Baltic States. Two floors of the Contemporary Art Centre contain five exhibi- 5 Museum of Amber Figures tion halls. Avant-garde art created by the Lithuanian and foreign artists, as Aušros Vartų g. 9 / www.ambergift.lt well as retrospective exhibitions of the 20th –21st century art are mounted Tel.: +370 5 212 1988, +370 5 272 4090 there. The Museum collects, accumulates and displays amber articles created by artists, as well as unique pieces of amber. Visitors are acquainted with the 11 Russian Orthodox Church of St. Michael history of the origin of amber and technologies of its processing. Didžioji g. 12 It was built in 1514 by the great hetman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Constantine Ostrogsky. In the 18th century fires destroyed the old Gothic 6 Basilian Gate church; it was reconstructed in the late Baroque style. While implementing Aušros Vartų g. 7 the tsarist Russification program, by Muravyov’s order it was reconstructed in The elegant gate of the Basilian Monastery was designed by famous architect the Russian Byzantine style. The walls of the Church are built in the Gothic of Vilnius Johann Christoph Glaubitz. Behind the arch of the gate (there is a manner, the façade and the interior has numerous Gothic details. very steep hillside in the yard) is the territory of the former Basilian monas- tery around a yard at the centre of which stands the Church of the Holy Trinity, 12 French Cultural Centre which belonged to the religious community of the Uniates. At the beginning Didžioji g. 1 / www.centrefrancais.lt of the 19th century a part of the monastery held a prison; incarcerated in its Tel. +370 5 219 9696 cells were members of the Philaret and Philomat movement, including poet In 1804, the building that today houses the French Cultural Centre belonged Adam Mickiewicz (a plaque over the door of the south wing records this fact) to the university and was converted into professors’ apartments. Many culture and scientist Ignacy Domeyko. figures lived there in the 19th century: outstanding medical doctor Joseph Frank, chemist Jędrzej Śniadecki and others. During the 1812 war the treas - 7 Philharmonic Society ury of Napoleon’s army was kept here; an army intendant Henri Beyle (who Aušros Vartų g. 5 / www.filharmonija.lt later became the writer Stendhal) also stayed in this building. The French Cultural Centre contains a media- Information: +370 5 266 5210 theque, a bookshop, and a café. Various events, the French language courses are organised there. Tickets: +370 5 266 5233, +370 5 266 5216 13 Vilnius Picture Gallery 19 Church of St. Anne Didžioji g. 4 / www.ldm.lt Maironio g. 8 Tel.: +370 5 212 0841, +370 5 212 4258 The Church of St. Anne is one of the most beautiful and famous structures in Since 1994 the Chodkiewicz estate – one of the most impressive ensembles Vilnius built at the turn of the 15th and the 16th centuries. This is a master- of Classicist Vilnius architecture – has housed the Vilnius Picture Gallery. piece of late (so-called flamboyant) Gothic, nearly unsurpassed in the world. This estate formed in the period of Gothic and Renaissance and in the mid- It is a subject of a much-quoted remark, said to have been made by Napoleon dle of the 19th century the building was reconstructed in the style of late when his army occupied Vilnius in 1812, that he would like to be able to Classicism and acquired its present appearance. The interior of the Vilnius place it on the palm of his hand and take it back with him to Paris. estate of the 19th century has been recreated in the halls of the first floor. It houses a permanent exhibition of Lithuanian painting, graphic art and sculpture of the 16th-19th century. 20 Exposition Halls Titanikas 14 Church of St. Paraskeva (Piatnica) Maironio g. 3 Didžioji g. 2 Building of Vilnius Academy of Arts (2 floor) At the end of the 16th century a brick church was build in place of the first Tel. +370 5 210 0136 church that burned down. In 1611, the church and the adjacent buildings Exhibitions of the collections of the Academy’s Museum, works by the lectur- with an asylum were given to the Uniates. In the 18th century Peter I vis- ers, graduates, art creators, Lithuanian and foreign art, design, architecture, ited the renovated church and honoured it by donating flags seized from photo media, as well as other events of art and culture are held in the ex- the vanquished Swedes. Legend has it that Peter I baptised the forefather of position halls Titanikas situated in the Design Innovations Centre of Vilnius Alexander Pushkin, the African Hannibal, in this church. Academy of Arts. 15 Social Institutions Information Centre – Souvenir Shop Pilies g. 42-17 21 Sereikiškių Park Tel. +370 5 260 8478 Next to crossroad of Barboros Radvilaitės and Maironio Streets One can see and acquire original souvenirs made by the disabled people In 2010, Sereikiškių Park, which is situated in one of the most beautiful plac - here. There are various leather items, knitted, woven and sewn clothes, ce- es in the city, was reconstructed according to the 1886–1888 design of artist ramics, pottery and pictures. Everyone who buys a souvenir at this Centre A. Strauss. In 2013-2014, the former garden of the monastery will be recre- supports a disabled person. ated, the botanic gardens, a conservatory, a special place for chamber events, a rock garden, a rosarium and ponds will be built. 16 House of Signatories Pilies g. 26 / www.lnm.lt Tel. +370 5 231 4437 22 Juškus Gallery The House of Signatories of Lithuania’s independence is a historical and ar- Barboros Radvilaitės g. 6B / www.juskusgallery.com chitectural building. It was here that on 16 February 1918 the Council’s 20 Tel. +370 5 212 6611 members signed the deed declaring Lithuania an independent state. The This is the first private professional art gallery in Lithuania founded in 1990 House of Signatories shows the room, restored according to information close to Sereikiškių Park. The main trend in the activity of the gallery is to provided by a single old photograph, where the document was signed, and represent and propagate art of modern classics of Lithuania and the Baltic mounts rotating exhibitions about the individual signatories. States of the 20th century. The gallery displays works of the most outstand- ing painters and artists. 17 Pilies Street Pilies g. 12 (Gothic house) 23 Part of the Park (Valley of Šventaragis) Pilies Street is the most popular street in Vilnius. It is a continuation of Between Gediminas Castle Hill and Barboros Radvilaitės Street Didžioji Street. Though Vilnius was damaged and destroyed in the fires many Public Toilet – Barboros Radvilaitės Street times, this street has preserved its old appearance and traces of the old The part of the Park near Cathedral Square and the Palace of the Grand Dukes architecture: small courtyards, arcades, vaults, original staircases and base- of Lithuania adorns the centre of the city. The former valley of Šventaragis ments. The primary and most important function of the street was commer- (in historical sources its place is defined to have been at the confluence of cial. The street served as a kind of spinal cord to the old town that grew the Neris and the Vilnia Rivers) is related to the ancient Baltic (Lithuanian) around. It connected the Castle with the main marketplace, Town Hall Square. Pilies Street No. 12 is a religion and mythology. Grand Dukes of Lithuania used to be buried here and Gothic house with reconstructed decorative gothic facades and cylindrical vaults in the basement and on legend has it that in the 13th century ruler Šventaragis started this burial tradition. The temple of Perkūnas the ground floor. stood in the valley of Šventaragis, an eternal fire burned there, various rituals used to be performed there. Note: there are two further routes from Pilies Street: 1) a shorter route to Cathedral Square (nr. 26); 24 Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania 2) a longer route to Barboros Radvilaitės and Maironio Streets (information is provided below). Katedros aikštė 3 (Cathedral Square) / www.valdovurumai.lt Tel. +370 5 260 8947 18 Church of St. Francis from Assisi (Bernardine) A wooden settlement used to be in this historic place in the 4th–8th cen- Maironio g. 10 / www.bernardinuansamblis.lt tury. In the 8th–14th century a part of the settlement turned into a cas- Tel. +370 5 262 6004 / Visitors Centre +370 682 40216 tle. Almost all rulers of Lithuania resided there. They expanded and rebuilt The first Bernardine Church built in Vilnius in the 15th century most probably the palace and in the 15th–17th century Vilnius became one of the largest was wooden, and a monastery was established next to it. Today the Church of centres in Europe. In the 18th–19th century the occupants devastated and St. Francis from Assisi is one of the largest Gothic sanctuaries. The Church of completely ruined the palace. Opening of the Museum has been postponed. Please, see information at St. Anne is built close to it. ww.valdovurumai.lt. 25 Monument to Grand Duke Gediminas 31 Funicular and Gediminas Castle Hill Cathedral Square Arsenalo g. 3, 5 (Funicular in the courtyard) / www.lnm.lt Grand Duke of Lithuania Gediminas (ruled between 1316 and 1341) is con- Tel. +370 5 212 0017 sidered to be the founder of the city of Vilnius. The monument, which was It takes 35 seconds for the funicular to cover a 71-meter long section from made to a design by Vytautas Kašuba, a New York-based Lithuanian, was un- the foot of Gediminas Hill up to the top. When going up in the funicular one veiled in 1996. can enjoy a spectacular view of the Neris River. The exposition of Gediminas Castle (not suited to be visited) acquaints one with the models of reconstruc- tion of Vilnius castles in the 14th – 17th century, armoury, and iconographic material of old Vilnius. A magnificent panorama of the Old Town opens from Gediminas Castle. 26 Cathedral Square, Bell Tower, Cathedral Square Cathedral Square is one of the places in Vilnius that was mentioned earli- 32 Museum of Applied Art est. In the 18th century the Lower Castle stood in this square; it was the Arsenalo g. 3A / www.ldm.lt administrative and defensive centre of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, it con- Tel.: +370 5 212 1813, +370 5 262 8080 tained the arsenal and religious institutions. In the 15th century the defen- The Museum is located in the Old Arsenal, which in the middle of the 16th sive tower of the Castle was transformed into a belfry (not visited). Today century was mentioned as one of the structures of the Lower Castle. During the brown band on the pavement in the Square marks the contours of the the archaeological investigations into the Old Arsenal carried out between former defensive wall. 1972 and 1978, a brick wall and a quadrangular tower (its remnants can be seen upon entering the Museum) of the middle of the 14th century, as well as 27 Tile Miracle the lancet gates of the castle through which visitors get into the Museum today, were uncovered. Between Cathedral and Bell Tower There is a tile in Cathedral Square bearing the word Miracle written in col- 33 Money Museum oured letters. It is believed that your wish will certainly come true if you Totorių g. 2/8, www.pinigumuziejus.lt stand on the tile created by the artist Gitenis Umbrasas and turn round your Tel.: +370 5 268 0334, +370 5 268 0346 axis. Here, in five halls located on two floors, visitors can become acquainted with the history of world currencies and banking, the currency of Lithuania, the development of banking in our country from the establishment of the first 28 Cathedral and Chapel of St. Casimir credit unions to the present day. Expositions abound in interactive educa- Katedros aikštė 1 (Cathedral Square) / www.katedra.lt tional tools, thematic films and games. Tel. +370 5 261 0731 The Cathedral-Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Vladislaus was built in the centre of the city on the site of the former pagan sanctuary. Because of USEFUL INFORMATION: frequent fires, wars and soft ground the Cathedral was reconstructed and renovated many times. Today the Cathedral is the most monumental purely HOTElS: RESTauRaNTS, CaFES: Classical building (architect Laurynas Gucevičius). The architect included St. It is recommended to inform the hotel of your arrival The majority of restaurants and cafes in Aušros Vartų, by telephone in advance. Didžioji, Pilies Streets are not specially equipped for Casimir’s Chapel into it, which is one of the most valuable and typical Baroque monuments. The central the disabled but they can still be visited (wide doors, entrance to the Cathedral has stairs and the side entrance is through a narrow door with a doorstep. Europa Royal Vilnius **** no stairs at the entrance, a spacious hall, etc.) Aušros Vartų g. 6, tel. +370 5 266 0770 Beer Restaurant and 29 Monument to King Mindaugas www.groupeuropa.com Arsenalo g., next to Lithuanian National Museum Live Music Club Aula Ramada Hotel & Suites Vilnius ***** A 3,5 meter-high granite monument to King Mindaugas was unveiled in Pilies g. 11, tel. +370 5 268 7173 Subačiaus g. 2, tel. +370 5 255 3355 2003 (sculptor Regimantas Midvikis). The King is portrayed sitting on the www.aularestoranas.lt www.ramadavilnius.lt throne and holding the King’s regalia – the Royal Sceptre and a ball with a Restaurant Le Gout cross. The pedestal of the monument is surrounded by the Sun calendar in Radisson Blu Astorija Hotel ***** L. Stuokos-Gucevičiaus g. 1, tel. +370 601 88 813, which the most important pagan and Christian festivals are marked. Didžioji g. 35/2, tel. +370 5 212 0110 www.antonio.lt www.radissonblu.com Restaurant San Marco Narutis ***** Subačiaus g. 2, tel. +370 5 264 6418 30 New and Old Arsenal Pilies g. 24, tel. +370 5 212 2894 Arsenalo g. 1, 3 / www.lnm.lt www.narutis.com OTHER: Tel.: +370 5 262 9426, +370 5 262 7774 Most of the souvenir shops in Aušros Vartų, Didžioji, Pilies Atrium **** The Lithuanian National Museum is the largest depository of the historic streets are not specially equipped for the disabled. Most Pilies g. 10, tel. +370 5 210 7777 heritage of Lithuania and at the same time it is the oldest museum whose often there are stairs to enter the shop. www.atrium.lt sources date back to 1855 when the Museum of Antiquities in Vilnius was Linen Shop Lino namai Kempinski Hotel Cathedral Square ***** founded. Authentic exhibits reflect the history of Lithuania, present- tradi Pilies g. 38, tel. +370 5 212 2322 tional Lithuanian culture and customs in the exposition of the New Arsenal. Universiteto g. 14, tel. +370 5 210 1100 The exposition (pre-history) of the Old Arsenal acquaints one with archaeology, history and ethnic culture www.kempinski.com Internet Café Collegium of Lithuania. Amberton **** Pilies g. 22 – 1 (courtyard), tel. +370 5 261 8334 L. Stuokos-Gucevičiaus g. 1, tel. +370 5 210 7461 www.dora.lt www.ambertonhotels.com We recommend you to visit Gedimino Avenue where there is a well-adjusted pavement, trading centres.