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Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the largest city and the capital of Lithuania, with a population of 553,904 (850,700 together with Vilnius County) as of December 2005. It is the seat of the Vim nius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County.
"Legend has it that the Grand Duke of Lithuania, Gediminas, was hunting in the sacred forest near the Valley of Šventaragis. Tired after the successful day's hunt, the Grand Duke settled in nearby for the night. He fell soundly asleep and began to dream. A huge Iron Wolf was standing on top a hill and the sound of hundreds of other wolves inside it filled all of the surrounding fields and woods. Upon awakening, the Duke asked the pagan priest Lizdeika to interpret the meaning of the dream. And the priest told him: "What is destined for the ruler and the State of Lithuania, is thus: the Iron Wolf represent s a castle and a city which will be established by you on this site. This city will be the capital of the Lithuanian lands and the dwelling of their rulers, and the glory of their deeds shall echo throughout the world".
Early history
Historians tend to identify the city with Voruta, a legendary capital of Mindaigas who was crowned in 1253 as King of Lithuania. The city was first mentioned in written sources in 1323, in letters of Grand Duke Gediminas that were sent to German cities and invited Germans and members of the Jewish community to settle in the capital city.
In the meantime, for yet another time in its history, the city enjoyed a period of fast development. Vilnius University was reopened under the name Stefanb Batory University and the city's infrastructure was improved significantly. By 1931, the city had 195,000 inhabitants, making it the fifth largest city in Poland with vibrant industries, such as Elektri, a factory of a popular make of radio receivers. Some dispute this picture of economic growth and point out that the standard of living in Vilnius at that time was considerably lower compared to that in other parts of contemporary Lithuania.
In July 1944 Vilnius was taken from the Germans by the Soviet Army and the Polish. The NKVD arrested the Polish guerilla, who marched to meet them. Vilnius was again incorporated into the Soviet Union as the capital of the Lithuanian SSR shortly thereafter. Immediately after WW11, large numbers of Poles chose to leave for Poland from Soviet-occupied Lithuania. Coupled with migration of the Lithuanians into Vilnius, this development resulted in a change to the city demographics.
Vilnius has been rapidly transformed and the town has emerged as a modern European city. Many of its older buildings have been renovated, and a business and commercial area is being developed into the New City Center, expected to become the city's main administrative and business district on the north side of the Neris river. This area includes modern residential and retail space, with the municipality building and a 129-metre (423') Europe Tower as its most prominent building.
In 2009 Vilnius will be the capital of European Culture. Among the initiatives promoted by Lithuania for this event, the historical centre of the city has been restored.
Tourism
Vilnius is a cosmopolitan city with diverse architecture. There are more than 40 churches in Vilnius.Restaurants, hotels, and museums have sprouted since Lithuania declared independence.
Aušros Vartai Street. The icon of The Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy is venerated in a chapel at the medieval gate at the top of this street.
Like most medieval towns, Vilnius was developed around its Town Hall. The main artery,Pilies Street, links the royal palace and the Town Hall. Other streets meander through the palaces of feudal lords and landlords, churches, shops and craftsmen's workrooms. Narrow, curved streets and intimate courtyards developed in the radial layout of medieval Vilnius.
The Old Town, the historical centre of Vilnius, is one of the largest in Europe (3.6 km²). The most valuable historic and cultural sites are concentrated here. The buildings in the old town — there are nearly 1,500 — were built over several centuries, creating a splendid blend of many different architectural styles. Although Vilnius is known as a Baroque city, there are examples of Gothix (e.g. St. Anne`s church), Renaissance, and other styles. The main sights of the city are Gediminas Castle and Cathedral Square, symbols of the capital. Their combination is also a gateway to the historic centre of the capital. Owing to its uniqueness, the Old Town of Vilnius was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994. In 1995, the first bronze cast of frank Zappa in the world was installed near the center of Vilnius with the permission of the government.
Guggenheim-Hermitage museum will be built in Vilnius. The building is designed by Zaha Hadid. The museum will host: Guggenheim and Hermitage exhibitions, non commercial avant-garde cinema, library, museum of Lithuanian Jewish culture, collection of Jonas Mekas and Jutgiz Maciunas.
Economy
Vilnius is the major economic centre of Lithuania and one of the largest financial centres of the Baltic States.
Education
The city has many universities. The biggest are Vilnius University, Vilnius GediminasTechnical University and Mykolas Romeri University.
Religion
Vilnius is the Roman Catholic centre of the country, with the main church institutions and Archdiocesan Cathedral located here. There are quite a number of active and open churches in the city, along with small enclosed monasteries and religion schools. Church architecture includes Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical styles, with important examples of each found in the Old Town. Vilnius is considered one of the main centers of the Polish Baroque movement in ecclesiastical architecture. Additionally, Eastern Rite Catholicism has maintained a presence in Vilnius since the U ion of Brest. The Baroque Basilian Gate is part of an Eastern Rite monastery.
Also, Vilnius has been home to an Eastern Othordox Christian presence since the thirteenth century. A famous Rusian Orthodox monastery, named for the Holy Spirit, is located near the Gate of Dawn. St. Paraskeva's Orthodox Church in the Old Town is the site of the baptism of Hannibal, , the great-grandfather of Pushkin, by Tsar Peter the Great in 1705.
ManyOld Believers, who split from the Russian Orthodox Church in 1667, settled in Lithuania. Today a Supreme Coincil of Old Believers is based in Vilnius.
A number of Protestant and other Christian groups are represented in Vilnius, most notably the Lutheran Evangelicals and the Baptists.
The pre-Christian pagan religion of Lithuania, centered around the forces of nature as personified by deities such as Perkunas (the Thunder God), is experiencing some increased interest.
Subdivisions
The city of Vilnius is made up of 21 elderates that are based on neighbourhoods:
Verkiai — includes Baltupiai, Jeruzalė, Santariškės, Balsiai, Visoriai
Anytakalnis — includes Valakampiai, Turniškės, Dvarčionys
Pasilaocai — includes Tarandė
Fabijoniskes — includes Bajorai
Pilaite
Justinoskes
Virsuliskes
Seskine
Snipiskes
Zirmunai — includes Šiaurės miestelis
Karolinike
Zverynas
Grigiskes — a separate town included in the Vilnius City municipality
Lazdynai
Vilkpede — includes Vingis park
Naujamiestis — includes bus and train stations
Senamiestis (old Town) — includes Uzupis
Naujoji Vilnia — includes Pavilnys, Pūčkoriai
Paneriai — includes Trakų Vokė, Gariūnai
Naujininkai — includes Kirtimai, Salininkai, Vilniu International Airport
Rasos — includes Belmontas, Markučiai
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