11 best sights of Vilnius – a photo with a description of what to see in Vilnius

Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania and one of the oldest European cities. It attracts tourists with its history, architecture and free museums. Vilnius is beautiful and cozy. It is a city with a pleasant atmosphere, friendly people and beautiful buildings. You can talk about the capital of Lithuania for hours. The sights of Vilnius will not leave anyone indifferent.

Aushros Gate

Translated into Russian, the name sounds like “Gate of Dawn”. This building is one of the oldest in the city. They were built along with the city wall of Vilnius. Ausros Gate is one of the symbols of the capital of Lithuania. They are part of the defensive wall. Passing through the gate, you immediately find yourself in the Old City. The building is a large building with 3 floors. Its facade is decorated with griffins, which are the symbol of the state power of Lithuania.

A chapel rises above the Gate of Dawn. In it you can see the icon of the Mother of God, framed in gold. She is very famous far beyond the borders of Lithuania. The icon was given the name “Vilnius Madonna”. She is said to work miracles. A large stream of tourists and Catholic believers from different parts of the world check this every year. Religion is honored and treated with great respect in Vilnius. The celebration of the Mother of God Day is a very beautiful and great holiday. It is celebrated by the whole city.

You can take pictures in the chapel, but it is rather inconvenient. A large number of people and praying believers make the process difficult. I would like to leave this holy place, and not disturb the peace of people who believe in healing. You can get to the Aushros Gate by buses No. 13, 31, 34, 74, 88. The chapel is open to the public every day from 6 to 19 hours. The entrance is free.

Cathedral

The most beautiful and oldest cathedral in Vilnius was built in the 14th century on the site of a pagan prayer. For all the centuries of its existence, the temple has experienced fires, floods, restoration, rebuilding and reconstruction. The holy building bears the title of Basilica. Now the cathedral attracts tourists with its stunning beauty and rich history. The temple is similar to ancient Greek buildings. Above the facade of the building there are sculptures of saints: Stanislav, Casimir and Elena. Next to the cathedral is an old bell tower.

The decoration of the temple is luxurious. It houses paintings, frescoes and other works of art. Figures of Lithuanian and Polish princes, marble walls, amazing bas-reliefs – all this can be considered for a very long time. In the cathedral there is an urn with the heart of King Vladislav Vasa. On the top floor of the temple there is a museum with ancient pagan artifacts. There are 11 chapels in the cathedral, the most beautiful of them is the chapel of St. Casimir. Here is a sarcophagus with his relics. And the walls are decorated with magnificent frescoes.

The cathedral can be visited even behind the altar, which is very surprising. You can take pictures too. The temple is bright, clean and huge. All this beauty during the holiday is accompanied by majestic organ music. You can get to the cathedral by buses No. 2, 3, 4, 5, 14, 17, 88 to the stop Karaliaus Mindaugo. It works daily from 7 am to 7 pm. During Mass, admission is free.

Užupis

Užupis is a unique place in Vilnius. This is the poorest area of ​​the city, from which a local landmark was created. When the infrastructure of Vilnius developed, Užupis remained dilapidated. Local creative people decided that the area needed their help. Lithuanian artists and writers began to decorate the neglected part of the city with their works. Street graffiti, drawings and sculptures appeared in a matter of time on the territory of the poorest district.

Tourists flocked to Užupis, but there were few of them. Then they decided to declare the region an Independent Republic. This did not affect the integrity of Lithuania in any way. However, thousands of tourists are now going to admire the newly minted Republic in Vilnius. Now Užupis is trying to develop infrastructure. At the entrance to the Republic is the mermaid Undine, who lives under the bridge. The sculpture of a bronze angel flaunts on the central square of the Republic. It symbolizes rebirth and freedom. Houses of wealthy people began to appear in Užupis. And dilapidated buildings, on the contrary, are being demolished.

The Independent Republic is a favorite place for informals and youth. Despite its history, the area is calm and interesting. It is worth visiting for those who are open to the new and extraordinary. The republic is located near the center of Vilnius. Landmark – Gediminas Tower. You can get to Užupis by buses No. 10, 33 or 88 to the stop Dailės akademija. Or route 11 to Vilnios station.

Vilnius TV tower

The tower can rightly be called the tallest building in Vilnius. Its height reaches more than 326 meters. The tower houses a television center and a radio broadcasting center. The main highlight of the Vilnius TV Tower is the Milky Way restaurant. An institution with an amazing idea. The restaurant is built in the form of a circle around the axis – the tower. Its observation deck is moving. It rotates slowly so that tourists can see all the beauties of Vilnius, and at the same time have lunch.

The view from the TV tower is amazing. From here you can see the city at a glance. Residents of Vilnius claim that in good weather you can even see Belarus here. On the 1st floor of the museum there is an exhibition of photographs. Her subject matter is

Vilnius tragedy in 1991. Here, 14 people were killed during the coup attempt. The Milky Way is located at an altitude of 165 meters. When you visit it, you may start to feel dizzy. Therefore, people who are afraid of heights or with poor health should refuse such an excursion.

Lithuanians are proud of their unusual tower. For the New Year, it is decorated with multi-colored garlands. And in 2006, when the World Cup was held in Lithuania, the famous building was miraculously transformed into a basketball hoop. Photography is not allowed in the restaurant. You can get to the TV tower by bus number 2G or trolleybus number 16. You can take a tour of the TV tower every day from 11 am to 9 pm. It is possible to visit the Milky Way from 11 am to 11 pm. The ticket price is about 6 euros for adults. For a child – about 3 euros. Free admission for children under 5 years old.

State Art Museum

The Art Museum is another attraction of Vilnius. The large building contains paintings not only by Lithuanian but also by foreign artists. The museum consists of 5 branches: Vilnius Art Gallery, Museum of Applied Arts, Museum of Clocks, Museum of Miniature Arts and Pranas Domšaitis Gallery.

The Art Gallery presents works that have sanctified the life of Lithuania for many centuries. You can trace it in graphics, painting and sculpture. Paintings by artists of our time are also exhibited here. The museum hosts events and concerts. The Museum of Applied Arts exhibits for tourists a collection of items from the interior of the Palace of Rulers. Here you can see part of the ancient pavement or a piece of the city wall. Household items, clothes, furniture, jewelry and even tombs. The watch museum exhibits exhibits from the 16th-19th centuries. The works of craftsmen from England and Germany in various styles and forms adorn the branch.

The main pride of the museum is the watch made of silver. They are made in the form of a building and a tower and date back to the 16th century. There is a sundial in the park, next to the museum. And in the summer, “flower” time meters bloom on the territory. In summer it is especially interesting here. In the Museum of Miniatures, ancient medals, handmade fans, beautiful caskets and luxurious wallets are open for viewing.

The Gallery of the Lithuanian expressionist artist Pranas Domšaitis exhibits about half a thousand works. This exhibition is the largest in the world.

Ticket price is about 2 euros for adults, about 1 for children. Children under 7 years old enter free.

Church of the Holy Spirit

The temple is located in the old town of Vilnius. This is a small, rather modest building, made in the shape of a cross. However, this does not prevent him from being an architectural monument. The church was erected more than once; it survived fires and reconstructions. The very first building of the church was made of wood in the 14th century. Later, a Dominican monastery was built next to the temple.

The interior of the church is excellent. 16 altars for various saints were erected here. Gorgeous vaults, wonderful frescoes, ancient portraits – all this is incredibly combined with each other. The sun's rays falling from small windows bring some incomprehensible peace. Taking pictures is not prohibited here, but the clergy are not very positive about this. In general, the temple causes a lot of positive emotions. Despite the congestion of people, it is pleasant and cozy to be here.

There is a mysterious labyrinth in 9 cellars of the church. There are a lot of rumors and stories around him. The locals say that the cellars are 2 levels, and in fact, many more people are buried there than the story says. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to check this, as excursions to the labyrinth are not carried out now. You can get to your destination by bus number 88 to the stop Vokieciu st. You can visit the church for free from 10 am to 3 pm every day. In winter, visiting the temple is possible from 12 to 15 hours, in summer from 9 to 17 hours.

Customs Museum

The museum was established in 1994. At first it was attended only by students of the Customs School. Later, the institution opened its doors to everyone. The building is small but interesting. Excursions are conducted here in three languages: Russian, Lithuanian and English. By your choice. Within the walls of the museum you can see collections of contraband products and technical equipment. The institution is equipped with excellent projectors and audiovisual equipment. This attracts visitors to Vilnius here. Museum visitors have the opportunity to trace the entire history of customs services. It begins in the 11th century and continues to the present day.

Tourists are most often interested in expositions with smuggling. Alcohol with snakes, skins of rare animals, insects that were taken for someone's collections. Not without gifts in the museum. The customs services of Uzbekistan presented the institution with unique robes, which were hand-decorated with gold and stones. There is also an exhibition in the museum dedicated to the dangerous profession of customs officers. It consists of photographs of the difficult everyday life of workers. Some of them died defending their country from dangerous goods. The museum is located in the northern part of the city, far from the center. You can get there by bus or taxi for about 7 euros. Opening hours from 8.30 to 16 hours from Monday to Thursday. On Saturday, the museum closes at 15:00. Visiting the establishment is absolutely free.

Amber Museum

Amber is called “Lithuanian gold”. This is the only one of the expensive natural resources that is mined in Lithuania. Baltic amber is highly valued in the world. He is considered one of the best. The Vilnius Museum is not the only one in the country, but the largest and most famous. It was opened not so long ago, about 20 years ago. The building, which became the “home” for the museum, is not young at all. The building is about 6 centuries old.

The museum presents marvelous amber stones of bizarre shapes and different sizes and shades. There are natural fossils with insects, plants and lizards remaining in them. Magnificent amber jewelry – pleasing to the eye of the fairer sex. There is a gift shop on site. Here you can also buy incomparable creations of Lithuanian amber craftsmen. For jewelry, you will even be given a special certificate confirming that it is not a fake.

The pride of the museum is a collection of amber mined during archaeological excavations. This exposition is one of the oldest and largest in the world. The largest stone from this exhibition weighs about 4 kg. You can get to the museum by bus number 8, to the stop Sv. Mykolo gate. Entrance is free for everyone. Opening hours from 10 to 19 hours every day.

Central Police Museum

This is an interesting and informative museum about one of the most difficult and dangerous professions. Expositions here acquaint visitors with the activities of the police until 1940. Here you can learn from the inside what it is to work in the police. The museum exhibits such exhibits as badges, uniforms, hats of police officers from different countries. As well as models of police cars. The museum pleases with the high quality of preparation. Experts in art and design worked on its creation.

Exhibitions of the institution are always held at the highest level using the latest new technologies.

The organizers tried to make the expositions presented in the museum as close as possible to the eras of that time. Artists and designers helped them a lot in this. Masters of their craft make sure that every little thing is in place. In the museum you can find the stories of the most interesting solved crimes. There is an exhibition of the achievements of police officers. The museum is located within Vilnius. Entrance to it is absolutely free. Working hours from 8 to 17 hours from Monday to Friday.

Church of Saints Francis and Bernard

The church is located in the Old Town of Vilnius. The church is a huge building of red brick in the Gothic style. It is one of the largest in the country. The Church of Saints Francis and Bernard is located next to the Church of St. Anne. Together they form a single complex. The temple was built as a defensive structure. Therefore, in appearance he is quite modest. However, inside the church looks just amazing. Here you can admire 3 magnificent stone altars, as well as 11 wooden ones. Each of them is unique and beautiful in its own way.

The amazing vaults of the church are made of crystal, the walls are decorated with beautiful paintings and sculptures. Here is the most famous sculptural crucifix in Lithuania and abroad. The church has a large organ and ancient icons. In the building of the church you can see a collection of photographs that will show the history of the life of the temple for many centuries. On the territory of the complex there is a branch of the Vilnius Museum of Art, as well as a huge library. It was collected by the monks of the monastery adjacent to the church for a very long time. The library contains ancient manuscripts, pacts and statutes of Lithuania.

The church is open from 7 am to 6 pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, you can visit it from 10 am to 7 pm. Free admission. You can get to the church by bus number 88.

National Museum of Lithuania

The National Museum of Lithuania is located in the city of Vilnius. It is the biggest guardian of Lithuanian culture and history in the country. His main exhibitions are held in Vilnius Castle. The museum annually attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world to Lithuania. In it you can trace the entire centuries-old history of the country's development. See the traditions and customs of the local people of different times. It is impossible to name the exact number of items exhibited in the museum. It is constantly supplemented by new exhibits. Household and labor items, ancient clothes, ancient coins, paintings and icons – all this can be seen here.

The museum is divided into several halls: ethnic culture, iconography, numismatics and archeology. The exhibit items are beautiful and amazing. Here are the collections of things made of bronze, weapons, coats of arms. Egyptian figurines, portraits of great people, very old fabrics of various peoples of the world. In addition to the main exhibitions, temporary exhibitions can also be seen here. There is also a restoration room on site. In Lithuania, even today, annual archaeological excavations take place. And in order to study the culture and life of Lithuanians, scientific expeditions are carried out.

The museum welcomes visitors from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm from May to October. From October to April there are two days off: Monday, Tuesday.

You can visit the museum for 2 euros. With a guide, the cost of the service ranges from 8 to 15 euros. With an audio guide, you can save and pay 3 euros for the tour. You can get to the museum by trolleybuses No. 2, 3, 4, 10, 17, 20 to the station Karaliaus Mindaugo tiltas. Or by buses No. 10, 11, 88, 33 to the Bernardinu sodas stop.

Vilnius is one of the most beautiful cities in Lithuania. It disposes to itself, from the city breathes comfort and tranquility. Many buildings in Vilnius are old and beautiful. Its architecture can compete with many cities. The presence of beautiful buildings, churches, museums and memorable places will make the trip to the Lithuanian city unforgettable.