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Its exactly in the title, its just four minutes of lithuania

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its just information and facts about lithuania's capitol

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Vilnius is the Lithuania's capital and its largest city (population 550 000). Officially established in the 14th century (but likely dating to an earlier era), this city is well-known for its massive UNESCO-inscribed Medieval old town. After all, Vilnius has been a capital since at least the 14th century. In that time, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania used to be the largest state in Europe.

Vilnius has been a multi-ethnic and multi-religious city for centuries, as evident in religious buildings of 9 different faiths, each of them pre-dating World War 1. Today that atmosphere still remains, with ethnic Lithuanians making less than 60% of the population ( Poles - 19,4%, Russians - 14,43%, Belarussians - 4,19%).

Despite harboring many faiths and a remarkable religious tolerance, Vilnius always has been a religious city. It is said that you can see a church spire from any given site of its narrow Old Town streets. While not entirely true, the density of lavish baroque Catholic churches funded by the local wealthy families there is indeed one of the largest in Europe. Saint Peter and Paul church is famous for its 2000-statue interior while Saint Anne gothic church is known for its fine facade, supposedly loved by Napoleon Bonaparte. Four other Christian denominations, as well as Judaism and Karaism, also have their centuries-old houses of worship in Vilnius.

With its location in the heart of Europe (according to the French geographic institute, the center of Europe is in a certain well-marked spot north of Vilnius) Vilnius has been at the crossroads of many different armies and empires, Napoleon's being just one of them.

The scars of the more recent occupations are felt better. You may visit the Parliament and Vilnius TV Tower where Russian soldiers killed 14 unarmed pro-independence civilians in January of 1991. Museum of Genocide Victims and Tuskulėnai memorial are located where Soviets used to torture, murder and secretly bury Lithuanians in 1940s-1980s (hundreds of thousands perished during that brutal occupation). Paneriai memorial marks the place where Nazi Germany killed a large share of Vilnius Jewish community during World War 2 (in 1931 Jews made up 27,8% of Vilnius inhabitants and the city is said to have been nicknamed the Jerusalem of the North).

Being a modern capital, Vilnius also has a new skyscraper district, centered around the Europos square. Moreover, the city is the best place in Lithuania for shopping, offering diverse opportunities such as Akropolis and Ozas shopping malls and the bazaar-like Gariūnai market. Together with Kaunas, it offers the widest array of museums: multiple art museums (both old art and modern art), the National museum and more. It is in Vilnius where there are the most cultural activities. It is here where the nightlife is the best in Lithuania.

More information:
Vilnius by borough (district): An area-by-area guide to Vilnius and its sights, with maps and pictures.
Vilnius by topic: Shopping, Entertainment, Churches and other topics of Vilnius.

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Vilnius is the Lithuania's capital and its largest city (population 550 000). Officially established in the 14th century (but likely dating to an earlier era), this city is well-known for its massive UNESCO-inscribed Medieval old town. After all, Vilnius has been a capital since at least the 14th century.

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Its just giving 10 facts about lithuania

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Today marks the 100th anniversary of Lithuania's independence, achieved with the signing of the Act of Reinstating Independence of Lithuania . Though this initial freedom lasted just twenty-two years before the incorporation into the Soviet Union, it remains Lithuania's primary celebration of sovereignty. In fact, when Lithuania separated from the USSR in 1990, the country asserted that the Act had never lapsed, and the nation was simply restoring its original state of independence. To celebrate the occasion, here's ten interesting facts you might not know about Lithuania!

1 - There is a theme park in Lithuania which recreates life as a USSR citizen. Visitors have their belongings confiscated, have to wear gas masks, experience interrogation, and must learn the Soviet anthem. At the end of the three-hour experience, their reward is a shot of vodka.

in 1989, 2 - According to a study conducted by French scientist Jean-George Affholder Lithuania is at the geographical center of Europe. To calculate this, the method used was that of the centre of gravity of the geometrical figure of Europe.

which has declared itself an independent republic. It has its own flag, currency, president, cabinet, and an army of 11 men. The statehood of the republic is considered a tongue-in-cheek prank, an idea supported by the fact that its independence day falls on 3 - There is a small neighbourhood of Vilnius, Užupis, April Fool's Day. The Constitution of this Republic also has articles like " A dog has the right to be a dog" and " People have the right to have no rights".

4 - The national animal is the stork. Lithuania has one of the largest stork population in any European country, and more specifically the highest nesting density in the world for this bird. Many Lithuanians superstitiously believe that storks bring luck and harmony to the families near which they nest.

5 - Lithuania's Act of Reinstating Independence was lost soon after its ratification in 1918. It was only in 2017 that the original was discovered in Germany's diplomatic archives.

6 - Up until 2002, women in Lithuania were required to undergo a gynecological examination before obtaining a driver's license. Some officials argued that this requirement for women, which dates from Soviet times, should be kept, because some gynecological diseases can cause sudden pains and even temporary loss of consciousness.

7 - On the 23 August 1989, around 2 million citizens from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia joined hands in a human chain that stretched 600 kilometres across the 3 Baltic countries. Only a few months after these events, which formed part of the so-called Singing Revolution, Lithuania became the first country to declare independence from the Soviet Union.

where they repeatedly said 'We are the winners of Eurovision' and 'You gotta vote for the winners!'. They ended up 8 - In Eurovision 2006, Lithuania sent a mocking song called placing 6th, and the song became the first platinum single in Lithuania in 4 years. They also made a World Cup version of that song, even though Lithuania hadn't qualified for it. We Are The Winners

9 - The Lithuanian language is one of the oldest spoken languages in the world. It belongs to the Baltic group of the Indo-European family of languages and it even has words, such as vyras (man), šuo (dog), avis (sheep) which cognate in Sanskrit. This means that Lithuanians can recognize some words while listening to Indian languages.

10 - By the end of the 14th century, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was the largest country in Europe and included present-day Belarus, Ukraine, and parts of Poland and Russia.
Do you want to find out more curious facts about other European countries? Try our Top 10 Curious Facts about Serbia or Finland!

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10 Curious Facts About Lithuania | My Country? Europe.

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Today marks the 100th anniversary of Lithuania's independence, achieved with the signing of the Act of Reinstating Independence of Lithuania . Though this initial freedom lasted just twenty-two years before the incorporation into the Soviet Union, it remains Lithuania's primary celebration of sovereignty.

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Its cool landmarks in Lithuania

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Most interesting landmarks of Lithuania

Below are listed the most amazing landmarks of Lithuania.

Man made landmarks of Lithuania

Archaeological heritage

Kernavė - Vilnius county. Group of hillforts in the site of the former capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Important center since the Paleolithic age, 13th century or earlier, abandoned around 1392. Well preserved under the layer of soil. Includes the oldest known medgrinda - underwater road used for defense purposes.

Rambynas - Taurage county. Last pagan shrine of Balts, site of Skalvian fort. Pagan altar stood here until the 19th century. Site of legends.

Cities and villages

Nagliai villages - Klaipeda county. Several villages of Curonian people (now nearly extinct) buried under the sand dunes and thus - well preserved. Four villages were covered with the sand in 1675 - 1854.

Vilnius Old City - Vilnius county. Extensive historical quarters of once important city - the center of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the 13th - 18th centuries. Numerous impressive buildings in Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque style. One of the largest medieval old cities in Europe.

Zervynas - Alytus county. Well preserved traditional village with planning unchanged since the 18th century. Located in isolated place in the middle of forest.

Castles and palaces

Radziwiłł Palace in Vilnius - Vilnius county. The only Renaissance palace in Vilnius, built in 1635 - 1653. Currently part of this large building serves as museum.

Trakai Island Castle - Vilnius county. Most impressive and best preserved medieval castle in Lithuania. Present structure was constructed in the 14th century and completed by 1409. It was reconstructed and partly rebuilt in the 20th century and now is one of the major tourist sites in the country.

Vilnius Upper Castle (Gediminas Hill) - Vilnius county. Remaining part of the extensive Vilnius Castle Complex (Lower Castle is newly rebuilt). Best known part of the castle is Gediminas Tower on the top of 40 m tall hill above the city. Beautiful views on the city from the tower.

Churches

Cathedral of the Theotokos in Vilnius - Vilnius county. The oldest brick church in Lithuania, an Orthodox church which was built in 1348, in the times when Lithuania was still a pagan state. Rebuilt in 1609 and reshaped in Baroque style in 1785 and then again in 1865-1868, now in Georgian Orthodox style.

Church of St. Anne in Vilnius - Vilnius county. Unusual, beautiful example of Brick Gothic which follows the style of Flamboyant Gothic style. Especially beautiful is the ornate façade of the church. Built in 1495 - 1500.

Church of St. Casimir in Vilnius - Vilnius county. Oldest Baroque church in Vilnius, built in 1604-1618. Church has beautiful lantern.

Church of St. Francis and St. Bernard in Vilnius - Vilnius county. Large church in the late Brick Gothic style, built by Bernardine monks in 1516. Later rebuilt in Renaissance and Baroque styles. Contains valuable mural paintings from the early 16th century.

Church of St. Gertrude in Kaunas - Kaunas county. Well preserved example of Brick Gothic style, most likely built in the 15th century.

Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Vilnius - Vilnius county. Beautiful Baroque church with outstanding interior, adorned with some 2000 statues. Built in 1668 - 1701.

Dominican Church of the Holy Spirit in Vilnius - Vilnius county. One of major Baroque styled churches in Vilnius. Constructed in 1408 - 1760, numerous times expanding and reshaping it. Beautiful interior in Rococo style. Under the church are catacombs - numerous smaller crypts where are located some 600 corpses buried here in the 18th - 19th centuries.

St. Johns Church in Vilnius - Vilnius county. Large and very ornate church in Baroque style, built in 1388 - 1426 and reshaped in current style in 1738 - 1748. Long term traditional church of intellectuals, university church. The 69 m tall tower is the tallest structure in the Old City.

Vilnius Cathedral - Vilnius county. Main religious building in Lithuania. Although the religious buildings here have existed for long time, current Neo-Classical structure was built in 1779 - 1783. Inside the cathedral have been buried numerous important people including Vytautas. Cathedral contains major art values - frescoes, paintings, in one underground chapel found a fresco from the 14th century - the oldest one in Lithuania. Most likely built in the site of pagan temple. On front of cathedral stands bell tower built on a defensive tower of castle.

Vytautas' the Great Church in Kaunas - Kaunas county. Large church in Brick Gothic style, built in 1400.

Monasteries

Pažaislis Monastery - Kaunas county. Most beautiful example of Italian Baroque style in Lithuania. Founded in 1662, different structures were built until 1755. In the planning and construction were used numerous innovations, such as hexagonal planning for the church, concave façade. Church has beautiful interior.

Karaite synagogues

Trakai Kenesa - Vilnius county. One of the few surviving Karaite synagogues in the world, a wooden structure built in the 18th century.

Vilnius Kenesa - Vilnius county. One of the last Karaite synagogues, an ornate building with onion dome. Built in 1911 - 1923.

Other man made landmarks of Lithuania

Aušros Vartai (Gate of Dawn) - Vilnius county. The only remaining city gate in Vilnius, built in 1503 - 1522. Gate has religious importance as it contains artifact which had to guard the city from attacks - icon of The Blessed Virgin Mary with miraculous properties attributed to it.

Hill of Crosses - Šiauliai county. Pilgrimage site where pilgrims since the 19th century leave wooden crosses. Now this small hill is covered with some 100,000 crosses. Site serves as a symbol of resistance because during the times of Soviet occupation there were attempts to remove it.

House of Perkūnas - Kaunas county. Residential building in Gothic style, an outstanding example of Brick Gothic architecture with ornate façade. Built in the middle of the 15th century.

Kaunas Town Hall - Kaunas county. Beautiful historical building in Baroque style, with a 53 m tall tower. Constructed starting from 1542, in present Baroque form - in 1771 - 1775.

Vilnius University Library - Vilnius county. One of oldest and largest academic libraries in Europe, founded in 1570. Holds 5.4 million documents, shelves are 166 km long. Structure includes several beautiful reading halls which are adorned with frescoes.

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Below are listed the most amazing landmarks of Lithuania. Archaeological heritage Kernavė - Vilnius county. Group of hillforts in the site of the former capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Important center since the Paleolithic age, 13th century or earlier, abandoned around 1392. Well preserved under the layer of soil.

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Its just lithuania's past and present timeline

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1915 Lithuania occupied by German troops during World War I.

1918 - Lithuania declares independence.

1920 - Soviet Russia recognises Lithuania's independence under Treaty of Moscow.

1926 - Nationalist Party leader Antanas Smetona seizes power in military coup after left wing wins elections.

1939 - The Soviet Union compels Lithuania to accept Soviet military bases.
Soviet invasion
1940 - Soviet army invades. Smetona flees. Lithuania incorporated into USSR.

1941 - Thousands of Lithuanians deported to Siberia. Nazis invade USSR and occupy Lithuania.

1944 - Red army returns, presaging further deportations and repression of resistance.

1988 - Group of writers and intellectuals sets up Lithuanian Movement for Reconstruction (Sajudis). Its leaders declare at a mass rally in the capital, Vilnius, that the USSR occupied Lithuania illegally.

Ringaudas Songaila dismissed as Lithuanian Communist Party chief. Replaced by Algirdas Brazauskas.

1989 - Parliament approves declaration of Lithuanian sovereignty, stating that Lithuanian laws take precedence over Soviet ones.

Lithuanian Communist Party breaks away from Soviet Communist Party and declares support for independence.
Independence struggle
1990 - Sajudis wins majority of seats in parliamentary elections. Its leader, Vytautas Landsbergis, is elected chairman of parliament which declares restoration of independence.

USSR imposes embargo, halting fuel supplies and causing severe economic difficulties. Lithuania agrees to suspend independence, pending talks.

1991 January - As no headway is made in talks with Moscow and the economy faces turmoil, Landsbergis ends suspension of declaration of independence.

Soviet troops fire on civilians outside television tower in Vilnius, killing 13 and injuring several hundred.

1991 February - Referendum sees overwhelming vote in favour of independence.
Independence
1991 September - Following failed coup in Moscow the previous month, USSR recognises Lithuania's independence. Lithuania joins OSCE and UN.

1992 - New constitution introduces presidency. The former Communist Party, renamed Lithuanian Democratic Labour Party, wins more seats than Sajudis in general election. Coalition government formed.

1993 - Brazauskas elected president. Lithuania joins Council of Europe. New national currency, the litas, introduced. Soviet troops complete withdrawal.

1994 - Lithuania joins Nato Partnership for Peace programme. Treaty of friendship signed with Poland.

1995 - Lithuania's two largest commercial banks collapse. Political scandal ensues.

1996 - Prime Minister Slezevicius dismissed in the aftermath of banking crisis. General elections bring in centre-right coalition government.

1997 - President Brazauskas visits Russia. Border treaty, cooperation agreement signed.

1998 - Valdas Adamkus, a US citizen who spent nearly 50 years in exile, elected president.

1999 - Controversial contract signed selling a controlling share in Lithuanian state oil company to the American energy group, Williams International. Conservative PM Rolandas Paksas resigns. Andrius Kubilius becomes prime minister.

2000 - General election returns another centre-right coalition government. Paksas reappointed prime minister, this time as a member of the Liberal Union.

2001 July - Brazauskas becomes prime minister following collapse of coalition in squabble over privatisation and other economic reforms. He pledges to work to speed up EU and Nato membership.

2002 November - Nato summit in Prague includes Lithuania on list of countries formally invited to join the alliance.

2002 December - EU summit in Copenhagen formally invites Lithuania to join in 2004.

2003 January - Rolandas Paksas elected president.

2003 May - Lithuanian referendum results in vote in favour of joining EU.

2003 November - Demonstrators demand resignation of President Paksas following allegations of links between his office and Russian organised crime.

2003 December - Impeachment proceedings begin against President Paksas after parliamentary inquiry concludes that alleged links between his office and Russian organised crime constitute threat to national security.

2004 March - Lithuania joins Nato.

2004 April - Parliament impeaches and dismisses Rolandas Paksas.
EU era begins
2004 May - Lithuania is one of 10 new states to join the EU.

2004 June - Valdas Adamkus re-elected president.

2004 October - Algirdas Brazauskas carries on as prime minister in new coalition following general elections.

2004 November - Lithuania becomes first EU member state to ratify new EU constitution.

2004 December - Reactor one at Ignalina nuclear power station shuts down in line with EU entry requirements. Under the same agreement, the second reactor is to close by 2009.

2005 January - Foreign Minister Valionis admits that he was once an officer in the Soviet KGB reserves. A parliamentary inquiry is launched into his past and into similar allegations against two other senior officials.

2005 March - President Adamkus declines invitation to attend ceremony in Moscow in May marking end of World War II.

2005 June - Labour Party leader Viktor Uspaskich resigns as economics minister over allegations that his business dealings had breached ethics rules. His party carries on as part of ruling coalition.

2005 September-October - Russian fighter jet crashes on Lithuanian territory, raising diplomatic tension with Moscow. Situation defused when investigation finds technical and human error to blame.

2006 May-July - Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas resigns after the Labour Party pulls out of the ruling coalition. Parliament approves the president's second nominee for the post, Gediminas Kirkilas.

2008 May - Parliament ratifies EU Lisbon Treaty.

The EU Commission turns down Lithuania's application to join the euro zone on 1 January 2007, citing the country's inflation rate.

2008 April-May - Lithuania threatens to derail EU-Russia partnership talks over energy concerns but drops veto under pressure from other member states.

2008 June - Parliament bans display of Soviet and Nazi symbols. The restrictions are the toughest of any former Soviet republic.
Economic crisis
2008 October - The conservative Homeland Union party becomes largest party after parliamentary elections, pushing Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas's Social Democrats into second place.

2008 November - Homeland Union leader Andrius Kubilius appointed prime minister at the head of a centre-right coalition government.

2009 April - National statistics office publishes figures showing that Lithuania's GDP plunged 12.6% in the first quarter of 2009, compared to the same period last year.

2009 May - EU budget commissioner Dalia Grybauskaite, standing as an independent, wins presidential election with more than 68% of the vote.

2009 December - The second reactor at the Ignalina nuclear power station is shut down, in line with Lithuania's EU entry requirements.

2011 July - Lithuania protests to Austria over the release of Mikhail Golovatov, a former Soviet officer wanted in Lithuania over the Soviet special forces attack on a Vilnius television tower in January 1991 in which 14 civilians died and hundreds were injured. Austria says Lithuanian information on the case was "too vague" to justify Golovatov's detention.

2012 January - Government adviser Virgis Valentinavicius says Lithuania is on track to adopt the euro currency in 2014, although President Grybauskaite says the goal is "unrealistic" given an inflation rate of over four per cent.

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1915 Lithuania occupied by German troops during World War I. 1918 - Lithuania declares independence. 1920 - Soviet Russia recognises Lithuania's independence under Treaty of Moscow. 1926 - Nationalist Party leader Antanas Smetona seizes power in military coup after left wing wins elections. 1939 - The Soviet Union compels Lithuania to accept Soviet military bases.