Main article: History of Vilnius History
Vilnius is situated in southeastern Lithuania (54°41′N, 25°17′E) at the confluence of the Vilnia and Neris Rivers. It is believed that Vilnius, like many other cities, was named after a crossing river, Vilnia.
Lying close to Vilnius is a site some claim to be the Geographical Centre of Europe.
Vilnius' non-central location can be attributed to the changing shape of the nation's borders through the centuries; Vilnius was once not only culturally but also geographically at the center of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
Vilnius lies 312 kilometres (194 mi) from the Baltic Sea and Klaipėda, the chief Lithuanian seaport. Vilnius is connected by highways to other major Lithuanian cities, such as Kaunas (102 km/63 mi away), Šiauliai (214 km/133 mi away) and Panevėžys (135 km/84 mi away).
The current area of Vilnius is 402 square kilometres (155 sq mi). Buildings cover 20.2% of the city and in the remaining areas, greenery (43.9%) and waters (2.1%) prevail.
The climate of Vilnius is transitional between continental and maritime. The average annual temperature is +6.1°C (43°F); in January the average temperature is −4.9°C (23°F), in July it is +17.0°C (62.6°F). The average precipitation is about 661 millimetres (26.0 in) per year.
Summers can be hot, with temperatures above thirty degrees Celsius throughout the day. Nightlife in Vilnius is in full swing at this time of year, and outdoor bars and cafés become very popular during the daytime.
Winters can be very cold, with temperatures rarely reaching above freezing - temperatures below negative 25 degrees Celsius (-13°F) are not unheard-of in January and February. Vilnius's rivers freeze over in particularly cold winters, and the lakes surrounding the city are almost always permanently frozen during this time of year. A popular pastime is ice-fishing, whereby fishermen drill holes in the ice and fish with baited hooks.
Geography and climate
According to the 2001 census by the Vilnius Regional Statistical Office, there were 542,287 inhabitants in the Vilnius city municipality, of which 57.8% were Lithuanians, 18.7% Poles, 14% Russians, 4.0% Belarusians, 1.3% Ukrainians and 0.5% Jews; the remainder indicated other nationalities or refused to answer.
Demographics
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, and young Vilnius residents are building the city's reputation for being the most hospitable in the world, as evidenced by an active participation in the Hospitality Club.
Like most medieval towns, Vilnius was developed around its Town Hall. The main artery, Pilies Street, links the governor's 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 Gothic (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.
Tourism
Vilnius is the major economic centre of Lithuania and one of the largest financial centres of the Baltic states. Even though it is home to only 15% of Lithuania's population, it generates approximately 35% of Lithuania's GDP [2]. Based on these indicators, its estimated GDP per capita, based on purchasing power parity, in 2005 is approximately $33,100, above the European Union average.
Vilnius contributed over 4.6 billion litas to the national budget in 2004. That makes about 37% of the budget. Kaunas, the second largest city, contributed only 1.5 billion. Vilnius received a return of 360 million litas in the budget, which is only 7.7% of its contribution. This disparity caused some conflicts with the central government because of Vilnius' demand for a greater share of the funds it generated.
Economy
For ecclesiastical history, see Archdiocese of Vilnius
Vilnius is as multireligious as it is multicultural.
Vilnius is the Roman Catholic center 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 spans 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 been in Vilnius since the Union of Brest. The famous Basilian Gate is part of an Eastern Rite monastery.
Also, Vilnius has been home to an Eastern Orthodox Christian presence since the thirteenth century. A famous Russian 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.
Many Old Believers, who split from the Russian Orthodox Church in 1667, settled in Lithuania in their flight from oppression. Today a Supreme Council of the 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.
Once widely known as Yerushalayim De Lita (translated as "Jerusalem of Lithuania"), Vilnius once was comparable only to Jerusalem, Israel, as a world center for the study of the Torah, and for its large Jewish population. That is why one part of Vilnius was named Jeruzalė. At the end of the 19th century, the number of synagogues in Vilnius exceeded one hundred. A major scholar of Judaism and Kabbalah centered in Vilnius was the famous Rabbi Eliyahu Kremer, also known as the Vilna Gaon. His students have significant influence among Orthodox Jews in Israel and around the globe. This Jewish life in Vilnius was destroyed during the Holocaust of the Second World War. There is a memorial stone dedicated to victims of Nazi genocide located in the center of former Jewish Ghetto - now Mėsinių Street.
The Karaim are a Jewish sect who migrated to Lithuania from the Crimea to serve as a military elite unit in the thirteenth century. Although their numbers are very small, the Karaim are experiencing a renaissance in Vilnius since Lithuanian independence, and have restored their kenesa (synagogue).
Islam came to Lithuania in the 14th century from Crimea and Kazan, through the Tatars. Some Tatars of Lithuania have maintained their ethnic identity as well as their religion. Currently, about 3,000 Tatar Muslims live in Lithuania. The Lukiškės mosque of the Lithuanian Tatars was a prominent 19th century feature of suburban Vilnius, but was destroyed during the Soviet era.
The pre-Christian pagan religion of Lithuania, centered around the forces of nature as personified by deities such as Perkūnas (the Thunder God), is experiencing some increased interest, especially among people seeking to identify with Lithuania's ancient cultural and spiritual heritage.
Religion
Vilnius is the starting point of the Vilnius-Kaunas-Klaipėda motorway that runs across Lithuania and connects the three major cities. The Vilnius-Panevėžys motorway is a branch of Via-Baltica. Though the river Neris may be navigable, no regular water routes exist. Vilnius International Airport serves most Lithuanian international flights to many major European destinations. The Vilnius railway station is an important hub as well.
Vilnius has a well-developed public transportation system. There are over 60 bus and 19 trolleybus routes, the trolleybus network is one of the biggest in Europe. Over 250 buses and 260 trolleybuses transport about 500,000 passengers every workday. Students, elderly, and the disabled receive large discounts (up to 80%) on the tickets. A single ride ticket costs up to 1.40 litas (0,41 EUR) while monthly tickets cost 50-60 litas (14,50-17,40 EUR). The first regular bus routes were established in 1926, and the first trolleybus was launched in 1956.
The public transportation system is dominated by the brand new low-floor Volvo and Mercedes-Benz buses as well as Solaris trolleybuses. The new Solaris vehicles (built in Poland) are 15m long three-axle vehicles, and their extreme length is commented on by a cartoon on the front of a long dachshund dog (called "Zemagrindis" in Lithuanian and so labelled. There are also plenty of the traditional Skoda vehicles built in Czech Republic still in service, and many of these have been extensively refurbished internally. All is a result of major improvements that started in 2003 when the first brand-new Mercedes-Benz buses were bought. In 2004, a contract was signed with Volvo Buses to buy 90 brand-new 7700 buses over the next 3 years. Along with the official public transportation, there are also a number of private bus companies. They charge about the same as the municipal buses and sometimes follow the same routes. There are also a number of different routes, for example from various neighborhoods to the Gariūnai market. In addition there are about 400 share taxis that are usually faster but less comfortable and more expensive (3litas - 0.87 EUR) than regular buses.
Services out into the country are more traditional of Eastern Europe nowadays, often using secondhand coaches bought from Western Europe (many are from France) which are still operated with their formers owners paint scheme and names written on the side. Most smaller towns outside Vilnius have a large but spartan bus station dating back to Soviet times, but which nowadays is no longer the busy hub it used to be. Virtually no vehicles remain on the road in Lithuania from Soviet times (apart from the Skoda trolleybuses), but a few such diesel buses operating through from Belarus can be seen in Vilnius.
There are plans to build a light rail system, construction due to begin in 2008. The first line should be opened in 2009, followed by the construction of the second line. Light rail will connect the residential districts with city centre, bus and train stations and Vilnius International Airport.
http://www.vilniustransport.lt/en/ Transport
Vilnius has 14 sister cities. In addition, agreements on cooperation have been signed with 16 other cities.
Akhisar, Turkey
Aalborg, Denmark
Budapest, Hungary
Chicago, United States
Duisburg, Germany
Erfurt, Germany
Joensuu, Finland
Kiev, Ukraine
St.Petersburg, Russia
Kraków, Poland
Madison, United States
Oslo, Norway
Pavia, Italy
Piraeus, Greece
Salzburg, Austria
Taipei, Taiwan
Warsaw, Poland Sister cities
The city of Vilnius is made up of 21 elderates that are based on neighbourhoods:
Verkiai — includes Baltupiai, Jeruzalė, Santariškės, Balsiai, Visoriai
Antakalnis — includes Valakupiai, Turniškės, Dvarčionys
Pašilaičiai — includes Tarandė
Fabijoniškės — includes Bajorai
Pilaitė
Justiniškės
Viršuliškės
Šeškinė
Šnipiškės
Žirmūnai — includes Šiaurės miestelis
Karoliniškės
Žvėrynas
Grigiškės — a separate town included in the Vilnius city municipality
Lazdynai
Vilkpėdė — includes Vingis park
Naujamiestis — includes bus and train stations
Senamiestis (Old Town) — includes Užupis
Naujoji Vilnia — includes Pavilnys, Pūčkoriai
Paneriai — includes Trakų Vokė, Gariūnai
Naujininkai — includes Kirtimai, Salininkai, Vilnius International Airport
Rasos — includes Belmontas, Markučiai
Trivia
Archdiocese of Vilnius
Cathedral Square in Vilnius
Coat of arms of Vilnius
Gediminas Castle
Elektrit
Kaziuko fair in Vilnius
Pilies Street
Vilnius Cathedral
Vilnius University
List of Vilnians
Vilna Gaon
Vilna Ghetto
Wilno Uprising
Vilnius is situated in southeastern Lithuania (54°41′N, 25°17′E) at the confluence of the Vilnia and Neris Rivers. It is believed that Vilnius, like many other cities, was named after a crossing river, Vilnia.
Lying close to Vilnius is a site some claim to be the Geographical Centre of Europe.
Vilnius' non-central location can be attributed to the changing shape of the nation's borders through the centuries; Vilnius was once not only culturally but also geographically at the center of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
Vilnius lies 312 kilometres (194 mi) from the Baltic Sea and Klaipėda, the chief Lithuanian seaport. Vilnius is connected by highways to other major Lithuanian cities, such as Kaunas (102 km/63 mi away), Šiauliai (214 km/133 mi away) and Panevėžys (135 km/84 mi away).
The current area of Vilnius is 402 square kilometres (155 sq mi). Buildings cover 20.2% of the city and in the remaining areas, greenery (43.9%) and waters (2.1%) prevail.
The climate of Vilnius is transitional between continental and maritime. The average annual temperature is +6.1°C (43°F); in January the average temperature is −4.9°C (23°F), in July it is +17.0°C (62.6°F). The average precipitation is about 661 millimetres (26.0 in) per year.
Summers can be hot, with temperatures above thirty degrees Celsius throughout the day. Nightlife in Vilnius is in full swing at this time of year, and outdoor bars and cafés become very popular during the daytime.
Winters can be very cold, with temperatures rarely reaching above freezing - temperatures below negative 25 degrees Celsius (-13°F) are not unheard-of in January and February. Vilnius's rivers freeze over in particularly cold winters, and the lakes surrounding the city are almost always permanently frozen during this time of year. A popular pastime is ice-fishing, whereby fishermen drill holes in the ice and fish with baited hooks.
Geography and climate
According to the 2001 census by the Vilnius Regional Statistical Office, there were 542,287 inhabitants in the Vilnius city municipality, of which 57.8% were Lithuanians, 18.7% Poles, 14% Russians, 4.0% Belarusians, 1.3% Ukrainians and 0.5% Jews; the remainder indicated other nationalities or refused to answer.
Demographics
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, and young Vilnius residents are building the city's reputation for being the most hospitable in the world, as evidenced by an active participation in the Hospitality Club.
Like most medieval towns, Vilnius was developed around its Town Hall. The main artery, Pilies Street, links the governor's 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 Gothic (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.
Tourism
Vilnius is the major economic centre of Lithuania and one of the largest financial centres of the Baltic states. Even though it is home to only 15% of Lithuania's population, it generates approximately 35% of Lithuania's GDP [2]. Based on these indicators, its estimated GDP per capita, based on purchasing power parity, in 2005 is approximately $33,100, above the European Union average.
Vilnius contributed over 4.6 billion litas to the national budget in 2004. That makes about 37% of the budget. Kaunas, the second largest city, contributed only 1.5 billion. Vilnius received a return of 360 million litas in the budget, which is only 7.7% of its contribution. This disparity caused some conflicts with the central government because of Vilnius' demand for a greater share of the funds it generated.
Economy
For ecclesiastical history, see Archdiocese of Vilnius
Vilnius is as multireligious as it is multicultural.
Vilnius is the Roman Catholic center 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 spans 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 been in Vilnius since the Union of Brest. The famous Basilian Gate is part of an Eastern Rite monastery.
Also, Vilnius has been home to an Eastern Orthodox Christian presence since the thirteenth century. A famous Russian 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.
Many Old Believers, who split from the Russian Orthodox Church in 1667, settled in Lithuania in their flight from oppression. Today a Supreme Council of the 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.
Once widely known as Yerushalayim De Lita (translated as "Jerusalem of Lithuania"), Vilnius once was comparable only to Jerusalem, Israel, as a world center for the study of the Torah, and for its large Jewish population. That is why one part of Vilnius was named Jeruzalė. At the end of the 19th century, the number of synagogues in Vilnius exceeded one hundred. A major scholar of Judaism and Kabbalah centered in Vilnius was the famous Rabbi Eliyahu Kremer, also known as the Vilna Gaon. His students have significant influence among Orthodox Jews in Israel and around the globe. This Jewish life in Vilnius was destroyed during the Holocaust of the Second World War. There is a memorial stone dedicated to victims of Nazi genocide located in the center of former Jewish Ghetto - now Mėsinių Street.
The Karaim are a Jewish sect who migrated to Lithuania from the Crimea to serve as a military elite unit in the thirteenth century. Although their numbers are very small, the Karaim are experiencing a renaissance in Vilnius since Lithuanian independence, and have restored their kenesa (synagogue).
Islam came to Lithuania in the 14th century from Crimea and Kazan, through the Tatars. Some Tatars of Lithuania have maintained their ethnic identity as well as their religion. Currently, about 3,000 Tatar Muslims live in Lithuania. The Lukiškės mosque of the Lithuanian Tatars was a prominent 19th century feature of suburban Vilnius, but was destroyed during the Soviet era.
The pre-Christian pagan religion of Lithuania, centered around the forces of nature as personified by deities such as Perkūnas (the Thunder God), is experiencing some increased interest, especially among people seeking to identify with Lithuania's ancient cultural and spiritual heritage.
Religion
Vilnius is the starting point of the Vilnius-Kaunas-Klaipėda motorway that runs across Lithuania and connects the three major cities. The Vilnius-Panevėžys motorway is a branch of Via-Baltica. Though the river Neris may be navigable, no regular water routes exist. Vilnius International Airport serves most Lithuanian international flights to many major European destinations. The Vilnius railway station is an important hub as well.
Vilnius has a well-developed public transportation system. There are over 60 bus and 19 trolleybus routes, the trolleybus network is one of the biggest in Europe. Over 250 buses and 260 trolleybuses transport about 500,000 passengers every workday. Students, elderly, and the disabled receive large discounts (up to 80%) on the tickets. A single ride ticket costs up to 1.40 litas (0,41 EUR) while monthly tickets cost 50-60 litas (14,50-17,40 EUR). The first regular bus routes were established in 1926, and the first trolleybus was launched in 1956.
The public transportation system is dominated by the brand new low-floor Volvo and Mercedes-Benz buses as well as Solaris trolleybuses. The new Solaris vehicles (built in Poland) are 15m long three-axle vehicles, and their extreme length is commented on by a cartoon on the front of a long dachshund dog (called "Zemagrindis" in Lithuanian and so labelled. There are also plenty of the traditional Skoda vehicles built in Czech Republic still in service, and many of these have been extensively refurbished internally. All is a result of major improvements that started in 2003 when the first brand-new Mercedes-Benz buses were bought. In 2004, a contract was signed with Volvo Buses to buy 90 brand-new 7700 buses over the next 3 years. Along with the official public transportation, there are also a number of private bus companies. They charge about the same as the municipal buses and sometimes follow the same routes. There are also a number of different routes, for example from various neighborhoods to the Gariūnai market. In addition there are about 400 share taxis that are usually faster but less comfortable and more expensive (3litas - 0.87 EUR) than regular buses.
Services out into the country are more traditional of Eastern Europe nowadays, often using secondhand coaches bought from Western Europe (many are from France) which are still operated with their formers owners paint scheme and names written on the side. Most smaller towns outside Vilnius have a large but spartan bus station dating back to Soviet times, but which nowadays is no longer the busy hub it used to be. Virtually no vehicles remain on the road in Lithuania from Soviet times (apart from the Skoda trolleybuses), but a few such diesel buses operating through from Belarus can be seen in Vilnius.
There are plans to build a light rail system, construction due to begin in 2008. The first line should be opened in 2009, followed by the construction of the second line. Light rail will connect the residential districts with city centre, bus and train stations and Vilnius International Airport.
http://www.vilniustransport.lt/en/ Transport
Vilnius has 14 sister cities. In addition, agreements on cooperation have been signed with 16 other cities.
Akhisar, Turkey Aalborg, Denmark Budapest, Hungary Chicago, United States Duisburg, Germany Erfurt, Germany Joensuu, Finland Kiev, Ukraine St.Petersburg, Russia Kraków, Poland Madison, United States Oslo, Norway Pavia, Italy Piraeus, Greece Salzburg, Austria Taipei, Taiwan Warsaw, Poland Sister citiesThe city of Vilnius is made up of 21 elderates that are based on neighbourhoods:
Verkiai — includes Baltupiai, Jeruzalė, Santariškės, Balsiai, Visoriai
Antakalnis — includes Valakupiai, Turniškės, Dvarčionys
Pašilaičiai — includes Tarandė
Fabijoniškės — includes Bajorai
Pilaitė
Justiniškės
Viršuliškės
Šeškinė
Šnipiškės
Žirmūnai — includes Šiaurės miestelis
Karoliniškės
Žvėrynas
Grigiškės — a separate town included in the Vilnius city municipality
Lazdynai
Vilkpėdė — includes Vingis park
Naujamiestis — includes bus and train stations
Senamiestis (Old Town) — includes Užupis
Naujoji Vilnia — includes Pavilnys, Pūčkoriai
Paneriai — includes Trakų Vokė, Gariūnai
Naujininkai — includes Kirtimai, Salininkai, Vilnius International Airport
Rasos — includes Belmontas, Markučiai
TriviaArchdiocese of Vilnius
Cathedral Square in Vilnius
Coat of arms of Vilnius
Gediminas Castle
Elektrit
Kaziuko fair in Vilnius
Pilies Street
Vilnius Cathedral
Vilnius University
List of Vilnians
Vilna Gaon
Vilna Ghetto
Wilno Uprising
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