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Vilnius

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Template:Infobox Lithuanian city


Vilnius (pronunciationⓘ, Template:Lang-be, Template:Lang-pl, Template:Lang-ru, formerly Вильно, Template:Lang-de; see also other alternative names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of over 540,000 in 2003. It is the capital of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the county seat of Vilnius County.

Confusion might arise because Vilnius and the Vilnius city municipality are often treated as one and the same. For example, the Vilnius city municipality Mayor is almost universally called the Mayor of Vilnius. However, the Vilnius city municipality is an official administrative subdivision, while Vilnius city has no official status. Also, the municipality includes another city - Grigiškės.

History

Main article: History of Vilnius
Cathedral in Vilnius, seen in 1912.

Initially a Baltic settlement, it was also inhabitated by Slavs and, from at least the 11th century, by Jews. Some historians identify the city with Voruta, a forgotten capital of King Mindaugas. The city was first mentioned in written sources in 1323, after a wooden hillfort had been built by Gediminas, Duke of Lithuania. Vilnius was granted municipal rights by the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Władysław II of Poland (Template:Lang-lt; Template:Lang-pl) in 1387. Besides Lithuanians, the town's population consisted of Ruthenians, Poles, Germans, and Jews.

Aušros Vartai, the only remaining tower of the city wall

Between 1503 and 1522 the city was surrounded with walls that had nine city gate and three towers. Vilnius reached the peak of its development under the reign of Sigismund II of Poland (Lithuanian: Žygimantas Augustas, Polish: Zygmunt II August), who moved his court there in 1544. In the following centuries, Vilnius became a constantly growing and developing city. This growth was due in part to the establishment of Vilnius University by Stephan I of Poland (Template:Lang-lt, Template:Lang-pl) in 1579. The university soon developed into one of the most important scientific and cultural centres of the region and the most notable scientific centre of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Political, economic and social life was in full swing in the town. In 1769, the Rasos Cemetery (Template:Lang-lt, one of the oldest surviving cemeteries in the world) was founded. Rapidly developing, the city was open to migrants from both East and West. Communities of Poles, Belarusians, Jews, Russians, Germans, Karaims, Ruthenians and others established themselves in the city. Each group made its contribution to the life of the city: at that time crafts, trade and science were prospering. In 1655 Vilnius was captured by Russian forces, pillaged and burned, and the population was massacred. The city's growth lost its momentum for many years, yet the number of inhabitants quickly recovered and by the beginning of the 19th century the city was the third largest city in Eastern Europe.

Alumni yard

After the Third Partition of Poland in 1795, Vilnius was annexed by Russia and became the capital of a guberniya. Russian occupation policy resulted in destruction of the city walls and after the 1799–1805 period, only the Dawn Gate (Template:Lang-lt, Template:Lang-pl) remained. In 1812, the city was seized by Napoleon on his push towards Moscow. After Napoleon's defeat and after the November Uprising in 1831 the Vilnius University was closed and Russian repressions halted the further development of the city. The January Uprising in 1863 was brutally pacified by Mikhail Muravyov "the Hangman", nick-named for the number of executions he ordered. After the failure of the uprising all liberties were halted and use of the local languages was banned due to the russification policy.

St. Ann's Church and the church of the Bernardine Monastery in Vilnius.

During World War I Vilnius was occupied by Germany from 1915 until 1918. The Act of the Restoration of Independence of Lithuania was proclaimed in the city on February 16, 1918. After withdrawal of German forces, Vilnius changed many hands: it was controlled by Polish self-defence units, Bolshevik forces, the Polish Army, and Soviet forces again. Shortly after the defeat in the Battle of Warsaw (1920), the withdrawing Red Army handed the city over to the newly reborn Lithuania by signing a peace treaty on July 12, 1920. On October 9, 1920 the Lithuanian-Belarusian Division of the Polish Army under General Lucjan Żeligowski seized the city after a staged coup. The city and its surroundings were proclaimed a separate state of Central Lithuania (Litwa Środkowa). On February 20 1922 the whole area was made a part of Poland, with Vilnius as the capital of the Wilno Voivodship. The Lithuanian government in Kaunas felt that Poland had illegally annexed and occupied Vilnius and diplomatic relations between Lithuania and Poland remained severed until 1938. In the meantime, for yet another time in its history the city enjoyed a period of fast development.

Aušros Vartai Street.

Vilnius University was reopened under the name Stefan Batory University and the city's infrastructure was improved significantly. By 1931, the city had 195,000 inhabitants, which made it the fifth largest city in Poland. However, some Lithuanians dispute this picture of economic growth and point out that the standard of living in Vilnius at this time was considerably lower compared to other parts of contemporary Lithuania. Poles and Jews made up a majority in city of Vilnius itself; Lithuanians there formed a marginal minority (of less than 3% after WW1, and less than 1% later in 30s).

Following the secret protocol of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, on September 19, 1939 Vilnius was seized and annexed by Soviet Union. On October 10, 1939, under a Soviet ultimatum, Lithuanian government accepted the presence of Soviet military bases in various parts of the country in exchange for restoring the city to Lithuania and a process of transferring the capital from Kaunas to Vilnius started soon after. Before it was completed, the whole of Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union in June of 1940. A new Communist government was installed in Vilnius as the capital of the newly created Lithuanian SSR. Up to 40,000 of the city's inhabitants were arrested by the NKVD and sent to gulags.

Orthodox Church of the Holy Mother of God, with Gediminas' tower in background.

In June 1941, the city was seized by Germany. In the old town, two ghettos were set up for the large Jewish population. The smaller ghetto had already been "liquidated" by October 1941. The population of the second ghetto was regularly decimated in so called Aktionen. A failed ghetto uprising on September 1, 1943 was followed by the final ghetto destruction. About 95% of the Jewish population of 265,000 of Lithuania was murdered by the German and Lithuanian units, many of them in Paneriai, about 10 km west of the old town centre.

The New City Center seen from Gediminas tower

In July 1944 the Polish Home Army and then the Red Army seized Vilnius, which was shortly afterwards incorporated into the Soviet Union and made the capital of the newly created Lithuanian SSR. Immediately after World War II, the Soviet government decided to expel the Polish population from Lithuania and Belarus during the so-called repatriation. These events, coupled with the migration of the Lithuanian rural population and Russians from other Soviet republics during the post-war years resulted in a complete change of the city's demographics, culture, and tradition. Only after 1960 the influx of rural population caused a rapid population upsurge in the city.

On March 11, 1990 the Supreme Council of the Lithuanian SSR announced its independence from the Soviet Union and restored the independent Republic of Lithuania. The Soviets responded on January 9, 1991, by sending in troops, and on January 13 during the Soviet Army attack on the State Radio and Television Building and the Vilnius TV Tower fourteen civilians were killed and more than 700 were seriously injured but eventually, the Soviet Union recognized Lithuanian independence in August 1991.

Since then, Vilnius has been rapidly transforming itself in an attempt to erase its Soviet past and emerge as a modern Western European style city. Many of its older buildings have been renovated, and on the north side of the river Neris a new business and commercial area is being developed which is regarded as the New City Center. A number of modern business and retail centers have been built during recent years, whereas other projects are awaiting to be implemented. According to the vision of The New City Centre it is projected to become the city's main business district which also will include modern residential and retail space. Its most prominent building is the 150-metre Europa Tower.

Coat of arms of Vilnius city

Large version of coat-of-arms of city of Vilnius.
Main article: Vilnius Coat of Arms

The Vilnius coat of arms depicts St. Christopher (Kristupas) wading through water with the Infant Jesus on his shoulders. It was granted to the city in the seventh year of its existence (1330).

In pagan times (until the end of the 14th century), the Vilnius coat of arms featured Titan Alkis, hero of ancient Lithuanian tales, carrying his wife Janteryte across the river on his shoulders.

Geographics and population

Vilnius is situated in southeastern Lithuania (54°41′N 25°17′E / 54.683°N 25.283°E / 54.683; 25.283) at the confluence of the Vilnia (also known as Vilnelė) and Neris Rivers. It is believed that Vilnius, like many other cities, was named after the Vilnia. Its name derives from Lithuanian word "vilnis" ("surge") or "vilnyti" ("to surge").

This 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. Initially it also formed the geographic center of Lithuanian settled areas, while the city's population was multi-ethnic through most of its history.

Vilnius lies 312 km 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 away), Šiauliai (214 km away) and Panevėžys (135 km away).

The current area of Vilnius is 402 km². Buildings cover 20.2% of the city and in the remaining areas, greenery (43.9%) and waters (2.1%) prevail.

According to the 2001 census by the Vilnius Regional Statistical Office, there were 542,287 inhabitants in Vilnius city municipality, 57.8% of which were Lithuanians, 18.7% Poles, 13.9% Russians, 4.0% Belarusians; the remaining have indicated other nationalities or refused to answer.

Tourism

Vilnius is a cosmopolitan city with diverse architecture. There are more than 40 churches in Vilnius to see. Restaurants, hotels and museums have sprouted since Lithuania declared independence, and young Vilnius residents are providing the city a reputation for being the most hospitable in the world as evidenced by the large membership of the Hospitality Club.

Like most medieval towns, Vilnius has 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 small cosy courtyards developed in the radial layout of the medieval Vilnius.

The Old Town, 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 often called a baroque city, here you will find some buildings of gothic, renaissance and other styles. The main sights of the city are the Gediminas Castle and the Cathedral Square, symbols of the capital. Their combination is also a gateway to the historic centre of the capital. Because of its uniqueness, the Old Town of Vilnius was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994. In 1995, the only known cast of Frank Zappa was installed in the center of Vilnius with the permission of the government.

Economy

Vilnius is the major economic centre of Lithuania and one of the largest financial centres of the Baltic states. Even though it is a home to only 15% of Lithuania's population, it generates approximately 35% of GDP [1]. 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 receiced only 3.6 million from the budget, a mere 7.7% of the contribution. This disparity caused some conflicts with the central government because Vilnius demanded more funds.

Climate

Central Vilnius in winter

The climate of Vilnius is transitional between continental and maritime. The average annual temperature is +6.1°C, in January being −4.9°C and +17.0°C in July. The average precipitation is about 661 mm per year.

Summers can be hot, with temperatures above thirty degrees Celsius throughout the day. Night life 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 minus 25 degrees Celsius are not unheard of in January and February. Vilnius' rivers freeze over on particularly cold winters, and the lakes surrounding the city are almost always permanently frozen at this time of year. A popular pastime is ice-fishing, whereby fishermen drill holes in the ice and fish with baited hooks, usually drinking quantities of alcohol to keep themselves warm.

Transport

Vilnius is the starting point of the Vilnius-Kaunas-Klaipėda and the Vilnius-Panevėžys highways. 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. Vilnius railway station is an important hub as well.

There is a trolleybus network for main public transport routes. An urban rail system is planned for the future. More information can be found at the Vilnius Transport website.

Sister City

Trivia

Vilnius is one of the locations featured in the video game Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon (photographs comparing the game's locations with their real-life counterparts can be found here). However, although some of the architecture is relatively well-represented, it has to be said that most of the map is fictional and it does not feel like a particularly accurate representation of the city of Vilnius.

Lying very close to Vilnius is a site some claim to be the Geographical Centre of Europe.

The rural town of Wilno, Ontario, Canada was named after the Polish name for Vilnius in the 1860s.

Birth place of the Fictional character Marko Ramius from Tom Clancy's novel The Hunt For Red October. Unfortunately, at one point in the film Sean Connery as Ramius mispronounces the name of his birthplace by calling it "Vil-nee-us," whereas Lithuanians pronounce it "Vil-noos."

Famous Vilnians

Subdivisions

The city of Vilnius is made up of 20 elderates that are based on neighbourhoods:

  1. Antakalnis - includes Valakupiai, Turniškės, Dvarčionys
  2. Fabijoniškės - includes Bajorai
  3. Justiniškės
  4. Karoliniškės
  5. Lazdynai
  6. Naujamiestis - includes bus and train stations
  7. Naujininkai - includes Kirtimai, Vilnius International Airport
  8. Naujoji Vilnia - includes Pavilnys, Pūčkoriai
  9. Paneriai - includes Trakų Vokė, Gariūnai
  10. Pašilaičiai - includes Tarandė
  11. Pilaitė
  12. Rasos - includes Belmontas, Markučiai
  13. Senamiestis (Old Town) - includes Užupis
  14. Šeškinė
  15. Šnipiškės
  16. Verkiai - includes Baltupiai, Jeruzalė, Santariškės, Balsiai, Visoriai
  17. Vilkpėdė - includes Vingis park
  18. Viršuliškės
  19. Žirmūnai - includes Šiaurės miestelis
  20. Žvėrynas

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vilnius.

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