Vilnius is the capital of the Republic of Lithuania. Naturally, it is the largest city in the country: according to the data of 2001 the population of Vilnius is 542.287. Of them 57.8% are Lithuanians, 18.7% Poles, 14% Russians, 4% Byelorussians, 0.5% Jews and the remaining 5% comprising some other nationalities.
Current area of Vilnius is 392 square kilometres. Buildings cover 20.2% of the city and the remaining area is prevailed with the greenery (43.9%) and waters (2.1%).
History:
Some historians identify the city with Voruta, a legendary capital of Mindaugas crowned in 1253 as King of Lithuania. Initially a Baltic settlement, later Vilnius was also inhabitated by Slavs and, from at least the 11th century, by Jews.
Vilnius was first mentioned in written sources in 1
323, after a wooden hillfort had been built by Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania. In 1387, it was granted municipal rights by Jogaila, one of Gediminas' successors.
Between 1503 and 1522 the city was surrounded with walls that had nine city gates and three towers. Vilnius reached the peak of its development under the reign of Sigismund 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 Stephen Bathory 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, one of the oldest surviving cemeteries in the city, 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 and crafts, trade and science prospered. 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 recovered and by the beginning of the 19th century the city was the third largest city in the Russian Empire.
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 hands many times. It was controlled by Polish self-defence units, Bolshevik forces, the Polish Army, and Soviet forces again. Shortly after its defeat in the Battle of Warsaw (1920), the withdrawing Red Army ceded the city to the newly reborn Lithuania by signing a peace treaty on July 12, 1920. Poland also recognized Vilnius and the Vilnius region as a part of Lithuania with the Treaty of Suvalkai signed on October 7, 1920. However, already on October 9 of the same year, the Polish Army under General Lucjan Ýeligowski broke the treaty and seized Vilnius after a staged coup. The city and its surroundings were proclaimed a separate state of Central Lithuania (Litwa Srodkowa). 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 claimed that Poland had illegally annexed and occupied Vilnius and diplomatic relations between Lithuania and Poland were severed until 1938.
In June 1941, the city was seized by Germany. Two ghettos were set up in the old town center for the large Jewish population - the smaller one of which was "liquidated" by October. The larger ghetto lasted until 1943, though its population was regularly decimated in so called Aktionen. A failed ghetto uprising on September 1, 1943 organized by the Fareinigte Partizaner Organizacje (United Partisan Organization, the first Jewish partisan unit in Nazi-occupied Europe), was followed by the final ghetto destruction. About 95% of the Jewish population of 265,000 of Lithuania was murdered by the German units and their local collaborators, many of them in Paneriai, about 10 km west of the old town centre.
In July 1944 Vilnius was retaken by the Soviet Army. Vilnius was incorporated into the Soviet Union as the capital of Lithuanian SSR shortly thereafter. Immediately after World War II, large numbers of Poles fled or were expelled from Soviet-occupied Lithuania to Poland. Coupled with the migration of the Lithuanians into Vilnius, this development resulted in a change of the city's demographic fabric.
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. 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. The Soviet Union finally recognized Lithuanian independence in August 1991.
Culture:
The most important part of the heritage of the city of Vilnius is its culture. Not only is Vilnius a city with a rich historical cultural past, but it is also a modern and cosmopolitan capital city. The city is increasingly and persistently taking active part in cultural integration and exchange programs not only with its European counterparts, but with the entire world as well.
The history of our capital city is a reflection of the nation's past and the experiences of lives of cultures of Western and Eastern Europe. Pagan cult sites, Orthodox churches, Catholic baroque, and traces of the Jewish way of life are all witnesses to the historical multicultural life in the city and testify to the wide open history of this Eastern European city.
However, the present cultural life of the city is also lively: Vilnius organises the Days of the Capital City lasting for almost an entire month annually and the city always ensures that its guests have an abundant supply of diverse interesting events to take part in. Large-scale international festival, concerts, fashion exhibition, arts exhibitions, theatrical performances, cinema, as well as city masquerades and markets, are only few of the many attractions that take place in the city during the City Days.
Vilnius is also famous worldwide for its creative people. Famous musicians, actors, and theatre and cinema directors, fashion designers, ballet and sports dancers and other artists are born and raised in the city. It is not surprising that such cultural way of life is diverse and intensive. Every visiting guest to the city will surely find something to suit his or her expectations fully.
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. Owing to 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.
Religion:
Known as Yerushalayim De Lita, Vilnius (Vilna) once was comparable only to Jerusalem, Israel as a world Torah center. That's why one part of Vilnius was named Jeruzelë. Major proponent of Judaism and Kabbalah was famous rabbi genius Vilna Gaon. His line of students has top influence among Orthodox Jews in Israel and around a globe. This article is licensed under the [GNU Free Documentation License]. It uses material from Wikipedia
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Vilnius is the capital of the Republic of Lithuania. Naturally, it is the largest city in the country: according to the data of 2001 the population of Vilnius is 542.287. Of them 57.8% are Lithuanians, 18.7% Poles, 14% Russians, 4% Byelorussians, 0.5% Jews and the remaining 5% comprising some other nationalities.