Information AboutVilnius |
Vilnius (; also known by , 2006 . It is the seat of the Vilnius City Municipality and of the Vilnius District Municipality . It is also the capital of Vilnius County . NAMES As a multicultural city, Vilnius has also been known by many names in different languages during its history. The city is known in Polish as ''Wilno'', in Latin as ''Vilna'', in Belarusian as ''Вiльня'' (Vilnia), in German as ''Wilna'', in Yiddish as ''וילנאָ'' (Vilna), and in Latvian as ''Viļņa''. An older Russian name is Вильна/Вильно (''Vilna/Vilno''), although Вильнюс (''Vil'njus'') is now more commonly used. The names ''Wilno'' and ''Vilna'' have also been used in older English and French Language publications. HISTORY See Also: History of Vilnius in Vilnius, seen in 1912 ]] Some historians identify the city with Voruta , a legendary capital of Mindaugas who was crowned in 1253 as King Of Lithuania . It is perhaps Mindaugas to whom Czeslaw Milosz refers in '' The Captive Mind '' when describing the legend of Vilna. "Legend tells us," writes Milosz, "that a certain Lithuanian ruler, hunting in the wilds, fell asleep by a fire and had a prophetic dream. Under the spell of his dream, he constructed a city on the spot where he had slept." (136) The city was first mentioned in written sources in 1323 , in Letters Of Grand Duke Gediminas that were sent to German cities and invited Germans and members of the Jewish community to settle in the capital city. In 1387 , the city was granted City Rights by Jogaila , one of Gediminas' successors. , the only remaining gate in the city wall]] Between 1503 and 1522 the city was surrounded with Walls that had nine City Gate s 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 Almae Academia Et Universitas Vilnensis Societatis Jesu by the King 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 activities were in full swing in the town. In 1769 , the Rasos Cemetery , one of the oldest surviving cemeteries in the city, was founded. During its rapid development, the city was open to Migrants from both abroad and far reaches of territories of Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Each group made its unique contribution to the life of the city, and crafts, trade and science prospered. During the Russo-Polish War (1654-1667) , Vilnius was occupied by Russia for several years. The city was pillaged and burned, and its population was massacred. The city's growth lost its momentum for many years, but the population rebounded, and by the beginning of the 19th Century city's population reached 20,000 making the city one of the largest in Northern Europe. After the languages was banned. and the church of the Bernardine Monastery in Vilnius]] During of the same year, the Polish Army under General Lucjan Żeligowski broke the treaty and seized Vilnius after a staged Coup . The city and its surroundings were proclaimed a separate state of Central Lithuania (''Vidurio Lietuvos Respublika''). On February 20 1922 , the whole area was made a part of Poland, with Vilnius as the Capital of the Wilno Voivodship (Wilno being the name of Vilnius in Polish ). Ethnic Lithuanians were being forced to leave the city and the use Lithuanian language was banned in public, therefore gradually Poles and Jews made up a majority of the population of the city, with a small Lithuanian minority of only 0.8%. , with Gediminas Tower in background]] In the meantime, for yet another time in its history, the city enjoyed a period of fast development. 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, making it the fifth largest city in Poland with vibrant industries, such as Elektrit , a factory of the popular radio receivers. Some Lithuanians, however, dispute this picture of economic growth and point out that the standard of living in Vilnius at that time was considerably lower compared to that in other parts of contemporary Lithuania. ]] Following the secret protocol of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact , on September 19 1939 , Vilnius was seized and annexed by the Soviet Union .On October 10 1939 , after a Soviet Ultimatum , the Lithuanian government accepted the presence of Soviet Military Base s in various parts of the country in exchange for restoring the city to Lithuania. On October 28, 1939 the Red Army withdrew from the city to its suburbs (to Nowa Wilejka) and Vilnius has been taken over by the Lithuanian Army. A ceremonious defile took place on October 29, 1939 through the city center. Though the process of transferring the capital from Kaunas to Vilnius started soon after, the whole of Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union in June of 1940 , before the transfer was completed. A new Communist government was installed, with 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 Gulag s in the far eastern areas of the Soviet Union. The Soviets devastated city industries moving the whole Elektrit radio factory with a part of its labor force to Minsk at Belarus where it was renamed to Vyacheslav Molotov Radio Factory, after Stalin's Minister of Foreign Affairs. 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 what were known as "Aktionen". A failed Ghetto Uprising on September 1 , 1943 organized by the Fareinigte Partizaner Organizacje (the United Partisan Organization, the first Jewish partisan unit in Nazi-occupied Europe), was followed by the final destruction of the ghetto. About 95% of the 265,000-strong Jewish population 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 and the Home Army (see Wilno Uprising ). The NKVD arrested the Polish soldiers. Vilnius was incorporated into the Soviet Union as the capital of the Lithuanian SSR shortly thereafter. Immediately after World War II , large numbers of Poles were expelled from Soviet-occupied Lithuania to Poland. Coupled with the migration of the Lithuanians into Vilnius, this development resulted in a change in 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 . Since then, Vilnius has rapidly transformed in an attempt to erase its Soviet past and the town has emerged as a modern European city. Many of its older buildings have been renovated, and a business and commercial area is being developed into the ''New City Center'', expected to become the city's main administrative and business district on the north side of Neris river. This area includes modern residential and retail space, with the Municipality building and a 129-metre (423') Europa Tower as its most prominent building. While a number of modern business and retail centers have been built during recent years, many other projects are waiting to be implemented. In 2009 Vilnius, capital of Lithuania, will be the capital of European Culture. Among the initiatives promoted by Lithuania for this event, the historical centre of the city has been restored and its main monuments have been renewed. in "Web Journal on Cultural Patrimony", 1, 2006 GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE - the tallest skyscraper in the Baltic States .]] Vilnius is situated in southeastern Lithuania () 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 Kilometre s (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 Kilometre s (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.
DEMOGRAPHICS 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. TOURISM Vilnius is a Cosmopolitan city with diverse Architecture . There are more than 40 Church es in Vilnius. Restaurant s, Hotel s and Museum s 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 . is venerated in a chapel at the medieval gate at the top of this street.]] 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 Courtyard s 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 km&2). 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. ECONOMY Vilnius is the major economic centre of Lithuania and one of the largest financial centres of the 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. RELIGION 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 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 Baptist s. .]] Once widely known as ''Yerushalayim De Lita'' (translated as "Jerusalem of Lithuania"), Vilnius once was comparable only to 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 ). 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. TRANSPORT 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 Transport ation 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 Taxi s that are usually faster but less comfortable and more expensive (3 Litas - 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 .
SISTER CITIES Vilnius has 14 Sister Cities . In addition, agreements on cooperation have been signed with 16 other cities. SUBDIVISIONS The city of Vilnius is made up of 21 Elderate s 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
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