Vilnius Old Town

The Old Town of Vilnius (Lithuanian: Vilniaus senamiestis), one of the largest surviving medieval old towns in Eastern Europe, has an area of 3.59 square kilometres (887 acres). It encompasses 74 quarters, with 70 streets and lanes numbering 1487 buildings with a total floor area of 1,497,000 square metres. The oldest part of the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, it has developed over the course of many centuries, and has been shaped by the city's history and a constantly changing cultural influence. It is a place where some of Europe's greatest architectural styles - gothic, renaissance, baroque and neoclassical - stand side by side and complement each other.

Pilies Street is the Old Town's main artery and the hub of cafe and street market life. The main street of Vilnius, Gediminas Avenue, is partially located in the Old Town. The central squares in the Old Town are the Cathedral Square and the Town Hall Square.

One of the most elaborate architectural complexes is the Vilnius University Architectural Ensemble, which occupies the entire section of the Old Town and has 13 courtyards. It was selected to represent Lithuania in the Mini-Europe Park in Brussells.

In 1994 the Vilnius' Old Town was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List (No. 541) in recognition of its universal value and originality.

Landmarks

There are more monuments of interest in the Old Town than in any other part of Vilnius; they include:

Palaces

• Presidential Palace
• Slushko Palace

• Radziwill Palace
• Tyzenhaus Palace
• Vilnius Castle Complex with the Gediminas Tower and Royal Palace

Religious monuments

• St. Anne's Church
• Vilnius Cathedral in the Cathedral Square
• Gate of Dawn
• Three Crosses
• Cathedral of the Theotokos

Other places of interest

• House of the Signatories
• Lithuanian National Drama Theatre
• Vilnius dungeons

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