Vilnius City Tour Continues
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsuG5Q8OpRWnOBPER1KiF2xXRgb0_7TUeCQg1a5bvzPvi92kltBV-lUWkkNUMjiIpvJ35ZStW7QckXEhv8aj3JsKtppUxdmvy5v2PcUA9MTrlxjCJqyb_2CLo8s3agV9eSkqjfoeMzGLKt/s200/P1060626.JPG) |
Replicas of Four Guild Buildings |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHyRrkADHnkn_djJc-U2tVoutMhruv2apebWPycbBTLvJMUrQHZ8slx5ziY6MW_ge5ypHwI7BQD1WsKLL2qvC2lmOgOuVz15Qc1mq9DHIi3X7urbB1pDTDo5BDaw75w9kK2W7_iuKMssRF/s200/P1060635.JPG) |
Abandandoned Kittens |
We walked up
a small hill, from the top of which we got some good views of the city. While we were taking photos, I noticed a lady
who was walking two dogs. The dogs had found
two small, abandoned kittens, so the lady covered them with newspaper to keep
them warm and placed them on a seat so they would be more comfortable. Then she rang a rescue agency and told us she
would wait until they came. As someone
who does a lot of fundraising work for the local RSPCA rescue home in York, it
was lovely to know that there were also people and organisations here who cared
about animals.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNAXqWWtezHudrmU6fiespwQw2Kb0pi1x5ydDN7lmBdw7XpTQwtddOJQHzfRKxg1CNpnPQ0o6E2IhPje_ih1Ih37VhT9zapWOWmVLMy6IZMz6BkNA_0-eojD8LHncXDB6lmHen9-MqEuW/s200/P1060636.JPG) |
Remnant of Vilnius City Walls |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2J4gsbEblDpkOUzw0_5va5ZizoXVstgGXeSz_D_7hBl2hsXtO6_rzFkCQUc6tF4-CwgEAg9xJrCxT9lffnyfG-U7P6T2WmCwrLe0prBr6Rds5xQNfIU3_gqJP8pGjk8lbxOMmCaDyFcb2/s200/P1060640.JPG) |
Gate of Dawn, Vilnius |
Further along
the path was a tiny remnant of the old city walls. Then we continued our climb and emerged
opposite the Gate of Dawn, which Geirdre said was the only remaining gate to
the city.
We went through
the gate and passed under the chapel which houses the painting of “Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn”.
This is a very famous and much venerated painting and we could see
people queuing up to see it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xUmq_vZMPYiS6CDM8m7mLx4lNSq_xkAGnyIp4jrhBSiMk5BWJhembxaFliceez_AkNTAZZSgwdu3v1qv4haxROs5lPEX_nU7fCv7UbIGRFP0nDWnsKNj8HK_yZ3u_vDdefL4HnA8XQlj/s200/P1060647.JPG) |
Jewish Quarter, Vilnius |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4PYQ97_fRYPRaHzp45-EqWHnn_5NoXOJghvDlFNoXYehzO0TKt7dbXspgCGwcHK9v6IYWUdYxg3R1UgmkLhyphenhyphenCR5Xep_q8ybzL1UUTCFThEHgOgAfxOxDsmWf-0aEspedw7DNrLhZDASLp/s200/P1060648.JPG) |
First Private Hotel, Jewish Quarter, Vilnius |
We walked down the hill, passing several more
churches – a 16th century Russian Orthodox church; the Italianate
church of St Teresa; the Basilian gates leading to the Uniates Church of the
Holy Trinity; and finally St Casimir’s Church – and came out into familiar
territory, next to the Town Hall.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcqODEy8f87qEQXSb2wy5owoAExzBHblNlg8aBQCty5UilP0lIxaWwRhzFPTQxd_CcnN4HEBcabLa9WHIAjAJ2O2UIBb7r2DdXI4Gv08Jhyphenhyphen5G0gFJz1rFoCPv22NHedp7RzyWfM4CSdarQ/s200/P1060654.JPG) |
Vilnius University Courtyard |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-f4itNe3hLXObQNF25OluIBBivJOCKombN6wd9WE3IddeqPJN-7eqLy_R-1r0VKuSh4-l-R0J5I6FUAYisvO9W7NMOUSwqhFlj9xAFtHijuloQ8cOKqw5zvKZXZwHp4qgp6aju9vu7Qmi/s200/P1060652.JPG) |
Door, University Library |
Then Geirdre led us into the Jewish Quarter
of the city. Vilnius had a large
population of Jews prior to WWII, but the vast majority were murdered during
the war. Now an ageing remnant remains,
trying to preserve its heritage. Now
most of the buildings have different uses – Geidre pointed out one which housed
the first private owned hotel set up after independence from Russia.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jZ6UjAt0rlemEsqcfMTlveEDEBB7MVwJHubYnmAxYf5ppfXqxZjjuQNRUSv0i_onk-ifwfcKXGHp7nWkl19kSh_0O7DZ1aYMqwVkOS0gRsB30E_PV_AaRrYiK-JTFijZ_o106f64CuHr/s200/P1060659.JPG) |
Presidential Palace, Vilnius |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXvUP_J_KdPQS9pCoKtZFmWk8Gl4ij-97_ZmAnghVCEnNV1VvsWORhLGhj8rLNBKNXo13-JatW2MyD44YnFkgLommwjzP5zBLF5gWtLydgoWTIAd5ra7yF7zrelg-YUL-0-iEahSezp7a/s200/P1060653.JPG) |
Begonias outside Presidential Palace |
This corner of the city also held some
university buildings. We went into the
courtyard in front of the library and astronomy department. The library had some wonderfully ornate
doors.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhckMbr-Rk9NfrDoD7JufZ8ATrR9bnTlN3aiqvZJ850X4QLNTCTufl26ww7FfpfGGdf1tBPF5KLmYkqlSqjIqyHM8vVB36CuP3xG7rDqh5yIn8FLBrXvn193YdtOs90JCE8jcScAaYqaCl/s200/P1060660.JPG) |
Square of Wishes, Vilnius |
The presidential palace was just round the
corner. I was particularly impressed
with the begonias outside.
The final stop on our tour was outside the
cathedral. Geidre took us to the square
of wishes, one of the many tiles in the cathedral square. The human chain linking Vilnius, Riga and
Talinn is said to have begun from this square.
More Churches of Vilnius
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7tqIutnZv4OasxwlNOO6qrII9Kdpyu4r_NvIxhgRYcvaai55QkA7_uTrCKFte3pPC9OpYGr5NQGFzWz_93sKVEG-UW_6ZXu3J2jhzKJ9nlhhctR2Sp8kukbzdzyDq_hc_Emwqh8njTj4/s320/P1060625.JPG) |
Church of the Ascension |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy_-wm6BpcEdlsRekWDMf-ASLBCA8lAYu85Kf4vdGOn726ONsjGMEhFGHqZe4xn6XDb5F9RbOfd9tv7Er3ShbBwk4c24FG-F6GUn6_XzfohA27h85yST3C09QyqOAsvIbBDrKHC-dBUFdx/s320/P1060628.JPG) |
Church of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95LQwiIkH9y4l-ogK52oHWzZzmURUmUFr5qE28bpxMlPdWu_P95-Tnfhmp0ko66aEBk0h8WlJdOIBgvjD6fZOXVJROUDo6TxDlMZYdrFBNkFu75rZFEMS4h2w6TYQ84hVCNqESFthC_S3/s320/P1060641.JPG) |
Chapel of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinc0cJkqcdNBtXShTrLu16_jd7R981STu7rvfly_Jg5oLdLTvwE2z9iY_SbZNsSvWiWGF7Pdt7i6_jEmcnnpWSMfftIoBH4Tjg5bCDRdOLQliBWhryY8wFCgg-2y0_bvl0qxZgKtk5QKYu/s320/P1060642.JPG) |
Russian Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKt6Legzth7JAOb2lgmem565TwTw6KQMkTT5uTjKpJAsA5XX80K7h46rzXN_q0g1CSF2clhGW2KrBAiGlVHKRueUlj-pELEjNGTnhoRl8ITqX_QY1-ieF9EKsPy-xppJZkpJVLdRz2yH-/s320/P1060643.JPG) |
Church of St. Theresa |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-fJdFroVS92vM2dAzhRAbcA-hJvcKokhi4xurIlePx5yAIh9aF9gDRwECE5KUQwK3xx7e2nHEP1tg8shPkNlGTKTmmo9Afnl5MMb_flK9OK6ZwyD_D8r4vX8n0yFvDloB0n3xQZYP5LRJ/s320/P1060645.JPG) |
Basilian Gate to Holy Trinity Church |
No response to “Baltics - 17 June 2012 (2)”
Post a Comment