The Gediminas Castle in Vilnius
The Gediminas Castle
The funicular is 71m long and will take you 40m high. The angle is said to be 36 degrees.
Opening hours 10.00 - 19.00 all year round.
Tickets:
- up and down adults 3Lt, pensioners and school children 2Lt
- up OR down adults 2 Lt, pensioners and school children 1Lt
The so called Upper Castle, or Gediminas Castle, was built at the beginning of the 14th century on the site of an earlier wooden one. A century later it was rebuilt and strenghtened. Along with the Lower Castle (now gone) and the defensive wall it formed a powerful defensive system. But slowly itlost its importance and after the damage caused in the war with Russia in 1655, it was left unrebuilt.
After the World War II the best surviving tower was restored. It now houses a museum and an observa- tion platform.
The museum is open:
May - Sept 10.00 - 19.00 whole week
Oct - April Tuesday to Sunday, 10.00 to 17.00.
Entrance fee 5Ltl for adults, pensioners and school children 2Ltl.
To the east of the tower are the ruins of the ducal palace.
The Gediminas' Tower is an important historic symbol of the city of Vilnius and of Lithuania. It is the only remaining part of the Upper Castle. The first wooden fortifications were built by Gediminas - the Duke of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
There is historic evidence of a castle being located at the top of Gediminas Hill since the early 14th century. The original castle was made of wood and there is uncertaintainty around when exactly the stone castle was built. Originally the castle was built to protect the city of Vilnius from invaders and gave a great vantage point ove the city and surrounding countryside.
Over the centuries the city of Vilnius was attacked five times but the castle was never successfully taken. It was only in the 17th century, during the war with Moscow, did the castle finally succumb to foreign invasion when it was nearly completely destroyed. Recently, parts of the castle have been restored, but
The funicular is 71m long and will take you 40m high. The angle is said to be 36 degrees.
Opening hours 10.00 - 19.00 all year round.
Tickets:
- up and down adults 3Lt, pensioners and school children 2Lt
- up OR down adults 2 Lt, pensioners and school children 1Lt
The so called Upper Castle, or Gediminas Castle, was built at the beginning of the 14th century on the site of an earlier wooden one. A century later it was rebuilt and strenghtened. Along with the Lower Castle (now gone) and the defensive wall it formed a powerful defensive system. But slowly itlost its importance and after the damage caused in the war with Russia in 1655, it was left unrebuilt.
After the World War II the best surviving tower was restored. It now houses a museum and an observa- tion platform.
The museum is open:
May - Sept 10.00 - 19.00 whole week
Oct - April Tuesday to Sunday, 10.00 to 17.00.
Entrance fee 5Ltl for adults, pensioners and school children 2Ltl.
To the east of the tower are the ruins of the ducal palace.
The Gediminas' Tower is an important historic symbol of the city of Vilnius and of Lithuania. It is the only remaining part of the Upper Castle. The first wooden fortifications were built by Gediminas - the Duke of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
There is historic evidence of a castle being located at the top of Gediminas Hill since the early 14th century. The original castle was made of wood and there is uncertaintainty around when exactly the stone castle was built. Originally the castle was built to protect the city of Vilnius from invaders and gave a great vantage point ove the city and surrounding countryside.
Over the centuries the city of Vilnius was attacked five times but the castle was never successfully taken. It was only in the 17th century, during the war with Moscow, did the castle finally succumb to foreign invasion when it was nearly completely destroyed. Recently, parts of the castle have been restored, but