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Vilnius is a compact city, most of guides say that you can see the city in a couple of days, I think 2 days are enogh .
The city was founed on the top of Gediminas Hill, the top of 50m-high hill is visible from almost all the city. The red brick tower is the symbol of the city. The original one was higher that the moder one.
You can reach the top of the Hill through the funicular railway
or through the moat
.
The complex consisted of three castles: the Upper, the Lower, and the Crooked. The Crooked Castle was burned down by the Teutonic Knights in 1390 and was never rebuilt. Then, many more attacks occurred in Castle Hill, destroying the buildings. Today, you can just see the remaining Gediminas Tower.
The tower contains armour from the 16th to the 18th centuries amd models of the castel in former time, while from the top you can enjoy a nice view of the city.
There is a floor in the tower dedicated to the "Baltic way" a peaceful political demonstration that occurred on August 23, 1989. Approximately two million people joined their hands to form a human chain spanning 675.5 kilometres across the three Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, considered at the time to be constituent republics of the Soviet Union.
From the Tower is visible the 3-Crosses Hill, that rises in the Kalnai Park.
is believed that the three crosses were first erected here in the 17th century to commemorate a group of monks from a nearby monastery, who were martyred in the 14th century.
On the other side of the hill, there is the Chatedral square, with a reconstruction of the Royal palace .
with an equestrain statue of Gediminas and the bell tower
The old entrace to the city is the Gate of Dawn. This is the only one still intact of the original 10 built.
Despite its original role as defence, todays the gate has a religious significance with the painting of the Virgin Mary kept in the chapel
Between the Chatedral sq and the University area, there is the beautiful church of St Anne
the University area is very characteristc, with narrow alleys, bars and coffees.
Trakai is situated 20 kms west of Vilnius,a miniature wooden town is encircled by several lakes Main attraction of the city is the Castel, that rises on a penisula on the Lake Galve.
A footbridge links the shore with the castle
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