After a few kilometres along Pilaitė Avenue, we enter the district, which at the end of the Soviet era was predicted to be a large suburb of 70,000 inhabitants connected to the centre by a ‘high-speed tram’.
Such far-fetched plans did not become reality. Nevertheless, Pilaitė was and still is one of the fastest growing districts in Vilnius, and every few years its outskirts change beyond recognition. The settlement can be divided into three parts, each with its own character and history. The oldest one with the castle mound and the manor house in the foreground dates back to the times of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The second part was built at the end of the Soviet era and the birth of independent Lithuanian, while the third consists of the new construction that started after 2000. You’ll explore all three layers on our route, and you’ll end your journey on a rejuvenated beach – maybe it’s worth packing a swimming costume or a picnic lunch?
What you’ll learn/see on the route:
- How are Pilaitė’s large-panel blocks different from the other residential areas of Vilnius?
- Where does the name of the district come from?
- Which surnames are most often seen in Varnės cemetery?
