Neakivaizdinis Vilnius Neakivaizdinis Vilnius
Literature

The Poetic Bricks of Vilnius

When the City Whispers in Verse

It is impossible to cover the whole of Vilnius in one walk. However, this route allows you to visit the most important and lesser-known places in Vilnius. There will not be a lot of facts and figures here. This route is about the way Vilnius was seen and felt by poets from different periods of time. It is a walk through the places of our beloved city, coloured by the poets’ visions.

What will you learn/see on this route?

  • In how many places in Vilnius did Paulius Širvys officially live?
  • What poems were dedicated to Barbara Radziwiłł by the only Spaniard who lived in the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (GDL) in the 16th century?
  • Which poem was written to glorify the victory of a warlord of the GDL?
  • Which poet dedicated the most poems to Vilnius?
  • Which ruler of the GDL travelled across the Atlantic?
Start location

MONUMENT TO VYTAUTAS THE GREAT

Arsenalo g. 3. At the funicular lift to Castle Hill.

Duration
1.20 h Without going inside
Distance
3,00 km
Means of travel
Pėsčiomis
Terrain
Lengvas
Pet friendly
Additional information

Accessibility: manageable for people with reduced mobility and parents with children in wheelchairs, but may be difficult due to the cobblestones and narrow pavements of the Old Town. 

Routed by Donatas Jokūbaitis.

Photos byDonatas Jokūbaitis and Vytautė Ribokaitė.

1. MONUMENT TO VYTAUTAS THE GREAT

Vilnius is usually considered to be the city of Gediminas, but it would be very unfair not to…

2. THE PALACE OF THE GRAND DUKES

Dedicatory and commemorative poems were penned about the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, especially to…

3. VILNIUS CATHEDRAL

Vilnius Cathedral has been celebrated in poetry since ancient times. The same Jesuit students…

4. MONUMENT TO GRAND DUKE GEDIMINAS

Grand Duke Gediminas of Lithuania has been the absolute master of Vilnius throughout the ages, as…

5. CATHEDRAL SQUARE

As you walk through Cathedral Square, remember that it was once surrounded by walls and rivers and…

6. Vilnius University

Judita Vaičiūnaitė has put together the colours of Vilnius University in a cycle of poems ‘Stained…

7. BONIFRATRES CHURCH

If we walk from the university to the Church of the Holy Cross (Bonifratres), we may still see the…

8. Pilies Street

Let’s go back to Pilies (Castle) Street, more precisely to number 10. Kazys Bradūnas lived…

9. THE ‘NARUTIS’ COURTYARD

This is not only a courtyard but also the home of a poet. A bust carried by a swan reminds us of…

10. THE CHURCH OF ST. FRANCIS AND ST. BERNARD (THE BERNADINE CHURCH)

As you approach the Bernardine Church and enter inside, you will see the most beautiful crystal…

11. LITERATŲ STREET

Literatų Street is a veritable labyrinth of poetry. There are many signs of poets who wrote about…

12. Chodkevičių rūmai

In the courtyard of the Lithuanian Art Museum, or Chodkiewicz Palace, the sculpture depicting J. K.…

13. THE HOUSE OF KAZYS BRADŪNAS

This is the last place where Kazys Bradūnas lived in Vilnius. In May 2017, a commemorative plaque…

14. THE FLOWER BEDS OF PAULIUS ŠIRVYS

In the courtyard of this building, you will find a memorial plaque commemorating the legendary poet…

15. THE RESTAURANT THAT DISAPPEARED – BUT THE POETRY REMAINS

The Wolf Usian restaurant at the corner of Vokiečių and Žydų streets is no more, but a fountain…

16. THE VILNIUS OF BELARUSIAN POETS

The Belarusian poets Maksim Bahdanovich, Maksim Tank, Yakub Kolas (Kanstantsin Mikhailovich…

17. THE CITY GATE

The Gates of Dawn may be the only city gate to have survived, but Aušros Vartai are precious in…