In the middle of the 14th century, there were already a number of settlements in Vilnius in the territory of the Old Town near the castle complex. People adapted to the local conditions when building homesteads, preferring somewhere safer and more convenient near a water source.
The constructions were usually wooden houses with thatched roofs, so the threat of fire was significant: if one building caught fire, it often caused almost the whole city to be burnt down, even as stone buildings were becoming increasingly common. The documents of the old Vilnius magistrate were also lost in a fire. Epidemics and wars repeatedly ravaged the city. Architectural styles changed, as did building owners and their needs. Nevertheless, the Old Town has preserved traces of the everyday life of people of all classes, both in good times and bad. We invite you to look around the courtyards of Vilnius Old Town and get to know the daily life of the people who once lived here. The Old Town will become even more endearing and familiar to you.
