Lithuania A Little History

Lithuania -  Heritage

The country of Lithuania is one of the Baltic Countries. 

Lithuania has a rich culture and has been inhabited since the Mesolithic Era (15,000 to 5,000BP). Vilnius the capitol is a UNESCO World Heritage City. Vilnius has always been a multi-national city, with  rich architectural components highlighting various periods of history.  The Old Town of Vilnius, one of the largest surviving medieval old towns in Northern Europe, has an area of 3.59 square kilometers (887 acres).It encompasses 74 quarters , with 70 streets and lanes numbering 1,487 buildings with a total floor area of 1,497,000 square meters. Examples of some of Europe’s greatest architectural styles – Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical are found here.

       

St. Franciscan Assyrian Old Town

Lithuania the country

Vilnius in the 1500's

   

Church of St. John

One of the picturesque parts of the Vilnius University building is the Church of Sts. Johns and its bell tower. The full name of the church is the Church of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist. The construction of this church lasted for almost 40 years and was completed in 1426.At that time it was a Gothic building. In 1571 the church was transferred to the Order of Jesuits and became a part of the university complexes.

Besides masses, the Church of Sts. Johns has also witnessed student protests, theatre performances, and welcoming ceremonies for kings. In Soviet times, it was turned into a warehouse. Later, the University Museum was established here.Today, the Church of Sts. Johns performs its main functions once again. It was visited by Pope John Paul II in 1993.

The bell tower of the church, which is 68 meters high, is among the highest buildings in the Old Town.

The present facade was designed in the 18th century by the most prominent Vilnius Baroque architect, Jonas Kristupas Glaubicas (Johan Christoph Glaubitz