Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania
Rebuilt royal residence beside Vilnius Cathedral, with excavated foundations and period interiors.
The Palace of the Grand Dukes stood in the Lower Castle of Vilnius from the fifteenth century and was rebuilt in Renaissance and early Baroque forms under the Jagiellonian and Vasa rulers. It was badly damaged during the wars of the mid-seventeenth century and demolished by the Russian authorities in the early nineteenth century. Archaeological work on the site from 1987 recovered the plan and large quantities of finds, and a decision to rebuild the palace led to construction between 2002 and 2018.
The reconstructed building opened to visitors in 2013 and is now a national museum. Its routes lead through the preserved masonry and cellars uncovered by the excavations, a display on the palace's building history, reconstructed ceremonial rooms furnished in Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles, and galleries of arms, tapestries and applied art. The great hall and courtyard are also used for concerts, state occasions and large temporary exhibitions drawn from collections elsewhere in Europe.
Highlights
- Excavated medieval foundations preserved beneath the rebuilt palace
- Ceremonial rooms furnished in Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles
- Collections of arms, tapestries, coins and applied art
- Arcaded courtyard used for concerts and ceremonies
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