National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. Vilnius, Lithuania

The castle is located in the heart of the Old Town next to the Cathedral and has a rich history. From the 15th to the mid-17th century, the castle used to serve as the diplomatic, political and cultural center of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Today, it hosts a museum with several interesting exhibitions on display.

The history of the castle begins in the 4th century, when wooden fortifications were established on the site. Later, a castle was built on this site, having been reconstructed several times, each time changing the appearance following the trends of architectural styles. It was both a Gothic and a Renaissance castle in the 15th and 16th centuries, and was reconstructed in the Baroque style in the 17th century.

Nowadays, the museum features three permanent exhibitions. The exhibition “History, Archeology and Architecture” explores the three most important stages of the castle’s development, including finds from various periods and remains of the castle walls.

The second exhibition presents the reconstructed interiors of the castle. Visitors can see how the castle’s interior has changed through time and styles.

The third exhibition includes a collection of weapons of the Lithuanian princes as well as musical instruments and household items of the castle residents. As part of this exhibition, you can learn more about how the castle’s inhabitants used to reside.

The museum has an exhibition center where local and foreign collections are exhibited. For example, right now, you can see an exhibition of 27 paintings representing Western European art of the 15th-17th centuries and an exhibition dedicated to the history of Vilnius castles.

This winter, an open-air skating rink is open in the castle courtyard. In the evening, you can skate surrounded by festive lighting. There is a Christmas market around the skating rink with goodies, souvenirs, and artisan gifts.

More details: www.valdovurumai.lt/en

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Vilnius, Lithuania