Vilnius

Vilnius ( , ) is the capital of and largest city in Lithuania and the most-populous city in the Baltic states. The city's estimated January 2026 population was 617,984, The architectural style known as Vilnian Baroque is named after the city, which is the easternmost Baroque city and the largest such city north of the Alps. The city's current demographics are additionally marked by repatriations of Poles, who made up the majority of inhabitants before the war.

Vilnius was a 2009 European Capital of Culture with Linz in Austria. In 2021, the city was named one of fDi's 25 Global Cities of the Future. Vilnius is a financial centre, ranked 76th globally and 29th in Europe on the Global Financial Centres Index. The city is an important center for the global fintech industry. It hosted the 2023 NATO Summit. In 2025 Vilnius was the European Green Capital. Vilnius is a member of Eurocities and the Union of Capitals of the European Union (UCEU).

Etymology and other names

The name of Vilnius first appeared in Latin-edited letters by Gediminas from the year 1323, in the form Vilna (in civitate nostra regia, dicta Vilna). In another letter from 1325, the form Wilno also appears (Datum Wilno). Both forms ultimately originate from the old Lithuanian name of the tributary river Vilnia (meaning ripple), which flows into the Neris River in the center of old Vilnius, near the Castle Hill. The name of the river was transferred to the city. The form Wilno is still used in the Polish language today. The Lithuanian form Vilnius, which is used today, was recorded at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries in Mikalojus Daukša's "Postil", but it only became widespread during the Lithuanian national revival at the end of the 19th century.

The form Vilna made its way into Western European languages and for a long time served as the standard designation for the city of Vilnius, especially in historical and diplomatic texts. The most notable non-Lithuanian names for the city include , (), (Vilnia), (), , (), (), (). A Russian name dating to the Russian Empire was (), although () is now used.

thumb|left|upright=0.8|1835 painting by [[Aleksander Lesser of Gediminas' dream about an Iron Wolf]]According to a legend recorded around the 1530s, Grand Duke Gediminas (–1341) was hunting in the sacred forest near Šventaragis' Valley, where the Vilnia River flows into the Neris. The successful hunt for a wisent lasted longer than expected, and Gediminas decided to spend the night in the valley. That night, he dreamed of a huge Iron Wolf standing on top of a hill, howling loudly. Upon awakening, the Duke asked the krivis Lizdeika to interpret the dream. The chief priest explained:<blockquote>What is destined for the ruler and the State of Lithuania, is thus: the Iron Wolf represents a castle and a city which will be established by you on this site. This city will be the capital of the Lithuanian lands and the dwelling of their rulers, and the glory of their deeds shall echo throughout the world.</blockquote>

Gediminas, obeying the gods, built two castles: the Lower Castle in the valley, and the Crooked Castle on Bald Hill. He moved his court there, declared it his permanent seat and capital, and developed the surrounding area into a city he named Vilnius.

History

thumb|left|alt=A 14th-century manuscript|The oldest known mention of Vilnius, in Gediminas' 1323 [[Letters of Gediminas|letter]]

thumb|left|[[Vilnius Castle Complex in 1600 with the Upper Castle (marked as 7), Lower Castle (6), and Cathedral (5)]]

Vilnius's history dates to the Stone Age. The city at least from 1323 until 1795 was the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Later Vilnius was ruled by imperial and Soviet Russia, Napoleonic France, Imperial and Nazi Germany, interwar Poland, and again became a capital of Lithuania in the 20th century. On 9 January 1991, the Soviet Union sent in troops; this culminated in the 13 January attack on the State Radio and Television Building and Vilnius TV Tower which killed 14 civilians. The Soviet Union recognised Lithuanian independence in September 1991. According to the Constitution of Lithuania, "the capital of the State of Lithuania shall be the city of Vilnius, the long-standing historical capital of Lithuania".

left|thumb|[[Konstitucijos Avenue with most of high rises constructed in the 21st century]]

Vilnius has become a modern European city. Its territory has been expanded with three acts since 1990, incorporating urban areas, villages, hamlets, and the city of Grigiškės. Most historic buildings have been renovated and a business and commercial area became the New City Centre, the main administrative and business district on the north side of the river Neris. The area includes modern residential and retail space, with the municipal building and the Europa Tower its most prominent buildings. The construction of Swedbank's headquarters indicates the importance of Scandinavian banks in Vilnius. The Vilnius Business Harbour complex was built and expanded. Over 75,000 flats were built from 1995 to 2018, making the city a Baltic construction leader.

Vilnius was selected as a 2009 European Capital of Culture with Linz, the capital of Upper Austria. The 2008 financial crisis led to a drop in tourism, which prevented many projects from completion; allegations of corruption and incompetence were made; tax increases for cultural activity led to protests, and economic conditions sparked riots. On 28–29 November 2013, Vilnius hosted the Eastern Partnership summit at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. Many European presidents, prime ministers, and high-ranking officials participated. In 2015, Remigijus Šimašius became the city's first directly elected mayor. The 2023 NATO summit was held in Vilnius.

Geography

thumb|left|Rivers Vilnia and Neris confluence

Vilnius is at the confluence of the Vilnia and Neris rivers in southeastern Lithuania. Several countries say that the geographical midpoint of Europe is within their territory. The midpoint depends on the definition of European extent, and the Guinness Book of World Records recognises a point near Vilnius as the continental centre. After a 1989 re-estimation of European boundaries, Jean-George Affholder of the Institut Géographique National (French National Geographic Institute) determined that its geographic centre was at . The method used to calculate the point was the centre of gravity of the European geometrical figure, and is near the village of Girija (26 kilometres from Vilnius). A monument by sculptor Gediminas Jokūbonis, a column of white granite surmounted by a crown of stars, was built there in 2004. The city has eight nature reserves: Vokės Senslėnio Slopes Geomorphological Reserve, Aukštagiris Geomorphological Reserve, Valakupių Klonio Geomorphological Reserve, Veržuva Hydrographic Reserve, Vokė Hydrographic Reserve, Cedronas Upstream Landscape Reserve, Tapeliai Landscape Reserve, and Šeškinė Slopes Geomorphological Reserve.

Several lakes, including Balžis, are located on the north-eastern outskirts of Vilnius.

Climate

thumb|alt=Aerial view of the city|A foggy winter sunrise

thumb|alt=A busy, cobbled city street|[[Gediminas Avenue in autumn]]

Vilnius has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb), with temperature records since 1777. The average annual temperature is ; the average January temperature is , and the July average is . Average annual precipitation is . Temperatures in the city have increased significantly during the last 30 years, a change which the Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service attributes to human-induced global warming.

Summer days are warm to hot, especially in July and August, with daytime temperatures above during periodic heat waves. Outdoor bars, restaurants and cafés are frequented during the day.

Winters can be very cold, although temperatures above ; still occasionally occur. Temperatures below are recorded every other year. Vilnius's rivers freeze in particularly cold winters, and the lakes surrounding the city are almost always frozen from December to March, and even April, in the most extreme years. The Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service, headquartered in Vilnius, monitors the country's climate.

Culture

Painting and sculpture

thumb|alt=A large wall painting|16th-century Gothic frescoes in the Church of St. Francis and St. Bernard

thumb|upright=0.6|alt=Ornate brown marble sculpture|Tombstone of Lew Sapieha, , in the Church of St. Michael

Vilnius was an artistic centre of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, attracting artists across Europe. The oldest surviving early Gothic artworks (14th century) are paintings dedicated to churches and liturgy, such as frescoes in the crypts of Vilnius Cathedral and decorated hymnbooks. Sixteenth-century wall paintings are in the city's Church of St. Francis and St. Bernard and the Church of Saint Nicholas. Gothic wooden polychrome sculptures decorate church altars. Some Gothic seals from the 14th and 15th centuries still exist, including those of Kęstutis, Vytautas the Great and Sigismund II Augustus.

Renaissance sculpture appeared during the early 16th century, primarily by the Italian sculptors Bernardinus Zanobi da Gianotti, Giovani Cini, and Giovanni Maria Padovano. During the Renaissance, portrait tombstones and medals were valued; examples are the marble tombs of Albertas Goštautas (1548) and Paweł Holszański (1555) by Bernardino de Gianotis in Vilnius Cathedral. Italian sculpture is characterized by its naturalistic treatment of forms and precise proportions. Local sculptors adopted the iconographic scheme of Renaissance tombs; their works, such the tomb of Lew Sapieha () in the Church of St. Michael, are stylized.

The Lithuanian Art Society was established in 1907 by Petras Rimša, Antanas Žmuidzinavičius and Antanas Jaroševičius, and the Vilnius Art Society was founded the following year. Artists included Jonas Šileika, , , Vytautas Kairiūkštis, and Vytautas Pranas Bičiūnas, who employed Western European symbolism, realism, Art Nouveau and modernism. In its main square, a statue of an angel blowing a trumpet symbolises artistic freedom.

The world's first bronze memorial to Frank Zappa was installed in the Naujamiestis district in 1995. In 2015, the Vilnius Talking Statues project was introduced. Eighteen statues around the city interact by smartphone with visitors in several languages.

Museums and galleries

Vilnius has a variety of museums. The National Museum of Lithuania, in the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, Gediminas' Tower and the arsenals of the Vilnius Castle Complex, has exhibits about the history of Lithuania and Lithuanian culture. The Museum of Applied Arts and Design displays Lithuanian folk and religious art, objects from the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, and 18th- to 20th-century clothing. Other museums are the Vilnius Museum, the House of Histories, Church Heritage Museum, Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights, Fight for Freedom Museum in the Vilnius TV Tower, M. K. Čiurlionis House, Samuel Bak Museum, Centre for Civil Education, Toy Museum, Vilnil (Museum of Illusions), Energy and Technology Museum, House of Signatories, Tolerance Center, Railway Museum, Money Museum, Kazys Varnelis House-Museum, Liubavas Manor Watermill-Museum, Museum of Vladislovas Sirokomlė, Amber Museum-Gallery, and the Paneriai Memorial visitor information centre.

thumb|alt=Exterior of a three-story building|The Lithuanian National Museum of Art, in the former [[Chodkiewicz Palace]]

Vilnius has a number of art galleries. Lithuania's largest art collection is housed in the Lithuanian National Museum of Art. The Vilnius Picture Gallery, in the city's Old Town, houses a collection of Lithuanian art from the 16th to the early 20th centuries. Across the Neris, the National Art Gallery has a number of exhibitions of 20th-century Lithuanian art. The Contemporary Art Centre, the largest contemporary-art venue in the Baltic States, has an exhibition space of . The centre develops international and Lithuanian exhibitions and presents a range of public programs which include lectures, seminars, performances, film and video screenings, and live music. On 10 November 2007, the Jonas Mekas Visual Arts Center was opened by avant-garde filmmaker Jonas Mekas; its premiere exhibition was The Avant-Garde: From Futurism to Fluxus. In 2018, the MO Museum opened as an initiative of Lithuanian scientists and philanthropists Danguolė and Viktoras Butkus. Its collection of 5,000 modern pieces includes major Lithuanian artworks from the 1950s to the present.

Literature

thumb|alt=Old photo of a store exterior|The Zawadzki bookstore, on present-day [[Pilies Street. Its signs are in Russian, Polish, Lithuanian, French, and German.]]

Around 1520, Francysk Skaryna (author of the first Ruthenian Bible) established eastern Europe's first printing house in Vilnius. Skaryna prepared and published the Little Traveller's Book (Ruthenian: Малая подорожная книжка), the first printed book of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, in 1522. Three years later, he printed the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles (the Apostle).

The Vilnius Academy Press was established in 1575 by Lithuanian nobleman Mikołaj Krzysztof "the Orphan" Radziwiłł as the Vilnius Academy printing house, delegating its management to the Jesuits. It published its first book, Piotr Skarga's Pro Sacratissima Eucharistia contra haeresim Zwinglianam, in May 1576. The press was funded by the Lithuanian nobility and the church. In 1805, Józef Zawadzki bought the press and founded the Józef Zawadzki printing shop. Operating continuously until 1939, it published books in a number of languages; Adam Mickiewicz's first poetry book was published in 1822.

Mikalojus Daukša translated and published a catechism by Spanish Jesuit theologian Jacobo Ledesma in 1595, the first printed Lithuanian-language book in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He also translated and published Jakub Wujek's Postilla Catholica in 1599.

thumb|left|alt=Exterior of a large church|Gate of the [[Basilian Monastery in Vilnius|Basilian Monastery, where Adam Mickiewicz was imprisoned for fighting Russian rule]]

Many writers were born in Vilnius, lived there, or are alumni of Vilnius University; they include Konstantinas Sirvydas, Maciej Kazimierz Sarbiewski, Antoni Gorecki, Józef Ignacy Kraszewski, Antoni Edward Odyniec, Michał Józef Römer, Adam Mickiewicz, Władysław Syrokomla, Józef Mackiewicz, Romain Gary, Juliusz Słowacki, Simonas Daukantas, Mykolas Biržiška, Petras Cvirka, Kazys Bradūnas, Nobel laureate Czesław Miłosz. Vilnius Academy of Arts alumnae have also added to the internationally acclaimed contemporary writers such as Jurga Ivanauskaitė, Undinė Radzevičiūtė and Kristina Sabaliauskaitė. The first consideration of the First Statute of Lithuania took place in 1522 at the Seimas of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The code was drafted under the guidance of Grand Chancellor of Lithuania Albertas Goštautas in accordance with customary law, legislation, and canon and Roman law. It is Europe's first codification of secular law. Albertas Goštautas supported the use of Lithuanian in literature and protected Lithuanian authors (including Abraomas Kulvietis and Michael the Lithuanian) who criticised the use of Old Church Slavonic, and called refugees Old Believers in De moribus tartarorum, lituanorum et moscorum.

thumb|alt=Exterior of a square, white building|The Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore in [[Vileišis Palace]]

Since the 16th century, the Lithuanian Metrica has been kept at the Lower Castle and safeguarded by the State Chancellor. Due to the deterioration of the books, Grand Chancellor Lew Sapieha ordered the Metrica recopied in 1594; the recopying continued until 1607. The recopied books were inventoried, rechecked, and transferred to a separate building in Vilnius; the older books remained in the Castle of Vilnius. According to 1983 data, 665 books remain on microfilm at the Lithuanian State Historical Archives in Vilnius.

Over 200 tiles and plaques commemorating writers who lived and worked in Vilnius and foreign authors connected to Vilnius and Lithuania adorn walls on Literatų Street () in the Old Town, outlining the history of Lithuanian literature. The Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore and the Lithuanian Writers' Union are in the city. The Vilnius book fair is held annually at LITEXPO, the Baltics' largest exhibition centre.

Cinema

thumb|alt=Exterior of the Botanical Garden gate|Billboard above the Botanical Garden main gate of the first film screening in Vilnius (1896)

The first public film session in Vilnius was held in the Botanical Garden (now the Bernardinai Garden) in July 1896. It was held after 1895 film sessions by Auguste and Louis Lumière in Paris. The session in Vilnius showed the Lumière brothers' documentary films. The first films shown were educational, filmed outside Vilnius (in India and Africa), and introduced other cultures. Georges Méliès' film, A Trip to the Moon, was first shown at the Lukiškės Square movie theater in 1902; it was the first feature film shown in Vilnius.

The first movie theater in Vilnius, Iliuzija (Illusion), opened in 1905 at 60 Didžioji Street. The first movie theaters, similar to theatres, had boxes with more-expensive seats. Because early films were silent, showings were accompanied by orchestral performances. Cinema screenings were sometimes combined with theatrical performances and illusion shows. Kino Pavasaris is the city's largest film festival. The Lithuanian Film Centre (), tasked with promoting the development and competitiveness of the Lithuanian film industry, is in Vilnius.

Music

thumb|left|upright=0.66|alt=Title page of a libretto|[[Libretto of the first opera staged in Vilnius (1636), before the first operas in Paris (1645) and London (1656)]]

Musicians performed at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania as early as the 14th century, since Grand Duke Gediminas' daughter Aldona of Lithuania was known to be enthusiastic about music. Aldona brought court musicians and singers to Kraków after marrying King Casimir III the Great. During the 16th century, composers such as Wacław of Szamotuły, Jan Brant, Heinrich Finck, Cyprian Bazylik, Alessandro Pesenti, Luca Marenzio, and Michelagnolo Galilei lived in Vilnius; the city was also home to virtuoso lutist Bálint Bakfark. One of the first local musicians in written sources was Steponas Vilnietis (Stephanus de Vylna). The first textbook of Lithuanian music, The Art and Practice of Music (), was published in Vilnius by Žygimantas Liauksminas in 1667.

Italian artists produced Lithuania's first opera on 4 September 1636 at the Palace of the Grand Dukes, commissioned by Grand Duke Władysław IV Vasa. Operas are produced at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre and by the Vilnius City Opera.

The Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society, the country's largest and oldest state-owned concert organization, produces live concerts and tours in Lithuania and abroad. The Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, founded by Gintaras Rinkevičius, performs in Vilnius.

thumb|alt=An outdoor stage and a crowd|The Lithuanian Song and Dance Festival in Vingis Park

Choral music is popular in Lithuania, and Vilnius has three choir laureates (Brevis, Jauna Muzika, and the Chamber Choir of the Conservatoire) at the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing. The Lithuanian Song and Dance Festival in Vilnius has been presented every four years since 1990 for about 30,000 singers and folk dancers in Vingis Park. In 2008, the festival and its Latvian and Estonian counterparts were designated as a UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

The jazz scene is active in Vilnius; in 1970–71, the Ganelin/Tarasov/Chekasin trio founded the Vilnius Jazz School. The Vilnius Jazz Festival is held annually.

thumb|alt=A middle-aged man in a leather jacket and jeans|[[Andrius Mamontovas, leader of Foje and founder of the annual Gatvės muzikos diena (Street Music Day)]]

The annual Gatvės muzikos diena (Street Music Day) gathers musicians on the city's streets. Vilnius is the birthplace of singers Mariana Korvelytė – Moravskienė, Paulina Rivoli, Danielius Dolskis, Vytautas Kernagis, Algirdas Kaušpėdas, Andrius Mamontovas, Nomeda Kazlaus, and Asmik Grigorian); composers César Cui, Felix Yaniewicz, Maximilian Steinberg, Vytautas Miškinis, and Onutė Narbutaitė); conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla), and musicians Antoni Radziwiłł, Jascha Heifetz, Clara Rockmore, and Romas Lileikis).

It was the hometown of 18th-century composers Michał Kazimierz Ogiński, Johann David Holland (colleague of C. Bach), Maciej Radziwiłł, and Michał Kleofas Ogiński. Nineteenth-century Vilnius was known for singer Kristina Gerhardi Frank, a close friend of Mozart and Haydn (who starred in the premiere of Haydn's Creation), mid-19th century guitar virtuoso Marek Konrad Sokołowski and composer Stanisław Moniuszko. The wealthiest woman in Vilnius during the early 19th century was singer Maria de Neri. In the early 20th century, Vilnius was the hometown of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, Mikas Petrauskas, and Juozas Tallat-Kelpša. Late-20th- and early 21st-century musicians include Vyacheslav Ganelin, Petras Vyšniauskas, Petras Geniušas, Mūza Rubackytė, Alanas Chošnau, and Marijonas Mikutavičius.

The Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, headquartered on Gediminas Avenue, is also located at the Slushko Palace in Antakalnis. Singers who have lectured at the academy include tenors Kipras Petrauskas and Virgilijus Noreika.

Theatre

thumb|left|150px|1687 [[Latin page of a theatre program dedicated to Algirdas, which was performed in Vilnius]]

The Lithuanian Grand Dukes' entertainment at the castle, rulers' visits abroad and guests' meetings had theatrical elements. During Sigismund III Vasa's residence in Vilnius in the early 17th century, English actors performed at the palace. Władysław IV Vasa established a professional opera theatre in the Lower Castle in 1635, where drammas per musica were performed by the Italian Virgilio Puccitelli. The performances had basic, luxurious scenography.

A Jesuit School Theatre existed between the 16th and 18th centuries, with its first performance (Hercules by S. Tucci) in 1570 in Vilnius. Baroque aesthetics prevailed at the theatre, which also had medieval retrospectives, Renaissance elements, Rococo motifs, and an educational function. Performances were in Latin, but elements of the Lithuanian language were included and some of the works had Lithuanian themes (plays dedicated to Algirdas, Mindaugas, Vytautas and other Lithuanian rulers).

Wojciech Bogusławski established Vilnius City Theatre, the city's first public theatre, in 1785. The theatre, initially in the Oskierka Palace, moved to the Radziwiłł Palace and Vilnius Town Hall. Plays were performed in Polish until 1845, from 1845 to 1864 in Polish and Russian, and after 1864 in Russian. After the Lithuanian-language ban was lifted, plays were also performed in Lithuanian. The theatre closed in 1914.

thumb|alt=Exterior of a large, white building|The [[Lithuanian National Drama Theatre]]

During the interwar period (when the city was part of Poland), Vilnius was known for the modern, experimental Reduta troupe and institute led by Juliusz Osterwa. The Vilnius Lithuanian Stage Amateur Company (), established in 1930 and renamed Vilnius's Lithuanian Theatre, performed in the region. In 1945, it was merged with the Lithuanian National Drama Theatre.

Photography

thumb|upright=0.66|alt=Very old photo of a solar flare|A [[coronal mass ejection, captured in 1867 with Vilnius's photoheliograph (the second such device in the world)]]

According to the memoirs of architect Bolesław Podczaszyński, published in January 1853 in the , Lithuanian photography began with the daguerreotyping in the summer of 1839 of the reconstructed Verkiai Palace by François Marcillac (governor of the children of Duke Ludwig Wittgenstein). The country's unfavorable political situation hampered the development of new technology and cultural activities. The first known daguerreotype-portrait atelier in Vilnius was opened in 1843 by C. Ziegler, and ateliers operated in Lithuania until 1859. One of the best-known photographers was K. Neupert, from Norway. Aleksander Władysław Strauss, and Józef Czechowicz. Jan Bułhak founded the country's first photography club in Vilnius in 1927. In 1952, Švyturys magazine organized the city's first photography exhibition.

| alt1 = An ornate gold monstrance

| image2 = Lithuania 1616 10 Ducats (reverse).jpg

| caption2 = Reverse of Sigismund III Vasa's 10-ducat gold coin, struck in the Vilnius Mint in 1616, with the coat of arms of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the privy marks of the Grand Treasurer of Lithuania, Hieronim Wołłowicz

| alt2 = Detailed reverse of a gold coin

Iron tools, weapons, brass, glass and silver jewelry have been produced in present-day Lithuania since the first century. Pottery wood products, and weaving became widespread in the second and fourth centuries. During the feudal era, home crafts were components of a subsistence economy. During the 13th and 14th centuries, crafts became a branch of the economy separate from agriculture. The Grand Dukes of Lithuania promoted the development of crafts in cities, and weaving, shoemaking, fur-making and other crafts predominated. With the early-14th-century introduction of foreign artisans, the development of crafts accelerated; crafts and trade stimulated the growth of Vilnius and other Lithuanian cities. In the 14th and 15th centuries, crafts were specialized (especially the production of tools, household items, fabrics, clothing, weapons, and jewelry); workshops were established which trained and defended the interests of craftspeople. Production of fine glassware began, goldsmithing was developed, and the level of pottery and weaving rose during the 16th century, and the 1529 and 1588 Statutes of Lithuania identify 25 crafts. The Vilnius Mint, the main mint of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, minted the Lithuanian denarius, shillings, groschen, thalers, ducats, and other coins from 1387 to 1666.

Crafting declined in the second half of the 17th century due to the Russo-Polish War, and most goods were imported and sold by Lithuanian and Polish nobles. It revived from the second half of the 18th century to the first half of the 19th century, with Vilnius the largest Lithuanian craft center. After the abolition of serfdom, craft schools were established in Lithuanian cities; crafts have prevailed in clothing manufacturing, goldsmithing, woodworking, food processing, and other fields. Under Soviet occupation, craftspeople worked in artels until 1960 and then in combines. After independence, crafts were produced by small and medium-sized businesses.

| alt2 = An old manuscript

A multicultural city, Vilnius's language changed over the centuries. The predominant spoken language in medieval Lithuania was Lithuanian. It had no literary tradition, however, and was not used in writing except for religious texts such as the Lord's Prayer and the Hail Mary. Saint Casimir, the patron saint of Lithuania, knew Lithuanian, Polish, German and Latin. Fifteenth-century Byzantine historian Laonikos Chalkokondyles reported that the Lithuanians had a distinct language.

Ruthenian was used after the incorporation of Kievan Rus', forming the basis of 19th-century Ukrainian and Belarusian. Written Ruthenian stemmed from the interaction of Church Slavonic and Old East Slavic with Ruthenian dialects, becoming the main language of the chancery of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the 14th and 15th centuries and maintained its dominance until the mid-17th century.

Latin and Polish were also widely used in the chancery; Polish replaced Ruthenian in written sources and Lithuanian in public use during the second half of the 17th century. The first state documents in Lithuanian appeared in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania at the end of its existence. In 1552, Sigismund ordered that orders from the Magistrate of Vilnius be announced in Lithuanian, Polish, and Ruthenian. Minorities such as Jews, Lipka Tatars, and Crimean Karaites were ruled by the Grand Duke of Lithuania, and their languages were only used among themselves. According to Article 14 of the Lithuanian constitution, Lithuanian is the official language; however, interpreter assistance is sometimes provided.

Fashion

According to historian Antanas Čaplinskas, wives of merchants and craftsmen wore rings decorated with gemstones. Sixteenth- and seventeenth-century property inventories list long, wide-sleeved jackets (known as kontuszy), żupany decorated with fur, and kontusz belts. Buttons, made of pearl, coral, brilliant-cut diamonds and emeralds, were decorated with diamonds and enamel.

Wealthy townspeople in luxurious clothing aroused the envy of Lithuanian nobility, who demanded laws regulating attire. The 1588 Statute of Lithuania limited townspeople to two rings, and Jews could not wear gold chains and brooches.

The annual Vilnius spring Mados infekcija (Fashion Infection), Lithuania's largest fashion show, began in 1999. Lithuanian clothing designer Juozas Statkevičius usually presents his shows in the city.

Holidays and festivals

thumb|alt=A crowded street scene|Kaziuko mugė is held each March to honor Saint Casimir

Catholic holidays such as Christmas, Easter, and Saint John's Eve) are widely celebrated. On 16 February (anniversary of the Act of Independence of Lithuania) and 11 March (anniversary of the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania), festive and religious events take place in Vilnius. On the evening of 12 January, bonfires are lit to commemorate the January Events.

Kaziuko mugė (Saint Casimir's Fair), held annually in the city's markets and streets on the Sunday nearest to 4 March (the feast of Saint Casimir), attracts many visitors and Lithuanian and foreign craftspeople. Easter palms () are symbolic of the fair. Capital Days (), Vilnius's largest festival of music and culture, is held from 30 August to 1 September. The river Vilnia is dyed green every year for Saint Patrick's Day. During the annual Vilnius Culture Night, artists and cultural organisations hold events and performances throughout the city.

Administration

Government

thumb|upright=0.8|alt=Painting of an older, bearded man|[[Krzysztof "Piorun" Radziwiłł was Voivode of Vilnius from 1584 to 1603. After his victories against Ivan the Terrible during the Livonian War, he was nicknamed "the Thunderbolt".]]

Before Magdeburg rights were granted to Vilnius in 1378, the city was ruled by vicegerents. Government was later granted to a magistrate or a city council, subordinate to the ruler. In wartime, it was led by a voivode. The government headquarters was at Vilnius Town Hall.

The magistrate was responsible for the city's economy: collecting taxes, overseeing the treasury, and accumulating stocks of grain to avoid starvation during famine or wars. He was a notary in transactions and testaments, a judge in conflicts involving construction and renovation, and took care of craftspeople; statutes involving workshops were approved by the ruler, but Sigismund II Augustus gave this responsibility to magistrates in 1552. Since a 1522 ruling by Sigismund I the Old, Vilnius magistrates had to protect the city and its residents with 24 armed guards. During wartime, the night watch was conducted by the magistrate, bishop and castle men.

thumb|left|alt=Exterior of a large, white building, with a church in the background|The [[Neoclassicism|neoclassical Town Hall, designed by Laurynas Gucevičius in 1799]]

The chief city administrator was a Catholic vaitas (a vicegerent of the Grand Duke of Lithuania), most of whom were beginning their careers in the magistracy, and chaired city-council meetings. He adjudicated criminal cases, with the right to impose capital punishment. Originally examining cases alone, two suolininkai also began examining important cases in the 16th century. At that time, the city council consisted of 12 burgomasters and 24 councilors; half were Catholics, the other half Orthodox). Members were chosen by wealthy townspeople, merchants, and workshop elders. Burgomasters were lifetime appointments; at death, another member of the council with the same religion was chosen. In 1536, Sigismund I the Old signed an edict prohibiting close relatives on the council and requiring prior agreement by the townspeople of new taxes, obligations and regulations. Vilnius was the capital of the Lithuania Governorate from 1797 to 1801, the Vilna Governorate-General from 1794 to 1912, and the Vilna Governorate from 1795 to 1915. After the Soviet occupation of Lithuania, Vilnius was the capital of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. Beginning with the 2011 elections, independent candidates are permitted. Its executive organ is the .

Before 2015, mayors were appointed by the council. Beginning that year, mayors were elected in a two-round system.

Subdivisions

thumb|upright=1.5|alt=Numbered map of Vilnius|Map of Vilnius elderships. Numbers on the map correspond with numbers on the list.

thumb|upright=1.5|[[Copernicus Programme|Copernicus Sentinel-2 image of Vilnius from space]]

{| class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%;"

! Eldership !! Area (km2) !! Population !! Density (per km2) !! Map number

| Antakalnis (includes Valakampiai, Turniškės, and Dvarčionys)

| 77.2

| 39,257

| 510

| 2

| Fabijoniškės (includes Bajorai)

| 4.1

| 37,006

| 9,000

| 4

| Grigiškės (a city)

| 7.1

| 10,335

| 1,500

| 13

| Justiniškės

| 3.0

| 25,956

| 8,700

| 6

| Karoliniškės

| 4.0

| 24,751

| 6,200

| 11

| Lazdynai

| 9.9

| 30,945

| 3,100

| 14

| Naujamiestis (includes bus and train stations)

| 4.9

| 28,157

| 5,700

| 16

| Naujininkai (includes Kirtimai, Salininkai, and Vilnius Čiurlionis International Airport)

| 41.1

| 30,030

| 730

| 20

| Naujoji Vilnia (includes Pavilnys and Pūčkoriai)

| 39.3

| 36,800

| 940

| 18

| Paneriai (includes Trakų Vokė and Gariūnai)

| 84.8

| 11,149

| 130

| 19

| Pašilaičiai (includes Tarandė)

| 7.9

| 40,384

| 5,100

| 3

| Pilaitė

| 13.9

| 28,234

| 2,000

| 5

| Rasos (includes Belmontas and Markučiai)

| 16.3

| 10,230

| 630

| 21

| Senamiestis (Old Town) (includes Užupis)

| 4.5

| 21,782

| 4,800

| 17

| Šeškinė

| 4.4

| 28,137

| 6,400

| 8

| Šnipiškės

| 3.1

| 16,474

| 5,300

| 9

| Verkiai (includes Baltupiai, Jeruzalė, Santariškės, Balsiai, and Visoriai)

| 55.7

| 50,754

| 910

| 1

| Vilkpėdė (includes Vingis Park)

| 10.8

| 19,325

| 1,800

| 15

| Viršuliškės

| 2.5

| 13,877

| 5,600

| 7

| Žirmūnai (includes and )

| 5.7

| 43,453

| 8,600

| 10

| Žvėrynas

| 2.6

| 12,089

| 4,700

| 12

Vilnius District Municipality

thumb|left|alt=Aerial view of an old fortress|[[Medininkai Castle, built in the first half of the 14th century. It is the largest enclosure-type defensive castle in Lithuania and a primary landmark in the district.]]

thumb|alt=See caption|Map of Vilnius district

Vilnius District Municipality (), one of the country's largest municipalities, covers and has 23 elderships. There are over 1,000 villages and five towns (Nemenčinė, Bezdonys, Maišiagala, Mickūnai and Šumskas) in the district. It borders Belarus and the Švenčionys, Moletai, Širvintos, Elektrėnai, Trakai and Šalčininkai districts.

The district has a multinational population, of which 52 percent are Poles, 33 percent Lithuanians, and the remainder Russians, Belarusians and other nationalities (including Ukrainians). It has a population of over 100,000; 95 percent live in villages, and five percent live in towns. Palm-making dates to the time of St. Casimir.

With its large Polish population, the Vilnius District Municipality Council primarily consists of members of the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania party. Its mayor is Robert Duchniewicz of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Union.

National government

thumb|left|[[Seimas Palace in Vilnius, where the parliamentarians of Lithuania convenes]]

thumb|alt=A large room with horseshoe-shaped seating, seen from above|A Seimas [[plenary session]]

Vilnius is the seat of Lithuania's national government. The country's two chief officers have their offices in Vilnius. The president resides at the Presidential Palace in Daukanto Square, and the prime minister's seat is at the Government of Lithuania office in Gediminas Avenue. According to law, the president has a residence in Vilnius's Turniškės district near the Neris. The prime minister is also has entitled to a residence in Turniškės district during their term in office. Government ministries are located throughout the city, many in the Old Town.

The Seimas of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania primarily gathered in Vilnius. The present-day Seimas meets at the Seimas Palace in Gediminas Avenue.

Lithuania's highest courts are in Vilnius. The Supreme Court of Lithuania (), which reviews criminal and civil cases, is in Gynėjų Street. The Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania (), which adjudicates litigation against public bodies, is in Žygimantų Street. The Constitutional Court of Lithuania (), an advisory body with authority over the constitutionality of laws, meets in the Constitutional Court Palace in Gediminas Avenue. The Lithuanian Tribunal, the highest appellate court for the nobility of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and established by Stephen Báthory in 1581, was in Vilnius until the Third Partition of Poland in 1795.

Special services

Security in Vilnius is primarily the responsibility of the Vilniaus apskrities vyriausiasis policijos komisariatas, the highest police office in the city, and local police offices. Its main responsibilities are ensuring public order and safety, reporting and investigating criminal offenses, and traffic control. In 2016, the city had 1,500 police officers. The Public Security Service is responsible for the prompt restoration of public order in special situations and ensuring the protection of important state objects and escorted subjects.

Vilniaus apskrities priešgaisrinė gelbėjimo valdyba is the primary governing body of Vilnius's firefighters. There were 1,287 fire incidents in the first nine months of 2018, killing six people and injuring 16.

Vilniaus greitosios medicinos pagalbos stotis is responsible for emergency medical services in the city, and the EMS telephone number is 033. Established in 1902, it is one of eastern Europe's oldest EMS institutions. Many doctors and other personnel received medals for their assistance to victims of the 1991 January Events.