Time travel Dreamed-up city Vilnius celebrates 700 years

As Lithuania’s capital Vilnius turns 700 years old, the city is all geared up for welcoming visitors for a year of dazzling celebrations.

Listed in UNESCO’S 67 most noteworthy anniversaries of 2022-23, its festivities include must-see exhibitions as well as unique art and musical performances.

And the city’s birth seven centuries back was apparently all down to a sleeping nobleman and a wolf.

According to legend, the Grand Duke Gediminas was on a hunting trip in the forests of Šventaragis valley around the mouth of the River Vilnia, when he had an unusual dream.

He is said to have seen an iron wolf howling at the top of the mountain – the spot where he had killed a bison that day.

Puzzled by the meaning of his dream, he consulted a pagan priest Lizdeika, who told him it was an instruction from the gods to found a city among the hills.

So Gediminas began to build the future capital which took the name of Vilnius – from the stream of the River Vilnia – starting with a fortress on the hill. Gediminas then wrote letters in 1323 attracting foreign merchants from western countries to the city.

As part of the celebrations the castle is playing host to an interactive exhibition ‘Gediminas Letters in Vilnius’ featuring transcripts of the Duke’s letter.

The installation has been designed by lighting artist Arvydas Buinauskas and runs until August 27. There will also be exhibitions at the Palace of the Grand Dukes including a 3D virtual recreation of the Tower of Gediminas.

Other attractions include Vilnius Poker: The Exhibition at MO modern art museum, inspired by Ricardas Gavelis’ cult 1989 novel, from April 22 to January 14, 2024. Then on July 25, Vilnius will host the international music festival As Young As Vilnius. govilnius.lt