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Published: October 12th 2007
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June 2005
Welcome to the most central city in Europe - at least that is what the National Geographical Institute of France published in 1990 - Vilnius. A large city with an almost village like feel to it and another Eastern European melting pot, as a result of the regular transfer of ownership over the centuries. The population today still contains a large proportion of Poles and Russians and has an architectural style somewhere between Italian baroque and Soviet social housing. It also has the largest Old Town in Europe and whilst it is easy to overdose on Old Towns in modern day Eastern Europe, this one is worth a look by anybody’s standards.
The mechanics of getting into town are easy - no need to get a lesson in Eastern European economics from a local taxi in this case, just hop on the Number 1 or 2 buses depending on your destination and you can even get change from the driver as long as your Lita note is not too big....just make sure you stamp your ticket, as people actually got arrested and taken away in a Police van when we were on the bus back to the
airport! We stayed in the upmarket Novotel - which was well positioned on the Ave Gedimino in the newer part of the city centre. The road was originally laid out in the 1850’s, so we’re talking relative terms with new! It basically links the Parliament Building with the Old Town and is home to plenty of shops and bars.
The sporting diversion was the Lithuanian Division 1 match between FC Vilnius and Nevezis, which conveniently kicked off at 1700 hours on the Saturday so as not to interfere with the refreshment intake of the evening. The Zalgirio Stadium plays host to the two main Vilnius teams and up until recently the national team, who’ve now decamped to play in a new stadium in Kaunas. It’s basically a sub standard small athletics ground, apparently knocked up by prisoners of war around 1950 and showing it’s age. The occasion won’t go down as one of the world’s great footie moments - a hard fought 1-1 draw, after some incompetent finishing by the home side. The crowd of approximately 250 provided more entertainment, as it was filled out with a merry band of Scots en route home from their nation’s game in
Double Coffee
A birthday treat and a pick me up after visiting The KGB Museum Minsk across the border in Belarus the previous Wednesday - even the TV cameras at one point ignored the game, in favour of some kilt filming! FC Vilnius’ colours obviously went down well with the Jam Tarts supporting visitors, but they were unable to reward this show of loyalty with a result.
The central areas of the city are dominated by churches - the official literature states that you can no longer see 4 churches from wherever you are, but you’d never know it. A quick trip for the view from the Castle will confirm. An alternative high rise view can be had from the Reval Hotel Lietuva, an easy walk through the pedestrian zone just north of the River Neris. The focus of the visitors to the city is very much on the Old Town - most occupying their time drinking and thinking. The retail therapy in this part of town is very amber orientated, which is extremely cheap by western European standards. The Higher Castle dominates, with the Cathedral, it’s square and the Belfry tower. Alas we have no decent photo of the Cathedral - the scaffolding gremlins were active during our visit. The church viewing is
endless in every domination, although probably the most celebrated is that of St Anne - apparently Napoleon wanted to take the Gothic facade back to Paris on his retreat from the Russians. The most congested part of the Old Town is at the Gates of Dawn - the last part of the old city walls remaining. The area behind Pilies Gratve takes on a more Bohemian feel and the prices drop - this is the area of Vilnius University, where you will get more of the splendid Svyturys wheat beer for your litas. If you need to soak up your beer on the cheap, look no further than the branches of Cili Kaimas serving Lithuanian food.
At the other end of Gendimino from the Cathedral Square is the Independence Square - the Nepriklausombyes Aikste. Despite the name, this area is dominated by two of the most prominent buildings from the Communist era - the Parliament Building and the National Library. There are few barricades left in place from the time of the struggle for independence in 1990.
A treat for Miranda was a trip to the old KGB Museum - their HQ was situated just off the main
Belfry
Situated in front of The Cathedral drag along Gedimino. An insight into the former Soviet regime’s way of subduing the locals is contained in the fairly unassuming building and is complete with the actual cells, execution chamber and torture apparatus. An expensive coffee at the Baltic’s answer to Starbucks and an expensive drink in the panorama bar of the aforementioned very tall hotel followed.
The second sporting diversion was our first experience of international handball (or any handball for that matter). Lithuania were playing Spain in a play off for the 2006 Euro Championships. We didn’t really know what to expect, but as the event was in the Siemens Arena in the north of the city - home of the Lithuanian’s favourite sport of basketball - they were obviously expecting a crowd. The crowd of 5000 was swelled by our kilt wearing friends and turned into a nail biting 25-25 draw, (which didn’t transpire to be enough to hold on to in the second leg in Spain).
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