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Published: January 28th 2010
Ausros Vartai - Ostra Brama
A view from Ausros Vartu gate. (Polish: ulica Ostrobramska)To Vilnius we travelled by bus from Riga. Both countries have low density and bus drives quite fast. In Lithuania they built a new road (they got money from UE) and it caused some obstructions. Country is pretty similar to Estonia and Latvia - flatland and covered by forest. Nice country, calm and silent I think
Vilnius was very important for us. Our grandparents came from over there to west Poland - they moved after second total war because this part of Poland was taken out by Soviet Union and most of Polish community were forced to leave the Vilnius and Vilnius county.
We based in hotel Mikotel in Pylimo street. Good location - 5 minutes walk to old town and monuments, but hotel isn't recommended. Why? No lift, wasted bathroom, very poor breakfast, no internet, 70 euros per night for double etc. The worst one amongst hotels and hostels whose we have experienced during our route.
We started sightseeing from
Gate of Dawn (Polish:Ostra Brama, Lithuanian: Aušros Vartai) - this is a former city gate and only one which remains to the present. Inside set a chapel with venerated icon of
Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn, the icon is very important for Catholics
Ausros Vartai - Ostra Brama
A view from Bazilijonu gatve regardless their nationality but most of the pilgrims arriving to pray there are Polish and Lithuanians. Short after having a look to icon we were walking along old town streets. Most of tenements are white with red roofs - typical Polish bordelands architecture from 18th and 19th century. We even met a local guide - old lady which offered us to be guide and say some words regarding Vilnius. Old town in Lithuanian capitol refers to classic architecture which you might see in differents towns in Europe but with one difference. This old town is very wide and mostly original - Vilnius haven't been destroyed during WWII. We turned to Adam Mickiewicz monument - he was a most famous Slavic poet alongside Alexander Pushkin and the most famous Polish poet. We saw his last house in Didioi Gatvė street. He had to set off to France to avoid a deportation to Siberia. At that time Poland and Lithuania were conquered by Russian empire and plenty people were deportated to Siberia especially when they had expressed any independence desire.
Shortly after we saw a cathedral and from there we directed to Upper Castle. We didn't get inside to cathedral because
Old Town - The painting of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn
This painting is held into The Gate of Dawn (Ausros Vartai/Ostra Brama). Tousands Lithuanian and Polish pilgrims visited there and pray. it was already overcrowded inside and we weren't have fancy to rejoin. Inside Upper Castle authorities organised a small museum, we looked this exhibition (quite interesting) and we turned back to old town. This time we desided to have someting. We directed to random wide street - it was Gedimino prospektas where we made a small shopping and had a lunch. In this street we found a milkshake restaurant and we tried some. Very tasty and I still remember that flavour - it stuck into my mind.
We took a rest and finally we desided to visit at two cementaries. First one: Bernardinų kapinės - The Bernardine Cemetery (Polish: Cmentarz Bernardyński) we visited by mistake but walked shortly. There are above 14000 burials from beginning of 19th to end of 20th century. To get there you must get to Uzupio gatvė than turn in Polocko gatve. This district is called Uzupis (Polish:Zarzecze). There were buried mainly Polish people but also Lithuanians and Belarussian and I couldn't understand why the cemetary is neglected by Vilnius authorities.
Our purpose was
Rasos Cemetery (Polish: Cmentarz na Rossie) which belongs to ones of the most important Polish necropolises. We expected to find graves
Old Town
A view at Ausros Vartu gatve towards Didzioi Gatve. any of our ancestors, especially mine and found one from XIX century! In this cemetary where buried notable and meritorious people from various nationalities, mainly Polish and this cemetary was partly destroyed during Soviet times but after independent Lithuania didn't put the emphasis to renovate necropolis. Some of the tombstones were destroyed by Soviets - they especially focused to destroy the soldiers graves. Russians cut down trees to let them to fall over the graves and finally to destroy some of them. Horrible barbaric act!!! We spend there a lot of time to see this place. Columbaries were destroyed by Soviets as well, chapel from XIX century has saved. It is really shameful for Vilnius's authorities they don't care about necropolies in their city. Some people might think if they treat in that way old necropolies they have no spirit and it's wasteful effort to travel there again.
While we were walking towards Rasos Cementary someone sworn us. We were so surprised when woman leaned out of car and sworn us... Despite we couldn't understand what she talking we noticed word
lenki - it means Polish in lithuanian. She screamed a few phreases and eventually slammed car door and
Old Town
Didzioi Gatve they gone. We felt disguisting and crushed. I just thought "what the f$%&^@g primitive country"!
Afterwards we came back to hotel to take a rest and at the next day we travelled to Trakai (Polish: Troki) to see a small castle.
I'm very glad, Vilnius in general is recommended to visit. We will come back there but nowadays we can't define when exactly.
Languages and general info: Despite of the fact the most of locals speak in Russian and most of the tourists speak in Polish you can't find any inscriptions in those languges. About 20 % of general population have Polish descent, and further 30 % have Russian or different eastern Slavic descent. Vilnius isn't well prepared for tourists - might be difficult to find out anything which you see because lack of inscritions and guides in foreign languges like as English or German. Beware for the beggers at the old town, especially nearby Aušros Vartai. It is shameful the town authorities allowed to beg in the most representative part of Lithuania's capitol. Those beggers are really insolent and might be very persistent following you.
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Tomasz
non-member comment
Our Wilno
A great history! Wilno is one of the most important Polish cities. Yes, Polish! There's a Polish culture everywhere. Those all monuments, palaces, and mansions; they are simply beautiful, unique, and true Poles love them. It's bad Lithuanians hate us, because we have a lot in common. But they don't wan to remember our great history. It's their choice. Hell with them. A very interesting blog, Marcin. I'll be reading it. Best wishes!