Gediminas Tower

Gediminas Tower is the surviving red-brick keep of the upper castle on the hill above Vilnius cathedral, the emblem of the city and the founding legend of its name. A short climb or a funicular ride reaches it, and the terrace beside it gives the classic panorama over the baroque old town.

History

Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania (about 1275-1341), built the first wooden fortifications on the hill, and Grand Duke Vytautas completed the first brick castle there in 1409; the tower that remains of the Upper Castle was rebuilt in 1933 by the architect Jan Borowski, and some of the old castle has been restored from archaeological research. It now holds a museum of finds from the hill, with models of the Vilnius castles from the 14th to the 17th century, and the reconstructed Royal Palace of Lithuania at the foot of the hill was completed in 2009 (Wikipedia, Gediminas's Tower).

What's there

• The tower - the medieval red-brick keep and its small museum.
• The old town panorama - church spires and red roofs spread below.
• The castle hill - the earthworks and remains of the upper castle.
• Cathedral Square below - the white cathedral and bell tower at the foot.

When to go

A clear day for the view; sunset warms the old town roofs. Year-round, with the funicular helping in ice or for those who would rather not climb.

Good to know

The tower itself is small and the museum modest - people come for the view more than the interior. The path up is short but steep and slippery in wet or icy weather, though the funicular avoids it. The terrace is popular, so expect company at sunset.

Nearby

Cathedral Square is directly below; the whole old town spreads out beneath the hill.

Key facts