St Anne's Church

St Anne's is the finest piece of Gothic in Lithuania, a small church whose west front is built from more than thirty different shapes of moulded brick into a soaring, flame-like facade. Legend says Napoleon, passing through, wished he could carry it back to Paris in the palm of his hand.

What you actually see

• The brick facade - the flamboyant Gothic west front of moulded red brick.
• The Bernardine church - the larger brick church rising directly behind it.
• The riverside setting - the pair of churches by the Vilnele.
• The interior - a modest but atmospheric single nave.

When to go

Year-round; low sun raking across the brickwork brings out the detail of the facade. It is a quick stop on any old town walk.

Honest expectations

It is small, and the interior is simple - the masterpiece is the exterior brickwork, so the visit is mostly about standing and looking at the facade. It is a brief stop rather than a long one. Combine it with the walk to Uzupis just across the river.

Nearby

Uzupis is a two-minute walk over the Vilnele; the Bernardine gardens and old town lie around it.