Verkiai Palace

Verkiai was the summer residence of the bishops of Vilnius, and the ensemble built at the end of the eighteenth century by Laurynas Gucevičius for Bishop Ignacy Massalski was one of the finest classicist compositions in the region: a central palace flanked by two wings on a terrace above the Neris valley. The central block was demolished in the nineteenth century and the two wings survive, restored, with a formal terrace and steps between them and a long view over the river. The park around is now part of the Verkiai regional park, with old trees, ponds, a water mill and paths down to the water. Trinapolis monastery stands nearby. It is a straightforward trip from the city and combines with the Green Lakes.

History

The land belonged to the Grand Dukes of Lithuania until the end of the 14th century, with a wooden manor here already in the 13th; in 1387 Jogaila, Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland, gave it to the bishops of Vilnius when Lithuania accepted Christianity, and it stayed their summer residence until the end of the 18th century. After Bishop Ignacy Jakub Massalski took it over in 1780, Marcin Knackfus drew the general plan and Laurynas Gucevičius designed the main palace and stables in the neoclassical style, and the result, with a small theatre, a large library and a park, was called the Versailles of Vilnius. The palace was badly damaged during Napoleon's invasion of Russia, and Prince Ludwig Wittgenstein, who bought Verkiai in 1839, had the central building pulled down, after which the east wing served as the palace; that same year Karol Podczaszyński made a daguerreotype of it, the first known photograph taken in present-day Lithuania, now lost. Since 1960 the ensemble has belonged to the Lithuanian Institute of Botany (Wikipedia, Verkiai Palace).

What's there

• The surviving wings - two classicist blocks flanking the missing centre.
• The river terrace - the view over the Neris valley from the bluff.
• The park - old trees, ponds and a mill along the paths.
• Trinapolis monastery - the ensemble nearby above the river.

When to go

May to September for the park at its best; autumn colour in October is good. The buildings keep limited hours and events can close them. The park is open year round.

Things to know

The main palace no longer exists, so the ensemble is incomplete and the effect is diminished. Interior access is limited and depends on events. The park is pleasant rather than remarkable. Public transport from the city is slow.

Nearby

The Green Lakes lie north; Vilnius is south.

Key facts