The official blog of Visit Lithuania
Keep up to date with the latest news and events at travel agency VISIT LITHUANIA, local provider of travel service in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia. And there's more to come.
The Birth of Lithuania
“In the year 1009, St Bruno, also known as Boniface, archbishop and monk, during his eleventh year after having become a monk, was killed by pagans at the border of Rus’ and Lithuania on the 9th of March with 18 of his brethren, all of whom went to heaven.” – Quedlinburg Annals, St Servatius Monastery, Germany
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- Experiencing Vilnius Insider and Outsider Perspectives
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- The Biggest Internet Conference in the Baltic States LOGIN 2010 Invites to Discuss about the Future
- For Homeland - twentieth!
- Celebration of Lithuanian Independence
- Lithuanian Rope. Let’s Know about Vilnius
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Jan
28
Instant weekend … Vilnius
Filed Under what the press say ... | Comment
David Atkinson ,The Observer, Sunday 18 January 2009
Year of culture … thousands of people watch the Gert Hoff light show in the Cathedral Square of central Vilnius.
Photograph: Ray Tang/Rex Features
Why Go Now?
Jan
23
Film Marathon 52 weeksVilnius movies viewers will have possibility to see 52 world famous movies, had the greatest impact on the language of film and development. The program will consist of the New York Museum of Modern Art moviedepartament together with the international avant-garde cinema center “Anthology Film Archives” and the movie audience will present the world famous film critics belonging to the International Federation of Film Critics “FIPRESCI”. The culmination of the project - the event “Avangardo golden age”, the program will cover the avant-garde movement from the beginning (Dada, Hans Richter) to Jurgis Mačiūnas death. Event will be attended by invited guests, who will present their films and lectures.
The first three in 2009 months for voiceless cinema - from birth to the art of cinema sound and color appearance.
This project is one of Vilnius - European captial of culture.
Jan
22
30 January - 13 February 2009. The exhibition will take place at the Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School, Hardinge Street, London, E1 0EB and will be open Wednesday - Friday from 5 to 8 pm and on Saturdays at 12 to 4 pm.
In the 16th c. copy of the Annals of Quedlinburg there is the following entry for the date 1009: “St Bruno, also known as Boniface, archbishop and monk, during his eleventh year after having become a monk, was killed by pagans at the border of Rus’ and Lithuania on the 9th of March with 18 of his brethren, all of whom went to heaven.” Christianity did not then become established in Lithuania. However, thanks to St Bruno’s mission the name of Lithuania appears for the first time although the creation of the Lithuanian state had begun before that.
The exhibition “Lithuania: Culture and History” provides a vivid account of the most important events in the history and culture of this country. The exhibition presents the most important periods in Lithuanian history: the old Lithuanian state (11th – 18th c.), the tsarist Russian occupation (19th c.), the independent Lithuanian Republic (1918–1940), fifty years of occupation (1940–1990), and the restoration of independent Lithuania (since 1990). The exhibition includes images of Lithuania, architectural masterpieces, portraits of important personalities, events, all of which convey Lithuania’s history and culture.
Separate exhibition stands trace the unique cultural trends of the Lithuanian State (e.g. Vasa Baroque) – trends which have left their mark and indicate Lithuania’s ties to other European cultures. Very few English people may know that King Henry IV participated in the burning of the Castle of Vilnius in 1390, and of interest to all Europeans will be the fact that in 1429 the Diet of Lutsk, organized by Vytautas the Great, is comparable to current European summits, which were very unusual during the Middle Ages.
The story about the history and culture of Lithuania, narrated by the exhibition, reaffirms that Lithuania was and continues to be an integral and inseparable part of Christian Europe and that the history of Lithuania was and continues to be a history of its encounters, links and dialogues with European peoples, states and cultures.
The exhibition is based on the concept of the art historian Dr. Irena Vaišvilaitė. The authors of the exhibition are Romualdas Budrys, Dr. Vydas Dolinskas, and Mindaugas Šapoka. It is a joint project of the Lithuanian Art Museum and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania. The iconography, images, and artefacts have been put together from many Lithuanian and international collections. The exhibition includes videos based on Marius Jovaiša’s photo album “Unseen Lithuania”, as well as the film “Flight Over Lithuania” by Arūnas Matelis and Audrius Stonys.
The exhibition in London has been prepared in collaboration with Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School and the Lithuanian Embassy in London.
For further details please contact 020 7935 9872, culture@lithuanianembassy.co.uk
Jan
22
The It List 2009 by Ondine Cohane
Filed Under what the press say ... | Comment
Vilnius, Lithuania
Don’t be ashamed if you can’t point out this pocket-size country or its fairy-tale capital on a map—or if you have no idea what you might find there. That’s all the better for insiders who’ve had the considerable charms of this former Soviet puppet all to themselves. Let’s start with its lost-in-time architecture: ornate Romanesque churches with gilded cupolas found alongside Baroque mansions on cobblestone streets (the entire old town has been designated a UNESCO Heritage Site). If you arrive in winter, the whole place looks like a snow globe, with locals ice skating on the huge city lake and getting quite merry on absinthe. The liquor is now legal after being banned for a century; see how much you remember after a couple of absinthe mojitos at Absento Fejos. There’s more to the nightlife than that, however: chic wine bars such as In Vino, clubs where dancing until 5 am is par for the course (try Brodvejus), and authentic local taverns—fancy grilled beaver with your beer? Take the funicular up Gediminas Hill for the great views over the city, then head to the island suburb of Uzupis, an up-and-coming artist neighborhood. The Lithuanian capital’s pleasures are extremely reasonable—the City Park Hotel has gorgeous views over Cathedral Square for less than $200 a night, while you’ll spend half that for one of the 39 rooms at Domus Maria, a monastery turned boutique hotel. Throughout the year, Vilnius will be under the international spotlight as the European Culture Capital of 2009, with a bevy of festivals, concerts, and events set for the occasion.
Jan
21
In Helsinki ends four days tooks (January 15-18 th) in the north largest international tourism exhibition Matka’09. There Lithuanian tourism opportunities presented Department of Tourism, Tourist Information Center in Helsinki, Vilnius, Kaunas and Birstonas tourist information centers, “Klaipeda” hotel chain. Despite the difficult economic situation, interest in the exhibition this year has increased - it was visited by 85 669 guests, that is about a thousand more than last year. International tourism news, and looked for new contacts to seek 17 000 business tourism professionals. The exhibition was visited by 1 400 journalists
Opening day meeting with the tourism theme Finnish journalists Lithuania had very strong interest. According to the Lithuanian tourism information center director Dariaus Skaudžio, “the parties most interested in the north and Vilnius European Capital of Culture events and seaside holidays, but this year, far more questions submitted about Kaunas, Birstonas, Druskininkai and travel in smaller cities of Lithuania.”
At the exhibition, the TNS Gallup made a survey. Finnish surveyed said that this year will travel as much or more than last year, and 37 percent. the people surveyed this year promises to travel more than in the past 1-3 years. In so far as well as last year, and will travel at least half the people surveyed. “After reviewing the Finnish travel habits during the 90’s crisis, the Finnish tourist, business experts argue that the current crisis in the Finns travel will be surviving , but instead of exotic Far Eastern countries choose to travel closer edges.For Lithuania tourism business is really good news, because geographically located close to Russia from Finland is easily accessible both by air, and cars “- did not hide the joy of the Lithuanian tourism information center in Helsinki leader D.Skaudis. Moreover, the Finnish tourism professionals as well as the hopes of increasing the flow of tourists from neighboring edges - Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the Baltic countries.
The State Statistics Department data, in 2007 Lithuania collective accommodation establishments settled 37 thousand tourists from Finland, i.e. 5% more than in 2006. According to the flow of tourists to our country last year, Finland won the 8th place.
Jan
19
In Vilnius will be held Crafts Heritage Days
Filed Under Lithuania, culture, travel tips | Comment
Vilnius relevant in today’s craft heritage in Vilnius, in order to rebuild the old craft tradition of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania urban cultural expression. The old craft traditions of resuscitation Vilniuje Actual development of cultural tourism, and in order to present Vilnius as the old European tradition having t city. Vilnius resuscitation old craft tradition, once a month will be organized educational events at Vilnius historic manufactory places.
During “Baltramiejaus” fair, based on old technologies, will be delivered to Vilnius handsome artisans, crafts and ethnographic non handsome. In organizing the fair aims to attract ethnic minorities (Karaites, Tatars, Jews), and representatives of the following disclosure of the old city of Vilnius and Riga crafts historic multiculturalism. Illuminating, recreational, cultural, social implications of the project will realize Vilnius as a modern and dynamic space, where creative people rehabilitate past creating the future.
“Goldsmiths - the first craft shop in Vilnius”
Date: 21 February
Time: 12.00-18.00 hrs.
Location: Gaono street 6
The event is free of charge
“Old Riga tailors”
Date: 2009 29 March
Time: 11.00-18.00 hrs.
Location: Pilies Street. 34
The event is free of charge
St. Baltramiejaus Fair
Date: 21 August - 22 September
Location: Old Town
Jan
13
Lithuania is commemorating a day of Freedom defenders. 18 years ago the Soviet troops – the Pskov division and the KGB elite Alfa Special Forces attempted to crush the newly reborn Lithuanian state. Some died from the shot wounds; the Soviet tanks crushed some. In total 14 peaceful civilian freedom defenders lost their lives, hundreds more wounded.
The January 13 events are deeply ingrained in the Lithuanian’s hearts. I would place this date to one of the most important events in the Lithuanian history. I would call it Lithuania’s ‘Winter War’, which came some 50 years later. Same like the Fins in 1939 decided to fight with the much larger enemy despite the fears that the Soviets swiftly will crush the resistance.
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