Gediminas Avenue

Gediminas Avenue (Gedimino prospektas) is the main boulevard of modern Vilnius, Lithuania, running about 1.7 kilometres from Cathedral Square in the east to Lukiskes Square in the west. Laid out in the 19th century as Georgiyevsky Prospect and renamed several times during Russian, Polish, Soviet and Lithuanian rule, it takes its present name from Grand Duke Gediminas, the legendary founder of Vilnius. The tree-lined avenue is the centre of the city's commercial and civic life and is lined with 19th and early 20th-century buildings, including the Lithuanian National Drama Theatre, the Parliament, the Vilnius Cathedral end, the Church of St. Casimir-linked sites, banks, hotels, boutiques, bookshops, restaurants and cafes. Much of the pedestrian-friendly stretch is busy with locals, office workers, shoppers and tourists, and in the evening the shopfronts and streetlights give the avenue a lively atmosphere. The avenue is the site of national events such as parades and protest marches, and it has often been the setting for moments of political importance, including the 1989 Baltic Way. A walk along its full length takes about 45 minutes, and many visitors stop for coffee, browse shops or visit the nearby Kalnu and Vingis parks. The best photo angles are looking east toward the cathedral and the bell tower, with Gediminas Hill behind, and looking west toward the modern city. Crowds peak on weekday lunch hours and weekend afternoons, while early mornings are quiet and bright. Evening brings lit-up shopfronts and a dining crowd. Public transport serves the avenue extensively, and it is easy to combine with Cathedral Square, the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights and Lukiskes Square.