Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania

The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania stands on Katedros Square in Vilnius, Lithuania, at the foot of Gediminas Hill, on the site of the old Lower Castle. A residence of the Grand Dukes grew here from the 14th century, and it developed into a large Gothic and Renaissance complex, notably expanded in the 16th century under Sigismund the Old and Sigismund Augustus, with Italian-influenced architecture. In the 17th century Wars with Muscovy and Sweden, the palace was damaged, and during the partitions it declined, with the remaining structures demolished by Russian authorities in 1801 and the following years. Archaeological excavations beginning in the 1980s uncovered cellars and foundations, and a decision to rebuild the palace was taken in the 1990s. Reconstruction took place between 2002 and 2018, using surviving documents, old drawings and finds, and the building opened as a museum to coincide with the centenary of the 1918 restoration of Lithuania's independence. Inside, visitors follow several routes. One covers the preserved original cellars and the history of the site through archaeological finds. Others lead through reconstructed Gothic and Renaissance halls, Baroque state rooms and exhibitions about courtly life, with period furniture, tapestries, paintings, ceramics, weapons and decorative arts from collections in Lithuania and abroad. The displays are largely thematic and arranged by period, tracing the building from medieval fortress to Baroque palace. Interpretation includes audio guides and multimedia displays. The museum, part of the National Museum Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, is among the best-known historical attractions in Vilnius, and a visit typically takes two to three hours if all routes are covered. The palace stands close to the cathedral and Gediminas Tower, so it fits easily into a walking tour of the Old Town.