Church of St. Peter and St. Paul
Šv. apaštalų Petro ir Povilo bažnyčia
A plain-looking Baroque church whose interior is covered with more than 2,000 white stucco sculptures, widely regarded as a masterpiece of European Baroque stucco decoration.
The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul stands in the Antakalnis district, about 2 km northeast of the Old Town. It was funded by Lithuanian Grand Hetman Michał Paç and built between 1668 and 1701 to commemorate the recovery of Vilnius from Russian occupation. Its exterior is a relatively simple Baroque twin-tower façade, but the interior is stunning. The nave is almost entirely white, and the Italian craftsmen Pietro Perti and Giovanni Galli sculpted more than 2,000 figures and decorations in stucco. These include biblical scenes, saints, angels, knights, skulls representing death, mythical creatures, and motifs of flowers, fruit and armour. Yet there is not a single splash of colour, which gives the whole space a powerful sense of unity. The boat-shaped chandeliers hanging in the nave were made by Latvian craftsmen in 1905. In keeping with his wishes, Michał Paç was buried beneath the church threshold. His gravestone reads, 'Here lies a sinner.' Entry is free. To get there, take bus 2, 3 or 4 from Cathedral Square for about 5–10 minutes, or walk along the Neris River for about 25 minutes.
Opening hours
Approx. 07:00–19:00 (please keep quiet during Mass)
Nearby sights
- Hill of Three Crosses
- Bernardine Garden
- Užupis
- St. Anne's Church
- Gediminas' Tower
- National Museum of Lithuania (New Arsenal)
- Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania
- Pilies Street & Literatų Street