Vilnius University
Vilniaus universitetas
Founded in 1579, one of the oldest universities in Eastern Europe. Its 13 interconnected courtyards, St. John's Church and frescoed library make up a Renaissance and Baroque ensemble in the Old Town.
Vilnius University was chartered in 1579 by Polish King Stefan Batory and began as a Jesuit academy. It is one of the oldest universities in Central and Eastern Europe, and its alumni include the poet Mickiewicz and Nobel Prize-winning writer Czesław Miłosz. The campus sits in the heart of the Old Town, beside the Presidential Palace, and is made up of 13 interconnected courtyards that blend Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Classical architecture. Visitors can buy tickets (a few euros; check the official website). The Great Courtyard is lined with arcades, and on one side stands St. John's Church, whose tall Baroque bell tower is about 68 metres high, making it one of the Old Town's tallest structures. You can pay to climb it for views. The Observatory Courtyard has an 18th-century observatory, its façade carved with the signs of the zodiac. In the library, the Smuglevičius Hall and Frančiškus Vaitkus Hall have richly painted ceilings. The language department's Four Seasons hall features colourful murals of folk themes by Lithuanian artists. The Littera bookshop on campus has a ceiling covered with comic-style portraits of professors. The university is still in active teaching, so please don't disturb classes.
Opening hours
Campus visits approx. Mon–Sat 09:00–18:00; closed Sundays (check official site)
Nearby sights
- Presidential Palace, Vilnius
- Pilies Street & Literatų Street
- Vilnius Cathedral & Cathedral Square
- Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania
- Vilnius Town Hall & Town Hall Square
- Church of St. Casimir
- National Museum of Lithuania (New Arsenal)
- Gediminas' Tower