VILNIUS | Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania and Gediminas’ Tower

August 2025. We’re travelling to the Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and more specifically their respective capitals Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius. Are they interconnected by rail? Yes, but not in the most straightforward or userfriendly way possible. The Rail Baltica project should remedy this. Unsurprisingly though, this megaproject faces political and budgetary hurdles. It will most likely not be ready by 2030. But that doesn’t stop us. What to expect from the Baltics? Is it affected by overtourism?

Did you know there used to be a huge Grand Duchy of Lithuania? And that there was a Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth? Both are quite unknown in Belgium and not thought in schools. We barely learn of the Duchy of Burgundy. Had history gone differently, we would still be Burgundians.

The grand dukes obviously had a palace.

The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania

The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania (Lietuvos Didžiosios Kunigaikštystės valdovų rūmai) occupies a central position in Vilnius, standing beside the cathedral in the Lower Castle complex. Once the political, cultural and diplomatic heart of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and later of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, it experienced centuries of prosperity, followed by destruction, erasure, and eventual reconstruction in modern times.

Archaeological remains suggest activity on the site from the early Middle Ages, with stone fortifications and wooden buildings appearing by the 13th and 14th centuries. After a fire in 1419 destroyed earlier structures, a new Gothic palace was built, comprising three wings with two floors and a basement.

House of Jagiellon

Intended for ceremonial functions such as the planned coronation of Vytautas the Great, it soon became the residence of Lithuania’s rulers. Grand Duke Alexander Jagiellon lived here, received ambassadors, and died within its walls.

The 16th century ushered in the palace’s golden age. Under Sigismund I the Old, new wings, storeys and gardens were added, transforming the complex into a Renaissance residence through the work of Italian architects Bartolomeo Berrecci, Giovanni Cini da Siena and Bernardino de Gianotis.

It was here that Sigismund II Augustus was proclaimed Grand Duke in 1529, and where dynastic marriages linked Lithuania to the wider European stage. The palace became famous for its treasures, libraries and artistic patronage, with one papal envoy remarking that it surpassed the Vatican in richness.

The early 17th century brought further embellishment under the Vasa dynasty. Architects such as Matteo Castello and Giacopo Tencalla remodelled the complex in the early Baroque style, and the palace hosted performances of music and theatre, including Lithuania’s first opera in 1634. It was also the site of dynastic weddings, such as that of John of Sweden and Catherine Jagiellon.

Ablaze

This brilliance ended with the Russian invasion of 1655, when the palace was plundered and set ablaze. Though Vilnius was recaptured in 1661, the complex remained in ruins, partly inhabited but never restored. After the partitions of the Commonwealth, the Russians ordered its final demolition in 1801. Only fragments of the eastern wing survived, incorporated into a merchant’s house later used as barracks. By the 19th century the palace had disappeared from view, its ruins buried beneath earth and parkland.

The idea of reconstruction resurfaced in the 20th century, especially after Lithuania regained independence in 1990.

Archaeological excavations revealed substantial foundations, fuelling debate over whether to preserve, cover, or rebuild the palace. Strong political support led to a reconstruction project beginning in 2002, despite controversy over materials and design. Parts of the palace opened in 2009, with formal inauguration in 2013, and the final stage completed in 2018.

Today it functions as a museum and cultural venue, reconnecting modern Lithuania with its dynastic past.

Appearance

The reconstructed palace was designed to evoke the building as it stood in its Renaissance and early Baroque phases, integrating surviving foundations and remnants into a faithful yet contemporary structure. Its white plastered façades, arcaded courtyards, and tall roofs with red tiles dominate Cathedral Square and restore the historic relationship between the palace, Vilnius Cathedral and Gediminas’ Tower. While critics argue that modern techniques and materials make it an approximation rather than a perfect replica, the result provides an evocative impression of a residence that once ranked among the finest in Europe.

Inside, the palace combines reconstructed ceremonial halls, historical displays, and museum spaces. Staterooms are decorated with furnishings, textiles and artworks that evoke the world of the Jagiellon and Vasa dynasties, while archaeological remains are carefully displayed beneath glass floors or in dedicated galleries.

Lay-out

The palace consists of four wings arranged around courtyards, reflecting its historical plan. Each wing served a distinct function. The south wing hosted official audiences and diplomatic receptions.

The east wing contains the oldest masonry remains and incorporates part of the later Schlossberg house. The west wing accommodated the grand duke’s private apartments, while the north wing held service rooms, kitchens, and at one stage a theatre. Visitors today can move between these spaces, gaining a sense of how the palace once functioned as both a residence and a centre of government.

The Four Routes

The modern museum is organised into four thematic routes, each offering a different perspective on the palace and its legacy.

Route I is dedicated to archaeology, history and architecture. Here, visitors encounter the excavated foundations, cellars and artefacts discovered on the site, tracing the development of the palace from its earliest phases to its Renaissance splendour.

Route II presents reconstructed historical interiors. Rooms are recreated in late Gothic, Renaissance and early Baroque styles, complete with throne room, treasury, mint and private chambers. This route also leads to an observation tower offering panoramic views over Vilnius.

Route III explores cultural life and military traditions. Collections of weapons and armour illustrate the martial aspect of palace life, while exhibits on music and performance recall the palace as a centre of entertainment and ceremony. Interactive elements and occasional virtual reconstructions enrich the experience.

Route IV functions as a flexible exhibition space. It hosts temporary displays, both Lithuanian and international, covering themes from art and archaeology to European cultural exchange. This route is accessible free of charge when combined with a ticket for any of the other three.

Together, these four routes allow visitors to experience the palace as both a reconstructed residence and a museum of Lithuanian statehood.

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a sovereign state that emerged in northeastern Europe during the 13th century and endured until the late 18th century, when it was ultimately dismantled through the Third Partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795.

Founded by Lithuanians—then polytheistic tribes from Aukštaitija—it grew from a modest state into Europe’s largest by the mid-15th century, its territory stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea.

From its earliest days, the Grand Duchy pursued dramatic territorial expansion, absorbing vast tracts of the former Kievan Rus‘, including areas now within Belarus, Ukraine, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, and Russia.

It was a remarkably multi-ethnic and multi-confessional polity, characterised by rich diversity in language, religion, and cultural heritage.

The state’s origins can be traced to Mindaugas, who ascended as Grand Duke in the mid-13th century and was crowned King of Lithuania in 1253 following his conversion to Christianity—though this pact with the West was largely tactical rather than heartfelt.

A pivotal moment came in 1386 with the Union of Krewo, when Grand Duke Jogaila embraced Catholicism, married Queen Jadwiga of Poland, and forged a dynastic union with the Kingdom of Poland. This monumental shift signalled both the Christianisation of Lithuania and the launch of a close and enduring alliance between the two states.

The reign of Vytautas the Great (1392–1430) marked the zenith of the Grand Duchy’s might. Under his leadership, the state attained its maximum territorial reach, and he led Lithuania to a defining victory against the Teutonic Knights at the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, a triumph that effectively ended the crusading campaigns against Lithuania.

Another notable achievement of the Grand Duchy was its legal innovation in the form of the Statutes of Lithuania—the first full legal codes in Eastern Europe since Roman law.

Written in Ruthenian and later translated into Latin and Polish, they were issued in three versions (1529, 1566, and 1588). The Third Statute of 1588, enacted under Sigismund III Vasa, codified the state structure of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and introduced a separation of powers that fostered an early rule-of-law framework among the nobility.

The internal makeup of the state continued to evolve. At the Union of Horodło in 1413, Lithuanian boyars were embraced into the Polish-style nobility (szlachta), adopting heraldic traditions and advancing a class of legally privileged elites—ultimately becoming a powerful and broad-based noble estate comprising up to 10% of the population.

Religious and cultural transformations were equally momentous. Lithuania’s formal Christianisation (1387) brought it into the Catholic fold, aligning its ruling elite with Western Europe and enabling deeper integration with Poland. However, the Grand Duchy retained large Orthodox populations in its eastern regions, which fuelled cultural and political tensions lasting for centuries.

In essence, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania represents a remarkable narrative of state formation and survival among diverse peoples.

It rose from Baltic pagan roots into a vast, multi-ethnic European polity, allied with Poland by dynastic and religious ties, achieving territorial heights under visionary leaders like Vytautas the Great, and pioneering early legal frameworks through the Statutes. Its legacy lingered long after its demise, deeply shaping the national identities of modern Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine.

Gediminas’ Tower

Next to the Palace, you’ll find Gediminas’ Tower.

Gedimino pilies bokštas, rising above the city on Gediminas Hill, is one of the most enduring symbols of Vilnius and Lithuania. It is the last surviving part of the medieval Upper Castle, a place wrapped in legend and bound closely to the country’s history.

The earliest fortifications on this hill were established in the early fourteenth century by Grand Duke Gediminas, the ruler whose name the tower still bears. The present red-brick structure, with its distinctive Gothic lines, was built in 1409 under the reign of Vytautas the Great. Carefully restored in the twentieth century, it remains a striking reminder of Lithuania’s medieval strength and identity.

The tower has long carried a meaning far beyond its walls. It was here, in 1919, that the Lithuanian tricolour was first raised, signalling the rebirth of the nation after centuries of foreign domination.

In 1989, during the Baltic Way demonstration that helped to bring about the end of Soviet rule, Gediminas’ Tower once again stood as a beacon of hope and sovereignty. Today the national flag still flies proudly above it, a daily reminder of freedom and resilience.

Inside, the tower has been transformed into a museum. Narrow staircases lead visitors through exhibitions that trace the development of Vilnius and its castle complex. Displays include models of how the castle once looked, artefacts of warfare, and historical illustrations of the city through the ages. One of the highlights is a series of visual reconstructions that allow visitors to look out over Vilnius as it might have appeared in different centuries.

The journey culminates at the rooftop observation platform, where breathtaking panoramas reveal the red rooftops, church spires and winding streets of the Old Town spread out beneath.

Panorama

The tower crowns Gediminas Hill, a natural rise shaped both by geological processes and human fortification. From this strategic height, one can see the confluence of the Vilnia and Neris rivers and the expanse of Kalnai Park below, a popular green space for the city’s inhabitants.

Together, the hill and tower form part of the Vilnius Castles Cultural Reserve, safeguarding the memory of the medieval fortress complex that once dominated the skyline.

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VILNIUS | Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania and Gediminas’ Tower