A TOUR AROUND VILNIUS FROM RADVILOS TO CHODKEVICIAI PALACE

Let us try to see the Vilnius of the 16th to the 20th centuries without the hustle and bustle of the modern town and feel the atmosphere of that period. Let us imagine the people, the narrow streets full of coaches, hear the town-hall clock strike, the bell warn about danger or announce some important event, or the church bells calling people to prayer.

Our tour begins with the Radvilas residence (22 Vilniaus St.). In the early 17th century this Renaissance building was much bigger and more embellished - a real palace. It was built by Jonusas Radvila (1612-1655), Lithuanian great hetman, vaivode of Vilnius, chief of Samogitia. At that time the palace stood by Vilija Gate behind the town's defence wall in a suburb which was then called Great Lukiskes. But the building did not enjoy its beauty for a long time. In the middle of the 17th century it was devastated by war and fire.

If you walk down Vilniaus street towards Vokieciu street you will see the buildings of St Catherine's church and a Benedictine convent (30 Vilniaus St.), whose construction was begun in the early 17th century when Jonas Karolis Chodkevicius, Lithuanian great hetman (the palace that once belonged to Chodkeviciai is the final spot of our tour) and his wife Sofia invited Benedictine nuns from Nesvizh in 1618. The main architectural accent is the church - a masterpiece of late baroque. The cloister was constantly being expanded and rebuilt after devastation. Vincentas Petras Valavicius, Juozapas Pranciskus Pacas are the famous Lithuanian nobles who supported the church and cloister. It was only in the late 18th to early 19th centuries that the buildings gained their present appearance.

On the other side of the street in front of St Catherine's church there stands Radvilas' Palace (41 Vilniaus St.). This is another part of the Radvilas’ residence in Vilnius. On the map of Vilnius of 1740 it is twice as long as the present-day building - stretching as far as Klaipeda street. The yard facade has a two-storeyed arcade consisting of nine arches. The palace caught fire in the 18th century, but the building has retained its Renaissance and baroque styles. The palace also served as a theatre in the late 18th - early 19th centuries (until 1845).

From Vilniaus street let us turn to the narrow Dominikonu Street and walk down towards Dominican or the Holy Spirit church and cloister (8/11 Dominikonu St.). The first small church is believed to have been built in the early 16th century, in the times of Gediminas, Vytautas (ca 1350-1430) and Aleksandras (1460-1506), Lithuanian grand princes, who contributed to the expansion and building of the church. On the request of Aleksandras it was rebuilt and given to the Dominican cloister. It was only after the wars and fires of the 17th century that in 1770 the church gained its present appearance of late baroque and fantastic Rococo decor.

Behind this impressive building let us stop by the slightly forgotten Holy Trinity church (14 Dominikonu St.) built in the late 15th - early 16th centuries. In the 18th century, after fires and numerous rebuildings, the church was passed over to the university. From 1781 to 1805 the famous astronomer and university rector Jonas Pocobutas was at the same time the dean of the church. But time and history proved to be inexorable. In the middle of the 19th century the church was rearranged into a Slavic one, later it was run by a military squad, after World War II it was passed over to the Sports Society, in 1968 a part of its portal collapsed.

A small two-storey building leans on to this church (16 Dominikonu St.). This is the asylum and parsonage of the Holy Trinity church built on the initiative of Zygimantas the Old, Lithuanian grand prince and King of Poland.

In front of the Holy Trinity church there stands the Pociejai Palace (11 Dominikonu St.). After many rebuildings, and after a succession of owners, it belonged in the middle of the 18th century to P. Pociejus, vaivode of Trakai. At present its magnificent facade is prevailed by features of Renaissance, classical and baroque styles. In the early 20th century the palace was a Lithuanian book shop owned by Marija Piaseckaite-Slapeliene, which used to supply Vilnius and the Vilnius district with Lithuanian books.

The adjacent building (13 Dominikonu St.) belonged to the nobles Zavisos. The palace was built in the late 16th - early 17th centuries. Now it is a building of early classicism. In the middle of the 18th century the palace was run by Barbora Zavisaite-Radviliene, wife of Naugardukas vaivode Mykolas Faustinas Radvila.
On the corner of Dominikonu and Gaono streets a large area is occupied by Gureckiai Palace (15/1 Dominikonu St.). Valentinas Gureckis, regent of Grodno, was one of the last owners of the palace. 1775-1790 he expanded and reconstructed the building. The building has retained the shapes and volumes characteristic of early classicism, but one can also notice remnants of the much earlier Gothic style.

On the corner of Sv. Jono and Pilies streets from the 16th century and almost up till the present day there was another Radvilos palace called Cardinalia. The name is derived from the bishop of Vilnius cardinal Jurgis Radvila (1556-1600) who used to live there. Nowadays it is only the written sources that prove the former existance of Cardinalia. In 1959 its remains were pulled down, and a dwelling-house was built in its place (23/13 Pilies St.).
If we walk up Pilies street towards Didzioji street on the left hand side of the public garden we will see Piatnica church. It is one of the oldest Slavic churches in Vilnius built on the initiative of Marija, wife of Lithuanian grand prince Algirdas (1296-1377). According to legend, it is believed to stand in the place of the former Lithuanian pagan temple. In 1864 the church was reconstructed by architect Nikolaj Tschagin.

Now let us stop by the Frank's House (1 Didzioji St.) - another building of historic importance, which is on the corner of Didzioji and Svarco streets. Historical records of the house date back to the late 16th century and it took on its present appearance in the late 17th - early 19th centuries. The façade is of classical style. At the beginning of the 19th century the architect Mykolas Sulcas converted the house to flats for university professors. It was inhabited by many celebrated people, among them the professor of medicine Joseph Frank with his wife Kristine Gerhardy, a famous singer. The Franks' flat was well-known to the intelligensia of that time. It was frequented by university professors, artists, writers. That is why after some time people began to call this building the Frank's House.

A few steps away from the Frank’s House there stands the Pacai Palace (7 Didzioji St.). Nowadays it is a building of classical style, which has retained Gothic and baroque elements. The palace was built by Grigalijus Astikas, vaivode of Trakai. In the late 17th century it was purchased by Mykolas Kazimieras Pacas, Lithuanian great hetman and vaivode of Vilnius. Until the very beginning of the 19th century the palace was one of the most magnificent in Vilnius. Many celebrated people stayed there while visiting the town.

Near the former Fish Market there was yet another half-retained residence of the Radvilos (8, 10 Didzioji St.). In the early 16th century the palace was run by Mikalojus Radvila the Black, who founded the first protestant chapel and the public school headed by writer and scholar Abraomas Kulvietis (ca 1510-1545). At the beginning of the 19th century the building was purchased by Vilnius University, and it began to serve as a hospital.

Now let us turn to the destination of our tour - the Chodkeviciai Palace (4 Didzioji St.). Before entering it let us just stop and look at the present-day Vilnius. Let us believe that now, after changing so many owners, after all the wars and fires, the town will be able to resist destruction and be renewed.
The Chodkeviciai Palace was built in the early 17th century. Until the very beginning of the 19th century the building belonged to Chodkeviciai, nobles of the Lithuanian Grand Principality. Then the family purchased several neighbouring buildings, joined and rebuilt them. This palace, as well as the rest that we passed, was constantly being expanded and reconstructed until in the 19th century it gained its present appearance. In 1994 in the restored part of the building the Lithuanian Art Museum established one of its subsidiaries - the Vilnius Picture Gallery.

Audrone Bliujiene
Photos by Arunas Baltenas, Raimondas Paknys,
Kestutis Stoskus (T. Venclovas "Vilnius", 2002) and Mecislovas Sakalauskas