The southern border of Old Town is marked by the last standing of five 16th-century portals that were once built into the city walls. A suitably grand way to enter Old Town, the focal point of the Gates of Dawn is the Chapel of Mary the Mother of Mercy, housing the 'Vilnius Madonna'. Framed in silver, this 17th-century painting of the Virgin Mary attracts pilgrims from across Europe.
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Gates of Dawn
Vilnius
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.82 MILES
Stately Vilnius Cathedral, divorced from its freestanding belfry, is a national symbol and the city's most instantly recognisable building. Known in full…
Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania
0.82 MILES
If you only see one museum in Vilnius, make it this one. On a site that has been settled since the 4th century AD stands the latest in a procession of…
0.64 MILES
Founded in 1579 during the Catholic Counter Reformation, Vilnius University was run by Jesuits for two centuries. During the 19th century it became one of…
1.23 MILES
This former headquarters of the KGB (and before them the Gestapo, Polish occupiers and Tsarist judiciary) houses a museum dedicated to thousands of…
0.81 MILES
Climb the creaky stairs into the free-standing belfry of Vilnius Cathedral, once part of the city's 13th-century defences. Towering 57m high, it's one of…
0.92 MILES
This landmark statue depicts the early unifier of the Lithuanian tribes in the mid-13th century and the country's first king.
14.36 MILES
Stepping across the wooden walkway to Trakai's Gothic castle is like tripping into a fairy tale. The castle is estimated to date from around 1400, when…
11.03 MILES
Some 21km north of Vilnius, off the Utena road, is Europos Parkas. Leading contemporary sculptors, including Sol LeWitt and Dennis Oppenheim, show over…
Nearby Vilnius attractions
1. Chapel of the Gates of Dawn
Above the Gates of Dawn you'll find this 18th-century chapel, aka the Gates of Dawn Chapel of Mary the Mother of Mercy. Inside is a venerated painting of…
0.06 MILES
This Carmelite church is early baroque outside and ornate late baroque inside. Underneath its entrance is a chamber for the dead, which contains some fine…
3. Church of the Holy Trinity (Uniates) & Basilian Monastery
0.1 MILES
Through the elaborate Basilian Gates lie this 16th-century church and monastery, mixing baroque, Gothic and Russian Byzantine styles. The Uniates are an…
4. Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit
0.11 MILES
The peachy facade gives an understated first impression but there's an electric atmosphere inside Lithuania’s chief Russian Orthodox church. The 16th…
5. Make Everything Great Again Mural
0.21 MILES
In 2016 the mural by artist Mindaugas Bonanu, depicting Trump and Putin kissing and the slogan 'Make Everything Great Again', went viral. It was a…
0.24 MILES
This restored section of the city walls gives a sense of their original scope.
0.24 MILES
This revamped 17th-century fortification houses a rich collection of weaponry and armour through the ages and the atmospheric tunnels are a joy to wander.
0.25 MILES
This striking church is the city’s oldest baroque place of worship. St Casimir’s dome and cross-shaped ground plan defined a new style for 17th-century…
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