500px Photo ID: 97929297 - Gediminas caslte 2013 autumn. Vilnius. Lithuania.

Valdemaras Mockus / 500px

Gediminas Castle & Museum

Vilnius


With its hilltop location above the junction of the Neris and Vilnia Rivers, Gediminas Castle is the last of a series of settlements and fortified buildings occupying this site since Neolithic times. This brick version, built by Grand Duke Vytautas in the early 15th century, harbours an engaging museum about the city with successive floors elaborating on past centuries of warfare, medieval weaponry and contemporary history. For most visitors, the highlight is the 360-degree panorama of Vilnius from the roof.

The original tower was a tier higher than the 20m structure that marks the spot today. Its walls were ruined during the Russian occupation (1655–61), but it was restored in 1930 to house the museum.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Vilnius attractions

1. Gediminas Hill

0.05 MILES

Vilnius was founded on 48m-high Gediminas Hill, topped since the 13th century by a red-brick tower. To reach the top of the hill, clamber up the rocky…

3. Museum of Applied Art

0.09 MILES

The Old Arsenal, built in the 16th century and restored in the 1980s, houses temporary exhibitions and a permanent collection showcasing 15th- to 19th…

4. National Museum of Lithuania

0.11 MILES

This wide-ranging museum (inside the New Arsenal) exhibits art and artefacts from Lithuanian life from Neolithic times to the present day. Early history…

5. Mindaugas

0.13 MILES

This landmark statue depicts the early unifier of the Lithuanian tribes in the mid-13th century and the country's first king.

7. Toy Museum

0.14 MILES

This excellent museum is a fun romp through the ages for kids and adults alike. Acquaint yourself with 12th-century games and peruse the extensive…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "lithuania/vilnius/attractions/gediminas-castle-museum/a/poi-sig/446981/360117",
      "destination": "Vilnius",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Lithuania",
      "city": "Vilnius",
      "position": "superzone"
    }