Vilnius Castle Complex The Vilnius Castle Complex ( ) , is a group of cultural , and historic structures on the left bank of the Neris River , near its confluence with the Vilnia River , in Vilnius , Lithuania . The buildings , which evolved between the 10th and 18th centuries , were one of Lithuania ' s major defensive structures . The complex consisted of three castles : the Upper , the Lower , and the Crooked ( ) . The Crooked Castle was burned down by the Teutonic Knights in 1390 and was never rebuilt . The Vilnius Castles were attacked several times by the Teutonic Order after 1390 , but they did not succeed in taking the entire complex . Its complete capture occurred for the first time during the 1655 Battle of Vilnius . Soon afterwards , the severely damaged castles lost their importance , and many buildings were abandoned . During the Tsarist annexation , several historic buildings were demolished ; many more were damaged during the fortress construction in the 19th century . Today , the remaining Gediminas Tower is a major symbol of the city of Vilnius and of the nation itself . Annually , on January 1 , the Lithuanian tricolor is hosted on Gediminas Tower to commemorate Flag Day . The complex is part of the National Museum of Lithuania , one of the largest museums in the country . History of the Upper Castle . One part of the castle complex , which was built on a hilltop , is known as the Upper Castle . The hill on which it is built is known as Gediminas Hill , about 40 meters ( 43 . 7 yards ) in height and around 160 meters ( 175 yards ) in length . Archaeological data shows that the site has been occupied since Neolithic times . The hill was strengthened with defensive wooden walls that were fortified with stone in the 9th century . Around the 10th century a wooden castle was built , and since about the 13th century the hilltop has been surrounded by stone walls with towers . During the rule of Gediminas Vilnius was designated the [ [ capital capital city ; in 1323 , the castle was improved and expanded . [ [ File : Lithuania Vilnius Upper Castle ruins . jpg | thumb | left | Remains of Upper Castle ` s Keep ] ] Pagan Lithuania waged [ [ Northern crusades | war with the Christian Orders ] ] for more than two centuries . The Orders were seeking to conquer Lithuania , stating that their motivation was the conversion of pagan Lithuanians to Catholicism . As Vilnius evolved into one of the most important cities in the state , it became a primary military target . The Castle Complex was attacked by the Teutonic Order in 1365 , 1375 , 1377 , 1383 , 1390 , 1392 , 1394 and 1402 , but was never completely taken . The most damaging assaults were led by the Teutonic Order marshals [ [ Engelhard Rabe von Wildstein ] ] and [ [ Konrad von Wallenrode ] ] in 1390 during the [ [ Lithuanian Civil War ( 1389 – 1392 ) ] ] between [ [ Vytautas the Great ] ] and his cousin [ [ Jogaila ] ] . Many noblemen from Western Europe participated in this military campaign , including Henry , Duke of Hereford , the future king [ [ Henry IV of England ] ] , with 300 [ [ knight ] ] s , and the [ [ Livonian Order | Livonian Knights ] ] , commanded by their Grand Master . At times during the civil war , Vytautas supported the Orders ' attacks on the castles , having struck an alliance with them in his quest for the title of Grand Duke of Lithuania . [ [ File : Vilnius Gediminas tower . jpg | thumb | right | Remaining tower of the Upper Castle ] ] At the time of the 1390 attack , the Complex consisted of three sections - the Upper , Lower and Crooked Castles . The Teutonic Knights managed to take and destroy the Crooked Castle , situated on Bleak Hill ( ) , but failed to capture the others . During the 1394 attack , the Vilnius Castles were besieged for over three weeks , and one of its defense towers was damaged and fell into the Neris River . The civil war between Vytautas and Jogaila was resolved by the 1392 [ [ Astrava Agreement ] ] and Vytautas assumed the title of Grand Duke . During his reign the Upper Castle underwent its most notable redevelopment . After a major fire in 1419 , Vytautas initiated a reconstruction of the Upper Castle , along with the fortification of other buildings in the complex . The present - day remains of the Upper Castle date from this era . Vytautas had spent about four years with the Teutonic Order during the civil war . He had the opportunity to study the architecture of the castles of the Teutonic Order and adopt some of their elements in his residence in Vilnius . [ [ File : Vilnius - Castle - Complex . jpg | thumb | left | Vilnius Castle Complex today ] ] The Upper Castle was reconstructed in Gothic style with glazed green tiling on its roof . The Upper Castle [ [ keep ] ] hall , on the second floor , was the largest hall ( 10 x 30 m ) within the complex ; it was a little smaller than the hall of the [ [ Grand Master ( order ) | Grand Master ' s ] ] Palace ( 15 x 30 m ) in [ [ Ordensburg Marienburg | Marienburg ] ] , and much larger than the hall at the Duke ' s Palace in [ [ Trakai Island Castle ] ] ( 10 x 21 m ) . Reconstruction of the castle ended in 1422 . The state had made plans to host the coronation of the [ [ King of Lithuania | proclaimed king ] ] Vytautas the Great in the castle , which were disrupted by his untimely death . After the 16th century , the Upper Castle was not maintained , and it suffered from neglect . Until the early 17th century , a prison for noblemen was located in the Upper Castle . It was used as a fortress for the last time during the invasion of the Russians in 1655 , when for the first time in [ [ History of Lithuania | Lithuanian history ] ] , a foreign army captured the entire complex . Six years later , the Polish - Lithuanian army managed to recapture Vilnius and the castles . Afterwards the Upper Castle stood abandoned and was not reconstructed . The complex suffered major damage during the [ [ World Wars ] ] . At this time , only the western tower , known as [ [ Gediminas Tower ] ] , remains standing . It is a symbol of Vilnius and of Lithuania . Only a few remnants of the castle ' s keep and other towers survived . History of the Lower Castle . The Castle Complex has been inhabited since Neolithic times . Prior to the 13th century , its structures were built from wood . In the 13 – 14th centuries defensive walls , towers and gateways were built from stone ; these were reorganized and expanded several times . The only freestanding structures that remain intact are those at the Lower Castle . The two principal buildings of the Lower Castle are the Royal Palace and Vilnius Cathedral . Royal Palace . [ [ File : Lietuvos Valdovu rumu maketas . Royal Palace of Lithuania . model . jpg | thumb | Model of Royal Palace ] ] [ [ File : Royal Castle in Vilnius ( Wilno ) . JPG | thumb | Royal Palace ] ] The Royal Palace in the Lower Castle evolved over the years and prospered during the 16th and mid - 17th centuries . For four centuries the Palace was the political , administrative and cultural center of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania . In the 13th and 14th centuries there were [ [ Masonry | stone ] ] structures within the palace site ; some [ [ archeologists ] ] believe that a [ [ wooden ] ] palace stood there as well . The stone Royal Palace was built in the 15th century , apparently after the major fire in 1419 . The existing stone buildings and defensive structures of the Lower Castle , which blocked the construction , were demolished . The Royal Palace was built in Gothic style . The Keep of the Upper Castle , as well as the Royal Palace , were meant to host the coronation of Vytautas the Great . The Gothic palace had three wings ; research suggests that it was a two - story building with a basement . The Grand Duke of Lithuania [ [ Alexander Jagiellon | Alexander ] ] , who later became King of Poland , moved his residence to the Royal Palace , where he met with ambassadors . He ordered the renovation of the palace . After his marriage to a daughter of Moscow ' s Grand Duke [ [ Ivan III ] ] , the royal couple lived and died in the palace . [ [ Sigismund I the Old ] ] , after his ascension to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania , conducted his affairs in the Royal Palace as well as in Vilnius Cathedral . During the rule of Sigismund I the palace was greatly expanded , to meet new needs of the Grand Duke – another wing was added , as well as a third floor ; the gardens were also extended . By contemporary accounts the palace was worth 100 , 000 ducats . The palace reconstruction plan was probably prepared by Italian architect [ [ Bartolomeo Berrecci da Pontassieve ] ] , who also designed several other projects in the Kingdom of Poland . In this palace Sigismund the Old welcomed an emissary from the [ [ Holy Roman Empire ] ] , who introduced Sigismund to [ [ Bona Sforza ] ] , his second wife , in 1517 . Sigismund ' s son [ [ Sigismund II Augustus ] ] was crowned Grand Duke of Lithuania in the Royal Palace . Augustus carried on with palace development and lived there with his first wife [ [ Elisabeth of Austria ( 1526 – 1545 ) | Elisabeth of Austria ] ] , daughter of the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire . She was buried in Vilnius Cathedral . Sigismund II ' s second wife , [ [ Barbara Radziwill ] ] , also lived in the palace . According to contemporary accounts of the Holy See ' s emissary , the Royal Palace at that time contained more treasures than the Vatican . Sigismund II also assembled one of the largest collection of books in Europe . The palace was remodeled in the Renaissance style in the 16th century . The plan was prepared by several Italian architects , including Giovanni Cini da Siena , Bernardino de Gianotis Zanobi , and others . The palace was visited by Ippolito Aldobrandini , who later became [ [ Pope Clement VIII ] ] . Another major development took place during the reign of the [ [ House of Vasa | Vasa family ] ] . The Royal Palace was refurbished in early Baroque style during the rule of Sigismund III Vasa . Matteo Castello , Giacopo Tencalla , and other artists participated in the 17th - century renovation . [ [ File : Royal Palace of Vilnius in XVIIIc . Lithuania . jpg | thumb | left | Devastated Royal Palace . Drawn in the late 18th century ] ] During the rule of Vasas , several notable ceremonies took place in the palace , including the wedding of Duke John , who later became King [ [ John III of Sweden ] ] , and Sigismund Augustus ' sister Catherine . The first opera in Lithuania was staged in the palace in 1634 . Marco Scacchi and Virgilio Puccitelli were the opera ' s impresarios . After the Russian invasion in 1655 , the state began weakening , with negative effects on the Royal Palace . The palace was greatly damaged by war , and its treasures were plundered . After the recapture of the city of Vilnius in 1660 - 1661 , the palace was no longer a suitable state residence , and stood abandoned for about 150 years . In the late 18th century , after the fall of the Polish - Lithuanian Commonwealth , several families lived in parts of the ruined palace . Soon after the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was incorporated into [ [ Tsarist Russia ] ] , Tsarist officials ordered the demolition of the remaining sections of the Royal Palace . The Palace was almost completely demolished by the early 19th century . The site had been sold in 1799 to a merchant from Kremenchug . The [ [ Seimas ] ] ( Lithuanian Parliament ) passed a law in 2000 resolving that the Royal Palace be rebuilt for ceremonies commemorating the [ [ millennium ] ] since the first mention of the [ [ name of Lithuania ] ] in 2009 . Vilnius Cathedral . [ [ File : Vilnius cathedral . jpg | thumb | left | Present day view of Vilnius Cathedral ] ] The Royal Palace and Vilnius Cathedral formed a complex and stood side by side during the centuries , but the two buildings have different histories . There is evidence that in pre - Christian times , the [ [ pagan ] ] god [ [ Perkūnas ] ] was worshipped at this location . It has been proposed that King of Lithuania , [ [ Mindaugas ] ] , built the original cathedral in 1251 as the site of his [ [ Christianization of Lithuania # Baptism of Mindaugas | baptism into the Christian rite ] ] . After Mindaugas ' death in 1263 , the cathedral reverted to the worship of [ [ Lithuanian mythology | pagan gods ] ] . In 1387 , the year that Lithuania formally converted to Christianity , a second Gothic cathedral with five chapels was built . In 1419 the cathedral burned down . In its place Vytautas built a larger Gothic cathedral . In 1522 , the cathedral was renovated , and written sources mentioned a [ [ bell tower ] ] for the first time . The bell tower was built on the site of a defensive tower of the Lower Castle around the 15th century . After a fire in 1530 , the cathedral was rebuilt again , and from 1534 to 1557 more chapels and [ [ crypt ] ] s were added . During this period the cathedral acquired architectural features associated with the Renaissance . After a fire in 1610 , it was rebuilt once again , and the two front towers were added . It was renovated and decorated several more times . [ [ File : Cattedrale - Cappella San Casimiro 2 . JPG | thumb | right | Chapel of [ [ Saint Casimir ] ] . ] ] In 1783 , the cathedral was reconstructed according to a design by [ [ Laurynas Gucevičius ] ] in the neoclassical style , and the church acquired its strict quadrangular shape . This design has survived to the present day . Between 1786 and 1792 three sculptures were placed on the roof - Saint Casimir on the south side , [ [ Saint Stanislaus ] ] on the north , and [ [ Helena of Constantinople | Saint Helena ] ] in the center . These sculptures were removed in 1950 and restored in 1997 . Several notable historic figures are entombed in the cathedral ' s crypts , including Vytautas the Great ( 1430 ) , his brother [ [ Zygimantas Kestutaitis | Sigismund ] ] ( 1440 ) , his cousin [ [ Švitrigaila ] ] ( 1452 ) , Saint Casimir ( 1484 ) , Alexander ( 1506 ) , and two of [ [ Sigismund August ] ] ' s wives : [ [ Elisabeth of Austria ( 1526 – 1545 ) | Elisabeth of Habsburg ] ] ( 1545 ) and [ [ Barbara Radziwiłł ] ] ( 1551 ) . The cathedral was converted to secular uses during the 1950s . Its re - dedication as a church in the late 1980s was celebrated as a turning point in modern Lithuanian history . Castle Arsenals . [ [ File : Vilnius . Taikomosios dailes muziejaus kiemas . jpg | thumb | left | Old Arsenal ] ] The Vilnius Castle Complex had two [ [ arsenals ] ] – the so - called New and Old - during its history . The Old Arsenal was established in the 15th century , during the rule of Vytautas the Great . It was expanded during the reign of [ [ Sigismund the Old ] ] and this work was continued by his son Sigismund II Augustus . During a 16th - century reconstruction a new wing was built ; in the mid - 16th century and at the beginning of the 17th century , two more wings were built . According to contemporary accounts , the Old Arsenal at that time housed about 180 heavy cannons . The New Arsenal was established in one of the oldest castle buildings in the 18th century , by order of the [ [ Grand Hetman of Lithuania ] ] , [ [ Casimir Oginski ] ] . The building , which was used to house soldiers , is well preserved . Its outer wall was part of the defensive wall system . During the 16th century its tower guided ships in the Neris river . The arsenal also occasionally contained castle administrative offices . [ [ File : Vilnius - New Arsenal 01 . jpg | thumb | right | 340px | New Arsenal ] ] During Tzarist rule , both arsenals housed soldiers and military [ [ materiel ] ] . The buildings suffered major damage during [ [ World War II ] ] ; some sections were restored after World War II and in 1987 and 1997 . The arsenals now house the [ [ Lithuanian Art Museum | Museum of Applied Art ] ] and the National Museum of Lithuania . Modern developments . [ [ File : Gedimino kalno keltuvas , 2006 - 08 - 08 . jpg | thumb | left | A [ [ funicular ] ] to Gediminas ' Hill , opened in 2003 ] ] Gediminas Tower is a dominant and distinctive object in the skyline of the old city . An observation platform at its summit affords a panoramic view of Vilnius . In 2003 , as part of the celebrations surrounding the 750th anniversary of the coronation of Mindaugas , the tower was made more [ [ Accessibility | accessible ] ] by the construction of a lift . It ascends about 70 meters during the 30 - second ride , and holds sixteen passengers . Atop the tower , on January 1 , 1919 , the Lithuanian tricolor was hoisted for the first time . To commemorate this event , January 1 is now Flag Day , and the Lithuanian flag is ceremonially raised at the tower , as well as elsewhere in Lithuania . On October 7 , 1988 , during Lithuania ' s drive to [ [ Act of the Re - Establishment of the State of Lithuania | re - establish its independence ] ] , 100 , 000 people gathered at the Castle Complex as the flag was re - hoisted . The tower and the hill , with the flag raised at its summit , are symbols of Lithuania ' s statehood and its struggle for independence , echoing a long tradition whereby sovereignty over the city was demonstrated by the flag flown there . After preservation work was completed at the Gediminas Tower in 1968 , it became a branch of the National Museum of Lithuania . The first floor of the tower exhibits photographs taken in Vilnius during the 19th and 20th centuries and models of historic Vilnius and the Castle Complex . The second floor exhibits flags that were used by Vytautas the Great ' s army during the [ [ Battle of Grunwald ] ] , along with authentic weaponry used from the 13th through the 18th centuries . Other surviving buildings at the Castle Complex house offices of the National Museum of Lithuania and its [ [ archeology ] ] and [ [ numismatics ] ] departments , as well as the Museum of Applied Art . The museum contains about one million artifacts , covering a wide historic spectrum . Its collection includes pieces from Lithuania ' s prehistoric era , coins used throughout Lithuania ' s history , and a wide variety of artifacts dating from the [ [ Middle Ages ] ] and later . About 250 , 000 tourists visit the museum annually . External links . [ [ Category : Castles in Lithuania ] ] [ [ Category : History of Vilnius ] ] [ [ Category : Buildings and structures in Vilnius ] ] [ [ Category : Museums in Vilnius ] ] [ [ Category : History museums in Lithuania ] ]