The legend of Vilnius
Today Vilnius is 699 years old. Legend has it that the city started with a
dream Grand Duke Gediminas had on a hunting trip. In his dream, Gediminas
saw a huge iron wolf standing on a hill howling as if hundreds of wolves
were trapped inside it. When the Grand Duke consulted the court magician
Lizdeika, he was told that the wolf was a symbol of a great capital that
would one day stand atop that hill. By 1323, Gediminas was already sending
letters to European cities inviting merchants and craftspeople to visit
the city.
Facts about Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania and thus home to the country's
President, Government and Supreme Court. Diplomatic missions, as well as
educational, cultural, financial, research, and healthcare institutions
are based here.
Population: 544,386 inhabitants
Ethnic Composition: Lithuanians 67%, Poles 15%, Russians
10%, Belarusians 3%, Other 5%
Location/Territory: The City of Vilnius occupies an
area of about 400 sq. km, of which approximately 20.2% is developed and
the remainder is a greenbelt (43.9% approx.) and water (2.1% approx.)
Language: Lithuanian
Religion: Roman Catholic 77.2%, Russian Orthodox 4.1%,
Old Believer 0.8%, Evangelical Lutheran 0.6%, Evangelical Reformist 0.2%,
other 0.8%
Government: Mayor
Currency: Euro
Local Time: GMT + 2 hours (EET), GMT + 3 hour (summer
time)
Working Hours: Governmental institutions work from 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. Shops are usually open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
or 7 p.m. on weekdays and until 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Shopping
malls are open all week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Supermarkets are usually
open between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m., and some supermarkets are open until
midnight.
A capital of Lithuania is known for its rich history and picturesque Old
Town, Vilnius is quickly building a reputation as a fresh destination with
dynamic arts and culture scenes, seemingly endless culinary delights, and
all kinds of events. Boring isn't an option in Vilnius! It's a city packed
with action, art, inspiration, history and more than a few unexpected
adventures along the way. Vilnius has been marketing itself as
"The G-spot of Europe" since 2018. So why is
this city the continent's "G-Spot"? According to the local tourism board,
Go Vilnius, it's because
"Nobody knows where it is but when you find it -- it's amazing."
