Bernardine Cemetery, Vilnius
Bernardine Cemetery is a historic burial ground located in Vilnius. Established in 1810 by the Bernardine monks of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, the cemetery covers an area of around 38,000 square meters and contains an estimated 14,000 burial sites. Situated on the embankment of the Vilnia river, it is one of the three oldest cemeteries in Vilnius.
The development of the Bernardine Cemetery was a result of the Tsarist authorities of the Russian Empire prohibiting the burial of the dead near churches. The cemetery was originally located on the outskirts of the city, in the U啪upis district, just east of the city center. Columbaria were constructed on the east and west sides of the cemetery, and it was expanded in 1860.
After World War II, the cemetery was abandoned and began to deteriorate. It was closed in the 1970s and remained almost unchanged until the late 1990s, when restoration and reconstruction of its buildings and monuments, including the western columbarium, began. The eastern columbarium had almost entirely disappeared, and many of the oldest graves had sunk into the ground and become covered in moss.
In 2005, on the initiative of the Adam Mickiewicz conservation group, work on the restoration of the cemetery began, with the aim of restoring the necropolis for the two hundredth anniversary of its founding in 2010. More than a hundred historic tombstones have been renovated, with a focus on those of Polish and Lithuanian participants of the January Uprising, Home Army soldiers, and past faculty of the Stefan Batory University. Further renovations are planned for the future.
Today, the Bernardine Cemetery is an important cultural heritage. It serves as a reminder of the rich cultural and religious traditions of Vilnius, and its restoration has helped to preserve this important piece of Lithuania's history for future generations to enjoy.
The development of the Bernardine Cemetery was a result of the Tsarist authorities of the Russian Empire prohibiting the burial of the dead near churches. The cemetery was originally located on the outskirts of the city, in the U啪upis district, just east of the city center. Columbaria were constructed on the east and west sides of the cemetery, and it was expanded in 1860.
After World War II, the cemetery was abandoned and began to deteriorate. It was closed in the 1970s and remained almost unchanged until the late 1990s, when restoration and reconstruction of its buildings and monuments, including the western columbarium, began. The eastern columbarium had almost entirely disappeared, and many of the oldest graves had sunk into the ground and become covered in moss.
In 2005, on the initiative of the Adam Mickiewicz conservation group, work on the restoration of the cemetery began, with the aim of restoring the necropolis for the two hundredth anniversary of its founding in 2010. More than a hundred historic tombstones have been renovated, with a focus on those of Polish and Lithuanian participants of the January Uprising, Home Army soldiers, and past faculty of the Stefan Batory University. Further renovations are planned for the future.
Today, the Bernardine Cemetery is an important cultural heritage. It serves as a reminder of the rich cultural and religious traditions of Vilnius, and its restoration has helped to preserve this important piece of Lithuania's history for future generations to enjoy.
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Bernardine Cemetery on Map
Sight Name: Bernardine Cemetery
Sight Location: Vilnius, Lithuania (See walking tours in Vilnius)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Vilnius, Lithuania (See walking tours in Vilnius)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Vilnius, Lithuania
Create Your Own Walk in Vilnius
Creating your own self-guided walk in Vilnius is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Historical Churches Tour
As the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese and the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Lithuania, Vilnius boasts a wealth of gorgeous churches featuring diverse architectural styles 鈥� Gothic, Baroque, to mention but a few. Many of the local churches are historical, having witnessed centuries of events and become iconic landmarks of the Lithuanian capital.
One of the most famous temples in Vilnius... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
One of the most famous temples in Vilnius... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
U啪upis District Walking Tour
A tiny isolated area and a former suburb, which now forms part of the Old Town of Vilnius, the Uzupis district is often compared, for its bohemian and laissez-faire atmosphere, to Montmartre of Paris and Freetown Christiania of Copenhagen. Similarly to the latter, in 1997, the district declared itself an independent republic; the tongue-in-cheek constitution of the self-proclaimed 鈥渞epublic鈥�,... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.2 Km or 0.7 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.2 Km or 0.7 Miles
Vilnius Old Town Walking Tour
The historic and present-day capital of Lithuania, Vilnius is known for the architecture in its Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994.
The name of the city originates from the River Vilnia (which is the Lithuanian for 鈥渞ipple鈥�). According to legend, Grand Duke Gediminas (c. 1275鈥�1341), having hunted near the confluence of the Vilnia and Neris rivers, saw a dream in which a... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles
The name of the city originates from the River Vilnia (which is the Lithuanian for 鈥渞ipple鈥�). According to legend, Grand Duke Gediminas (c. 1275鈥�1341), having hunted near the confluence of the Vilnia and Neris rivers, saw a dream in which a... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles