Gediminas castle, Vilnius

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Gediminas' Tower was part of the Upper Castle which was built around year 1400, and is today – besides ruins of some old castle buildings and stone walls - the only remaining part of the castle. The tower was restored in 1930 and is considered the symbol of the city of Vilnius. Inside is an exhibition about the history of the castle, and from the top of the tower is a great view of the Old Town and the Hill of Three Crosses.

If you don't want to walk all the way up to the tower, you can take the funicular located on the riverside side of the hill.

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At one time, Gediminas Hill was home to an important castle, first constructed in wood and later updated to brick by Grand Duke Vytautas. During a Russian occupation in the 1600s the castle was nearly totally destroyed, and today all that remains is a single tower. This tower is now home to the Castle Museum, explaining to visitors how the castle once was, and the courtyard around the tower offers beautiful, panoramic views of the Old Town and New Town. There is a funicular to take visitors up and down to the tower, or you can walk a circular route around the hill (my choice). Note that the cobblestone path up to the tower is a bit slippery due to smooth, worn stones- I was okay but a little off-balance in my flip-flops, those with mobility impairments should wear their best walking shoes or use the funicular. You can relax and take in the view for free, while the museum entrance is 5 LT and the funicular is 2 LT one-way or 3 LT return.

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The so called Upper Castle, or Gediminas Castle, was built at the beginning of the 14th century on the site of an earlier wooden one. A century later it was rebuilt and strenghten-
ed. Along with the Lower Castle (now gone) and the defensive wall it formed a powerful defensive system. But slowly itlost its importance and after the damage caused in the war with Russia in 1655, it was left unrebuilt.
After the World War II the best surviving tower was restored. It now houses a museum and an observation platform.
The museum is open:
May - Sept 10.00 - 19.00 whole week
Oct - April Tuesday to Sunday, 10.00 to 17.00.
Entrance fee 5Ltl for adults, pensioners and school children 2Ltl.

To the east of the tower are the ruins of the ducal palace.

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The funicular is 71m long and will take you 40m high. The angle is said to be 36 degrees.
Opening hours 10.00 - 19.00 all year round.
Tickets:
- up and down adults 3Ltl, pensioners and school children 2Ltl
- up OR down adults 2 Ltl, pensioners and school children 1Ltl
The costs of August 2010.

The lower starting point is in the courtyard of the Old Arsenal.

Apart from the historical aspect connected to the Castle it's worth going up there just for the views.
To go to the top of Gediminas Tower, which is an iconic landmark of Vilnius , they charge you 5Lt to climb the 78 steps. For that reason alone you may have wished you took the Funicular (3Lt) up to the castle in the first place to save some energy.
There are a few other things of interest in here to see but it's the views that are really worth coming up for. During the day though the church spires and landmarks of the old town are in the sun's path which if you want to take photographs can be a bit of a challenge.

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High above the city is the fortress which founded the city. From here everything else fanned out to create the capital. It was built on the hill formed in the confluence of the rivers Vilnia and Neris. According to legend this was as a result of the Grand Duke Gediminas seeing an iron wolf howling from a hill in a dream. He built the fortress here and moved the capital from the castle at Trakai.

All that is left of that fortress on the hill is Gediminas Tower, and that brick tower you see was actually the work of a later Grand Duke, Vytautas. But the views haven't changed, and are magnificent if you can find a way up. When I was there the dauntingly steep footpath was closed, and the only access was via a funicular that was staffed by a grumpy Russian, and plagued by long queues.

Still it's worth the effort, even though the cost of entry to the tower is more questionable.

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Atop the 150-foot high Gediminas Hill lies the remnants of the castle. The restored north tower of the upper castle holds special significance for Lithuanians as a symbol of national independence. During the struggle for independence from the Soviet Union, activists raised the Lithuanian Flag over the tower on October 7, 1988. The ceremony was repeated to commemorate Lithuania's formal independence on March 11, 1990. When I visited, there was a videotape of Lithuanians all around the world singing their National Anthem at the moment the flag was raised. If you go up onto the roof, you can enjoy panoramic views of Vilnius, as well as get a close look at the giant flag that flies over the tower to this day.

Admission to the tower and museum costs 5 Litas for adults, 2 Litas for students and Seniors. It is open daily from 10am - 5pm off-season, and until 7pm May - September.

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When visiting Vilnius, order a hot air balloon flight and you will see totally different view of the old town. Vilnius is extremely nice from above!

They say, Vilnius is one of just few capitals in Europe, where you may fly by hot air balloon. And this is probably true.

Sightseeing Vilnius from a hot air balloon is one of the top things to do in Lithuania.

The Gediminas' Tower is an important historic symbol of the city of Vilnius and of Lithuania. It is the only remaining part of the Upper Castle. The first wooden fortifications were built by Gediminas - the Duke of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

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Gediminas Tower has become one of the symbols of Vilnius. The tower is one of the best preserved parts of the Upper Castle complex and is open to visitors, having been restored in the 20th century. The interior of the tower now houses a museum.
The tower had previously been reconstructed in the 19th century, to function as a telegraph station between St. Petersburg, Vilnius and Warsaw.