Statue of king Mindaugas, Vilnius

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Mindaugas was the first Grand Duke of Lithuania and the nation's only king. Because most of his followers also reigned as Kings of Poland, he was the only one to hold the unique Lithuanian title. His statue is located in front of the National Museum, and there are other monuments around the town and country, such as the Mindaugas Bridge spanning the Neris River.

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The monument, unveiled in 2003, stands in front of the New Arsenal which hosts the National Museum.

This statue of King Mindaugas, the one and only King of Lithuania, was dedicated July 6, 2003, the 750th anniversary of his coronation.

Mindaugas was crowned king of Lithuania by papal bull on July 6, 1253. He was king for only 10 years, he and his heirs were assassinated in 1263 and Mindaugas would go down in history as the only Baltic king.

MONUMENT
This monument on my picture was quite new. It was standing on a round square covered by coblestones in front of a white building of so called New Arsenal since 2003. It was monument of Lithuanian king Mindaugas sculptered in grey granite by Lithuanian artist Regimantas Midvikis. It weighted 12 tons and it costed 2 mln lits (580,000 euros or $680,000). The king sat on a throne and kept an apple and a sceptre - symbols of king's power - in his hands.

CELEBRATION
In 2003 Lithuania and Vilnius celebrated 750 anniversary of coronation of Mindaugas for a king of Lithuania. Well, in real the coronation took place in Navahrudak - where Mindaguas transferred Lithuanian capitol - on 6th July 1253. Well the borders and different cultural influences were changing in this area again and again. The town belonged to Lithuania, Russia, Poland and Belarus. Now, Navahrudak is in western Belarus. Hmm... there is no VT page on this very historical and interesting - I am sure - town. Should I go there?

Never mind, Swedish queen and king, presidents of Estonia and Poland and many other VIPs took part in events and celebrated anniversary of Mindaguas coronation - look.

KING MINDAUGAS
Mindaugas (1236 - 1263) was the first, and the only, King of Lithuania. He introduced Christianity to the country in 1251. Mindaugas united tribals and various princes living in this area into the one state under his power and finally was crowned by the Pope from Rome. Like many other rulers of that time he was assasinated hmm... at age only 27.
Nowadays, he was called the first Lithuanian European by president of Lithuania.

Besides the main entrance of Lithuanian National Museum is the monument of another Lithuanianýs king ý Mindaugas. He was important person in Lithuanian history as Gedeminas.