Vilnius belfry and cathedral, Vilnius, Lithuania
Belfry and cathedral in Vilnius, Lithuania's capital. The original cathedral was built in the 13th century on a pagan worship site. Over the centuries, it was changed and rebuilt many times until it acquired its current 18th century neoclassical style. It was used as a wharehouse in Soviet times and was returned to the Catholic Church in 1990. St. Casimir, the son of a Lithuanian king and patron saint of Lithuania, is buried there. The 57m-high belfry was built on an old defensive tower, the only remain of a medieval wall that protected the castle that once stood near the cathedral. Vilnius Historic Centre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 for its preserved gothic, renaissance, baroque and classical buildings within its medieval layout. Vilnius is the European Capital of Culture in 2009.
Size: 5100px × 3600px
Location: Vilnius, Lithuania, Lietuva
Photo credit: © Maria Adelaide Silva / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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