My final stop travelling through the Baltics was Lithuania’s capital Vilnius. I found it more pleasant than Riga and less touristy than Tallinn (helped by not having cruise ship visitors) and home to more than a hundred churches, of which I visited seventeen. It was a lovely place to wander around, enjoying the architecture.

Before WW2 nearly half the population of Vilnius was Jewish and home than more than a hundred synagogues, but now sadly only the beautiful Choral Synagogue remains.

The huge Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania actually dates from 2017. It is a replica of the 15th century palace destroyed by the Russians in the 19th century. The foundations of the original Palace can be seen in the basement area.

Inside is a comprehensive history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, a once vast empire that in the 14th century was the largest in Europe. Without knowing much about this before I visited I found the museum an information overload, with probably too much detail of hundreds of years of complex European history, which ran in parallel with a history of the Palace. There were a number of replica rooms, many of which included these slightly random large towers of porcelain tiles.

Above the Palace is the 13th century Gediminas Castle Tower, sitting on a hill offering great views across the city, with the Old Town clear to the south, and new town to the north across the river.

The Presidential Palace originally dates from the 16th century but was remodelled in the 18th century.

Vilnius has one of the largest Old Towns in Europe, though there are more newer buildings in the area than in Tallinn and probably Riga. There is plenty of architectural interest wandering around the streets.

This Leonard Cohen statue was unexpected but pretty cool.

Užupis is a bohemian district that declared itself an unofficial independent republic in 1998, complete with with its own president, anthem, flag, and constitution.

Now onto the seventeen churches visited in a clockwise loop from the train station to Cathedral Square and back. Some are famous, but all were of interest, with a great variety of exteriors and interiors. Unlike Riga they were all free to enter and open all day. The 17th century Church of All Saints gave me my first taster of what to expect, a huge church close to the Choral Synagogue with a spectacular interior.

The 15th century Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was badly damaged by the Soviets and the neighbouring Franciscan Abbey is now offices.

The impressive Dominican Church of the Holy Spirit is the home of the sizeable Polish community in Vilnius.

The 18th century Saint Catherine’s Church was badly damaged by the Soviets but since repaired. It was the only church I visited that was closed.

The Holy Cross Church is an attractive, small Catholic church.

St. John the Baptist and St. John the Apostle and Evangelist Church is the tallest church in the Old Town, and next to the important Vilnius University. Inside it was relatively plain other than the stunning altar.

Vilnius Cathedral originally dates from the 13th century but has been rebuilt 11 times, with the current neoclassical structure dating from the late 18th century. The interior was relatively plain other than for the spectacular main altar.

There were also a number of chapels off the side of the cathedral.

St. Anne’s Church is the most famous church in Vilnius, despite being one of the smallest. It is an excellent example of Gothic architecture, dating from the 16th century.

Literally next door to St. Anne’s is the 16th century Church of St. Francis of Assisi.

Opposite St. Anne’s is the late 16th century Church of Michael the Archangel, now the Church Heritage Museum, which I didn’t enter.

The 14th century Orthodox Cathedral of the Theotokos was a unusual for an Orthodox Church in the Baltics for allowing photography inside when services aren’t taking place.

Pirmas Blynas is actually a pancake restaurant providing employment for disabled people, but operates out of the basement of this church, while worship continues on the third floor.

The Church of St. Casimir was the first Baroque church in Vilnius, built at the start of the 17th century. Since then it was converted to an Orthodox Church, then Protestant Church, then a Soviet museum of atheism, before being restored in 1989.

The Holy Trinity Uniate Church is currently undergoing restoration but is still in use.

The Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit was impressive inside but didn’t allow interior photography. It is home to the only Russian Orthodox monastery in Lithuania.

Church of St. Theresa is a beautiful mid 17th century Catholic church.

To end with the baby blue Gates of Dawn, the only remaining gate to the Old Town, now home to a chapel containing the prominent 17th century Catholic painting Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn, decorated with gold and silver, and a popular pilgrimage site.