I.Vilnius Old Town

About the City

A walk around the Old Town, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994, is an unforgettable experience and really worth taking.

Vilnius, as the capital of Lithuania, is the home of the President, the Seimas, the Government and the Supreme Court. Diplomatic missions, educational, cultural, financial, research, and health care institutions are based there. It is also the largest city of the country. According to the 2001 census, the population of Vilnius is approximately 580,000 people, which accounts for 17 per cent of the total population of the country. Vilnius is home to people of different ethnic backgrounds. Ethnic Lithuanians - 57.8%, Poles - 18.7%, Russians - 14%, Belarusians - 4%, Jews - 0.5%, and representatives of other ethnic backgrounds account for the remaining 5%.
Vilnius occupies an area of about 400 square kilometres of which 20.2% approximately is developed and the remainder is green belt (43.9% approx.) and water (2.1% approx.). The historical centre of Vilnius, the Old Town, (Senamiestis) is one of the largest old town centres in Eastern Europe (covering almost 360 hectares). The district of Vilnius includes Vilnius, Elektrėnai, Šalčininkai, Širvintos, Švenčionys, Trakai and Ukmergė regions. The geographical centre of Europe, Trakai, the old capital of Lithuania and the legendary capital of Kernavė are located in the Vilnius district.

Vilnius - the Capital of Lithuania

As the capital of the Republic of Lithuania, Vilnius is an administrative, cultural, political and business centre. About one seventh of the country’s population live here. The Old Town is the heart of the capital, the oldest and architecturally the richest part of Vilnius. It is one of the largest old town centres in Europe, covering almost one tenth of the city’s area. The Old Town is situated in a picturesque valley of two rivers – the Vilnia and the Neris, at the crossroads of trade roads, next to the ford, which was guarded by Vilnius castle in the olden times.

The city has been hospitable, open and tolerant throughout the ages. Throughout the course of its history three faiths merged: paganism, western and eastern Christianity. As far back as the 14th century Grand Duke Gediminas noticed that. The Ruler of the last pagan state in Europe wrote in his letters to the European countries that everybody worshiped one God in Vilnius, only everyone worshiped him according to his customs, that both Catholic and Orthodox churches had already been built in the city. Later the Muslims, Crimean Tartars, Karaites and Jews settled in the city and erected their houses of worship. Vilnius was even referred to as the Jerusalem of Lithuania (Yerushalaiyme de Lita).

As a multicultural city and a centre for numerous faiths, Vilnius has always attracted visitors and fascinated everyone with its architectural diversity. The ruins of castles, an old network of narrow streets, church spires, bell towers, red tile roofs, residential cellars… all testify to the fact that Vilnius is a Gothic city. However, in the 16th century Gothic became intertwined with Renaissance, and in the 17th – 18th century Baroque buildings started to appear.

The city is beautiful in all seasons. However, it becomes especially attractive and lively during the time of the festivals. Crowds of people throng the streets, live music is played in the squares, parks, churches and concert halls during the Kaziukas mugė (St Casimir’s Fair), Vilnius Days, the Folklore Festival Skamba skamba kankliai or the Šv. Kristupo festivalis (St Christopher Festival) that occurs late in summer.

The legend of the founding of Vilnius

This legend relates to Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania whose monument stands in Cathedral Square.
Grand Duke, Gediminas, was on a hunting trip in the forests of Šventaragis valley around the mouth of the River Vilnia. When night fell, the party, feeling tired after a long and successful hunt, decided to set up camp and spend the night there. While he was asleep, Gediminas had an unusual dream in which he saw an iron wolf at the top of the mountain where he had killed an European bison that day. The iron wolf was standing on the top of a hill with its head raised proudly towards the moon, howling as loud as a hundred wolves. Awakened by the rays of the rising sun, the Duke remembered his strange dream and consulted the pagan priest Lizdeika about it. The latter interpreted the dream as follows: ‘Let that happen to the Ruler and the Lithuanian State what was fated to happen!’ He told the Duke that the dream was a direction to found a city among these hills. The howling of the wolf, explained the priest, represented the fame of the future city: that city will be the capital of Lithuanian lands, and its reputation would spread far and wide, as far as the howling of the mysterious wolf…’ So the Grand Duke of Lithuania, obeying the will of gods, immediately started to build the future capital, and took it the name – Vilnius – from the stream of the rapid Vilnia.

1835m.

1890m.

1906m.

1914m.

II.KURŠIŲ NERIJA

Didysis kopagubris Grobsto rezervate

History

First humans in the Curonian Spit could be dated by early Paleolith approximately 8000 B.C.
They were small groups of roaming hunters, which were following reindeers and elks. However, no signs of their presence have been found in the northern part of the Curonian Spit.

Regular settlements in the Curonian Spit appeared just in the beginning of Mesolithic Age about 4000 B.C. Warmer climate attracted people of Narva Culture to the spit. Deciduous woods, marshy lakes, shallow sea lagoons and channels were most suitable for fishing, hunting and gathering forest goods. People used pots and dishes, which they made of clay and mollusc shells. They raised such domestic animals as dogs and pigs, wove mats and started to process amber, which they collected.

The Pamarys or Marine Culture expanded across the Curonian Spit at the end of the middle stone age, i.e. 3000 B.C. It absorbed elements of Rope Ceramics from Central European and local Narva cultures. The Marine Culture gave birth to such western Baltic tribes as Prussians, Jatvingians and Curonians (Kurshes). Some changes in occupations, day-to-day activities, family structure and world outlook appeared. Inhabitants of the Curonian Spit started to raise goats and use horses. For the very first time in the Curonian Spit, people cultivated land and started to grow barley and wheat. Salt extraction by evaporating seawater became a brand new occupation.

The Bronze Age (between 2000 and 500 B.C.) hasn't been much investigated in the Curonian Spit. The available information allows us to consider that landscape changes in the peninsula and the fall of temperature had a main impact on living conditions. About 1700 B.C. the sea flooded part of the Stone Age settlements. Humans moved to higher places. It is suggested that many of them deserted the Curonian Spit. Their occupations stayed the same. Solitary bronze articles like axes, speartips and pins weren't very commonly used, but rather showed the position in the social hierarchy. Archaeologists also noticed that the quality of ceramics worsened in the Bronze Age.

Single archaeology findings from the Iron Age (between 500 B.C. and 1300) said very little about this period in the northern part of the spit. It seems that humans deserted the peninsula completely. It could be the consequence of the Movement of Nations. People settled in the areas, which had more fertile soils and were more suitable for agriculture. The northern part of the Curonian Spit didn't satisfy their needs. However, only a detailed archaeological survey can give clearer picture of this blank page in the peninsula's history.

The middle of the 13th century was a break line in the history of the Northern Curonian Spit. It is widely described in chronicles, old documents, contemporary notes and maps. The detailed archaeological survey of this period hasn't been started yet.

Dates

In 1253 the Order of Swordbearers or Livonia Order built the castle of Memel (Klaipeda); the northern part of the Curonian Spit came under its subordination. Since then Klaipeda and North of the spit had one history.

In 1328 the Livonia Order passed the Klaipeda diocese to the Teutonic Order. The diocese border between Klaipeda and Sambia divided the Curonian Spit into the northern and southern parts. This border has changed very little since then.

From 1525 until 1701 the spit belonged to the Dukedom of Prussia, which latter became a kingdom (from 1701 until 1871).

Many times different countries occupied the Curonian Spit. In 1629 - 1635 it was owned by Swedes, from 1757 until 1762 - by Russians, from 1871 until 1918 it belonged to German Empire. From 1918 till 1923, the Klaipeda district and the northern part of the Curonian Spit served as France protectorate.

In 1923 these lands were joined to Lithuania and belonged to it until 1939, when Germany occupied the Memel lands again. In 1945, after World War II, the Klaipeda district and Northern Curonian Spit went back to Lithuania, which was occupied by Soviet Russia then. Lithuania got its independence in 1990; the northern part of the Curonian Spit remains as a part of it.

KNNP events

Kursiu Nerija National Park was established on April 23rd, 1991 by the Act of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania No.I-1244 (on Establishment of Dzukija, Kursiu Nerija and Zemaitija National Parks, Trakai Historical National Park and Viesvile State Nature Reserve): "to preserve the most valuable complex of Lithuanian seaside with its unique landscape and the dune ridge, natural and ethnocultural heritage, for sustainable use and its care".

According to the Law of Protected Areas in the Republic of Lithuania, Kursiu Nerija National Park is protected by the state. In the classification of IUCN (The World Conservation Union), KNNP has been recognised as Category II. Kursiu Nerija National Park has been a member of EUROPARC federation since 1997.

The most important environmental dates for the Curonian Spit:

1960 - established Kursiu Nerija Landscape Reserve.
1961 - Neringa City got its legal status.
1966 - Regime in the Landscape Reserve was restricted.
1968 - first General Management Plan for Neringa was drawn.
1976 - Management guidelines in Curonian Spit were approved.
1976 - Curonian Spit was designated as a State Forest Park.
1979 - corrections for the General Management Plan for Neringa were made.
1986 - Kurshskaja Kosa National Park was established in The Kaliningrad
Region (Russian Federation).
1991 - Kursiu Nerija National Park in Lithuania was founded.
1992 - Provisional Statute of Kursiu Nerija National Park was approved.
1994 - Government of Lithuania endorsed KNNP Planning Scheme
(management plan).
1995 - Government of Lithuania approved the Statute of KNNP.
1996 - The Administration of KNNP was set up.
2000 - The Kursiu Nerija National Park was included into UNESCO World
Heritage List as valuable cultural landscape.

III.Kernavė

13-14c. Kernavė (Luchtanas and J.Sazanovas)

The protection of Lithuanian cultural heritage is ensured by the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania and three other laws: on the Protected Territories, on Protection of Movable Cultural Property and on Protection of Immovable Cultural Heritage that replaced the former Law on Protection of Immovable Cultural Property. This new law provides for a more strictly regulated protection of Lithuanian cultural legacy. The Ministry of Culture, together with the Department responsible for the protection and conservation of cultural heritage, ensure fair and principled enforcement of all protective requirements prescribed by law.
Urban and architectural values form the major part of Lithuanian historical immovable heritage. Besides, objects of archaeological and mythological heritage are distinct for their great variety: mounds, ancient bulwarks and other defense structures, building ruins and remains, places of religious cult and other. Articles of virtu form an important part of Lithuanian cultural heritage. Most of them are preserved in Lithuanian churches.
After Lithuania joined UNESCO and ICROM in November 1991, cooperation with international cultural heritage organizations started and an opportunity appeared to present the most outstanding Lithuanian cultural objects and natural sites for the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Ministry of Culture plans to prepare the Law on protection of objects in Lithuania inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
In 2001, a phenomenon of traditional Lithuanian spiritual culture - crests and sacral arts - was enrolled on the UNESCO List of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Three other objects in Lithuania, such as the Historic Center of Vilnius, the Curonian Spit and the Kernave Archaeological Site are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
An integral part of cultural heritage, wooden heritage and manor culture heritage are wooden relics in the historical manors in Lithuania. In the narrow sense, such historic manor heritage consists of remaining fragments of mansion-houses formerly built-up with wooden buildings (immovable cultural property) and information collected on such objects. In the broadest sense, it also covers all movable, spiritual property reflecting the culture that existed throughout the period of Lithuanian manors.
During feudalism, a manor was an axis of social, economic and cultural life, and a mansion-house was a key element of each manor homestead.
As all wooden architecture in Lithuania, wooden mansion-house architecture in manors is ascribed to the ethnic architecture. Wooden buildings and structures dominated in Lithuania since ancient times up to the middle of the 20th century. By the end of the 18th century, over 90 % of manor sites were built up with wooden buildings. Later the percentage decreased, although remained dominant.
Wooden architecture of manors with surroundings formed in the Lithuanian State by the 15th century. Eventually, it changed its forms and structures. Homestead architecture was influenced by stylistic cosmopolitan architecture and local carpentry trends based on specific ethnic principles.
Wooden heritage of manor mansion-houses is extremely rich and multi-sided. It consists of material and spiritual culture relics attributed to all layers of nobility of different periods and levels of wealth. As the entire wooden culture, wooden heritage of manor mansion-houses in Lithuania is the legacy dated back to the 18th century up to the beginning of the 20th century, with rare exceptions. Manor houses of earlier periods were mostly destroyed at the end of the 17th century by wars and riots.
Lithuania is implementing a long-term programme for restoration of manor heritage objects - historical parks. The programme is aimed at identification of the most valuable historical parks in manor homesteads and, where possible, arrangement of their restoration and revival. Old parks have always been at the heart of ancient estates and can be considered an essential estate-unifying motif. In the direct physical sense, they surround buildings with the cosiness and windshields of their vegetation, frame them with perimetrically growing plants and threads of alleys, mirrors of water pools and tokens of minor architecture, decor and memorial objects, more in the spiritual sense, embodying the inherent unity and harmony of the world around us. The actual value of historic parks in the manor heritage has not been explored in full within the context of Lithuanian national culture. Up to the last decade, there was no detailed research performed on historical manor parks. Nevertheless, historical parks have played a unifying role in the manor homestead territory and manor culture on the whole.
Lithuania highly appreciates the programme of the European Heritage Days organized annually, in September, by the European Council. The Department coordinates the implementation of the programme in Lithuania. Another important programme by the Council of Europe is the European Cultural Routes. Since 2000, the Department has worked in close cooperation with the European Cultural Routes Institute organizing seminars and international conferences in Lithuania, in the area of conservation of historical parks and cultural landscape. The Department also cooperates with all countries within the Baltic Sea region focusing on the areas of conservation of cultural heritage in sub-aquatic and coastal zones, historical town protection and practical building conservation and protection.
There is a public institution, named the Academy of Cultural Heritage, functioning in Lithuania. The institution is engaged in activities of cultural heritage conservation and relevant training. It also provides services in this area. One of the programmes implemented by the Academy is Cultural Heritage Protection in Cases of Natural Calamities and Emergency Situations.
Cultural heritage, conserved and protected in the right way, contributes to the formation of the positive image of Lithuania, promotes well-being of the country's society and fosters development of tourism.


History

After almost 30 years of successful archaeological researches, today we know that the first settlers appeared in the territory of the Cultural Reservation of Kernavė as early as in 9th-8th millennium BC, in the Epipaleolithic period. Since then until the very Early Middle Ages, the territory was continuously settled by people who left their traces. Formation of large settlements started in the Pajauta Valley in first centuries AC. Hillforts were used to defend the settlements. Hillforts are the most powerful element of the Cultural Reservation. There are up to one thousand hillforts in Lithuania, but there is no other complex of five hillforts along the whole region of the Baltic Sea. It is a heritage of historical-natural processes (glacier draw back) and long-term human traces. In Lithuania, the hillforts as a principal type of a pro-historical settlement have been functioning since the Bronze Age till the end of 14th century. Kernavė is not an exception here. In 13th century Kernavė becomes a town of feudal craftsmen and tradespeople, spread in the Pajauta Valley between the Neris and fortified hillforts.

The central hillfort (called the Aukuro Hillfort) was the duke’s estate, the remaining four carried out the functions of defence of the duke’s castle and the town. In written sources Kernavė was first mentioned in 1279 in the Livonian Chronicle and the Herman Vartberg Chronicle, where it was described as Traidenis’, the Great Duke’s of Lithuania, estate (1269-1282). At that time Kernavė was the most significant economic-political centre of Lithuania – the first capital of Lithuania. These were Kernavė’s palmy days.

In 1390 Kernavė was burnt in an attack by Crusaders. After the fire the wooden town and castles have never been rebuilt, people moved out from the Pajauta Valley and started settling on the upper terrace, in the present territory of the settlement. In time, the remains of the old town were hidden from spectators’ eyes under a thick alluvial deposit stratum, which was an ideal preservative of the entire organics and, simultaneously, the traces of townspeople’s – inhabitants of the Lithuanian Troy. Unlike in Vilnius, in Kernavė cultural strata remained absolutely untouched from the end of 14th century, so they perfectly preserved their inestimable information

IV.Struve Geodetic Arc in Lithuania

Date of Inscription: 2005
Criteria: (ii)(iii)(vi)

Brief Description

The Struve Arc is a chain of survey triangulations stretching from Hammerfest in Norway to the Black Sea, through ten countries and over 2,820km. These are points of a survey, carried out between 1816 and 1855 by the astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve, which represented the first accurate measuring of a long segment of a meridian. This helped establish the exact size and shape of our planet and marked an important step in the development of earth sciences and topographic mapping. It is an extraordinary example of scientific collaboration among scientists from different countries, and of collaboration between monarchs for a scientific cause. The original arc consisted of 258 main triangles with 265 main station points. The listed site includes 34 of the original station points, with different markings, i.e. a drilled hole in rock, iron cross, cairns, or built obelisks.

Justification for Inscription

Criterion (ii): The first accurate measuring of a long segment of a meridian, helping in the establishment of the exact size and shape of the world exhibits an important step in the development of earth sciences. It is also an extraordinary example for interchange of human values in the form of scientific collaboration among scientists from different countries. It is at the same time an example for collaboration between monarchs of different powers, for a scientific cause.

Criterion (iv): The Struve Geodetic Arc is undoubtedly an outstanding example of technological ensemble – presenting the triangulation points of the measuring of the meridian, being the non movable and non tangible part of the measuring technology.

Criterion (vi): The measuring of the arc and its results are directly associated with men wondering about his world, its shape and size. It is linked with Sir Isaac Newton's theory that the world is not an exact sphere.