Vilnius Cathedral
Attraction
4.8 (15038 reviews)
Classical-style Roman Catholic cathedral on an old pagan temple site with 11 side chapels.
Šventaragio g., 01143 Vilnius, Lithuania
+370 5 261 1127
Did You Know?
Early Growth
Vilnius's growth was spurred by Grand Duke Gediminas in the 14th century, who invited various skilled individuals to the city, fostering its multicultural character.
Diverse Population
By the 16th century, Vilnius had become a melting pot of cultures, with German merchants, artisans, Jews, and Tatars joining the existing Lithuanian and Ruthenian communities.
Language Shift
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Reformation and Counter-Reformation led to an increase in the Polish-speaking population of Vilnius, eventually becoming the dominant language by the mid-17th century.
Lithuanian Speakers in 1897
According to the 1897 Russian census, only 2.1% of Vilnius's population identified as Lithuanian speakers, highlighting the city's linguistic shift over time.