This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 24.42.168.66 (talk) at 15:52, 28 August 2002. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 15:52, 28 August 2002 by 24.42.168.66 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Vilnius is the capital city of Lithuania.
Mindaugas and his wife were baptized in 1252/1253 by the bishop of Kulm, Culmer Land. When Mindaugas was murdered by his nephew, great confusion and complete relapse into paganism followed. Gediminas, grand Duke since 1316, started restoration with German colonists and numerous cities were founded with city statutes customary in Germany (Magdeburg law). The most important of these cities was Vilnius (Wilna).
Vilnius is located in the far south-east corner of modern Lithuania. This non-central location can be attributed to the changing shape of the nation through the past centuries; Vilnius was once not only culturally, but geographically the center of Lithuania.
Today, Vilnius is a modern, cosmopolitan city reminiscent of Copenhagen or Paris. Restaurants, hotels and museums have sprouted since Lithuania declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1990.