Bastion of Vilnius City Wall

Vilnius, Lithuania

The bastion is a Renaissance-style fortification and surviving part of the Vilnius Defensive Wall. It consists of a tower merged in the city defence wall, underground gun ports and a connecting corridor, which turns into a 48-metre long tunnel. The bastion was built in the first half of the 17th century by the German military engineer Friedrich Getkant. The Bastion was severely damaged during the wars with Moscow in the middle of the 17th century. During World Wars I and II, German military arsenals were located in the building. You can enjoy a picturesque view of the Old Town from the Bastion terrace.

In 2007 the renovation works of the Bastion of Vilnius Defensive Wall were commenced. The Bastion has been closed for visitors since 2008.

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Address

Bokšto gatvė 20, Vilnius, Lithuania
See all sites in Vilnius

Details

Founded: 17th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Lithuania

More Information

www.lnm.lt
www.vilnius-tourism.lt
www.local-life.com

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Vilnius Cathedral (1 km)
Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania (1 km)
St. John's Church (0,7 km)
Gediminas' Tower (1,1 km)
Vilnius University (0,7 km)
National Museum of Lithuania (1,2 km)
Vilnius Town Hall (0,4 km)
St. Anne's Church (0,7 km)
St. Casimir's Church (0,3 km)


Trakai Island Castle (23,3 km)
Trakai Peninsula Castle (23,2 km)
St. Mary's Church (23,4 km)
Norviliskes Castle (58,3 km)
Medininkai Castle (27,6 km)
Kernave (36,5 km)
Senieji Trakai Castle (21,4 km)
Karmazinai Mound (28,1 km)
Dubingiai Castle Ruins (43,6 km)

User Reviews

john mackin (3 years ago)
Good attraction pretty cheap and very informative. All displays are in Lithuanian and English. Especially liked the info about the basalisk.
Planet Airlines (3 years ago)
The Bastion of Vilnius, City wall, this is part of the Vilnius Defensive Wall, it's a Renaissance-style fortification characterised by its original construction. It consists of a tower installed in the city defence wall, underground gun ports and a connecting corridor, which turns into a 48-metre long tunnel. The Bastion was built in the first half of the 17th century.
Stephen Nosalik (3 years ago)
The Vilnius bastion is definitely off the beaten path for all the organised tours. When we went we really had it to ourselves and a few locals walking by without stopping.
Ramunė Vaičiulytė (3 years ago)
You must come near it to the hill - will see amazing Vilniys view. Especially, at night!
Yevheniia (3 years ago)
There is a small museum inside. Nice views from its walls. It was an interestig experience which helped us to complete the understanding of Lithuanian history
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Glimmingehus

Glimmingehus is the best preserved medieval stronghold in Scandinavia. It was built 1499-1506, during an era when Scania formed a vital part of Denmark, and contains many defensive arrangements of the era, such as parapets, false doors and dead-end corridors, 'murder-holes' for pouring boiling pitch over the attackers, moats, drawbridges and various other forms of death traps to surprise trespassers and protect the nobles against peasant uprisings. The lower part of the castle's stone walls are 2.4 meters (94 inches) thick and the upper part 1.8 meters (71 inches).

Construction was started in 1499 by the Danish knight Jens Holgersen Ulfstand and stone-cutter-mason and architect Adam van Düren, a North German master who also worked on Lund Cathedral. Construction was completed in 1506.

Ulfstand was a councillor, nobleman and admiral serving under John I of Denmark and many objects have been uncovered during archeological excavations that demonstrate the extravagant lifestyle of the knight's family at Glimmingehus up until Ulfstand's death in 1523. Some of the most expensive objects for sale in Europe during this period, such as Venetian glass, painted glass from the Rhine district and Spanish ceramics have been found here. Evidence of the family's wealth can also be seen inside the stone fortress, where everyday comforts for the knight's family included hot air channels in the walls and bench seats in the window recesses. Although considered comfortable for its period, it has also been argued that Glimmingehus was an expression of "Knighthood nostalgia" and not considered opulent or progressive enough even to the knight's contemporaries and especially not to later generations of the Scanian nobility. Glimmingehus is thought to have served as a residential castle for only a few generations before being transformed into a storage facility for grain.

An order from Charles XI to the administrators of the Swedish dominion of Scania in 1676 to demolish the castle, in order to ensure that it would not fall into the hands of the Danish king during the Scanian War, could not be executed. A first attempt, in which 20 Scanian farmers were ordered to assist, proved unsuccessful. An additional force of 130 men were sent to Glimmingehus to execute the order in a second attempt. However, before they could carry out the order, a Danish-Dutch naval division arrived in Ystad, and the Swedes had to abandon the demolition attempts. Throughout the 18th century the castle was used as deposit for agricultural produce and in 1924 it was donated to the Swedish state. Today it is administered by the Swedish National Heritage Board.

On site there is a museum, medieval kitchen, shop and restaurant and coffee house. During summer time there are several guided tours daily. In local folklore, the castle is described as haunted by multiple ghosts and the tradition of storytelling inspired by the castle is continued in the summer events at the castle called "Strange stories and terrifying tales".

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