Page 247 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Estonia Latvia & Lithuania

VILNIUS  245

congregate, stands on Liubarto
Street. Vingis Park, reached via a
suspension footbridge on the
western side of Žvėrynas, is
filled with towering pine trees
and footpaths. At the centre
of the park is an open-air
auditorium used for concerts
and, every five years, the
climax to the World Lithuanian
Song Festival. To the east, where
the pleasant M K Čiurlionio
Street meets the park, a
cemetery for German soldiers
killed during the two world
Graves of civilians killed by Russian tanks in 1991, Antakalnis Cemetery wars has been restored.
Parliament in 1991. A path to The similarly monumental
the right of the cemetery National Library, constructed 7 TV Tower
entrance leads to Soviet-era 20 years earlier, stands beside Vilniaus televizijos bokštas
war memorials. it on the other side of Sausio 13–Osios 10. Tel 252 5333.
Independence Square. @ 49. Open 11am–9pm daily
It was in the Seimas, on
4 Green Bridge 11 March 1990, that the act (to 10pm Fri & Sat). & 8 0 =
∑ tvbokstas.lt
Žaliasis tiltas declaring independence from
the Soviet Union was signed. The grand 326-m (1,070-ft) TV
The first bridge crossing During the subsequent siege, Tower is set against a striking
the river at this point was in 1991, concrete backdrop of tall pines. On the
made of wood and was barricades and Catholic ground floor, there is a small
built in the 16th century. shrines were put up display paying tribute to those
The current around the who were shot or crushed
bridge dates building to beneath Soviet tanks while
from 1952, the protect it trying to defend the tower on
year before Stalin’s against Soviet 13 January 1991. Granite markers
death. At its four corners tanks. These were outside show where they fell.
stood Socialist Realist finally removed The tower’s observation deck
statues of confi dent in 1993, and houses a state-run café,
workers, peasants the rem nants Paukščių Takas, at a height of
and soldiers, that embla zoned with 165 m (541 ft). The rotating deck
were originally built Soviet-era statues that adorned graffiti demand- makes a full circle in about 50
to instill optimism the Green Bridge until 2015 ing freedom and minutes and offers spectacular
among the masses in democracy can views of the area. On a clear day,
a brave new Communist future. still be seen on the western visibility is 70 km (43 miles) in
They were regarded as genuine side of the Seimas. every direction, with views
works of art by locals. For years, stretch ing into Belarus, about
debate raged about whether or 6 Vingis Park and 40 km (25 miles) away.
not to take these corroded-iron
statues away, and they were Žvėrynas
eventually removed in July @ 11, 24. 0 - =
2015. Now debate is raging as
to what to replace them with. The leafy Žvėrynas district was
created from the Radvila family’s
forest-covered hunt ing grounds,
which were sold off from 1893
5 Parliament as plots of land for develop-
Lietuvos respublikos seimas ment. The streets are lined
with old wooden villas and
Gedimino 53. Tel 239 6060. @ 24.
8 ∑ lrs.lt contemporary mansions. The
silver-domed Orthodox Church
The far end of Gedimino of the Apparition of the Holy
Avenue is marked by the Mother of God (1903) looms
Seimas, Lithuania’s Parliament. over the Neris river. The tiny
Built in 1982, the building is Kenesa (1922), where the Elegant TV Tower, soaring high above
typical of the late Soviet era. Karaim (see p257) used to its surroundings
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp304–305 and pp326–8

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