Day 20. Independence Day. February 16. Part II

Today I would like to talk about  a free walking tour which I took part in on February 16.

Tour was called: The most famous personalities that were living in Vilnius.

Our guide was Aušra.

We started our tour on the Town Hall square.

(1) The guide started her story with the personality of Laurynas Gucevičius.

Why? Is there a better place to talk about Laurynas Gucevičius than a square where the Town Hall is located? Maybe yes, maybe the Cathedral Square. Both city landmarks were created by Gucevicius.

(2) Later we stopped near the building of the famous Amatininkų užeiga, where the first printing house in Vilnius in the XVI th century was located and the guide told us about about the first printer in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania -  Pranciškus Skorina.
#ForTheFirstTime

Then we turn left and went to the former Jewish quarter in Vilnius.

We stoped in the front the old kindergarden where  the former biggest Jewish synagogue was placed.

(3) Then, we stopped near the monument of Vilna Gaon and our guide told us about his personality.

(4) Our next stop - the The Shrine of Divine Mercy on Dominikonų street. Aušra told us about Saint Faustyna Kowalska.

(5) Next stop - the Bench of Mykolas Kleopas Oginskis placed near the Embassy of Republic of Poland at the Konstantinas Sirvydas square.

The guide told us about the peronality of Mykolas Kleopas Oginskis.

A Musical Bench - a gift for Vilnius from The Embassy of Poland

Unfortunatelly, the battery of the bench was gone and we could not listen to the famouse Polonaise by Oginski ...

(6) Then, we returned to Pilies street and we stopped in near the House of Signatories.
Ausra told us in short about Jonas Basanavičius.

(7) Also, she drawn ou attention to so called the House of Frank and mentioned the personality of Joseph Frank.
#ForTheFirstTime

(8) Then, we moved trought the gate of The Narutis Hotel and got into the courtyard of the Narutis Hotel which was earlier so called the Botanical Garden of the former Medicine College. Ausra mentioned a quite interesting personality of Jean Emmanuel Gilibert who was the founder of this garden.
#ForTheFirstTime

(9) Also, Aušra talked in short about Juliusz Słowacki who used to live in the building owned by the Medicine College.

a Memory Board for Juliusz Slowacki

a Memory Board for Ferdynand Ruszczyc

a view of the Narutis Hotel courtyard before leaving

On the way towars the Church of Saint Ann and the Bernardine Garden

(10) Then, our guide took us to the Bernardine Garden and we stopped on the Vilnele bank with a view on the Bekešas Hill and on the obelisk for Kasparas Bekešas.

Bekešas Hill with Bekešas Obelisk

She told us about Gáspár Bekes. For me - Kasparas Bekesas was the most famous atheist in Lithunia. I love words that were carved on his grave:

…Viską iš savęs turiu: nenoriu pripažinti Dievo,

Netrokštu Jo dangaus, pragaro nebebijau,
Gailestingumo neprašau, neginu nė kiek teismo paskutinio,
Nuodėmės nepažįstu ir nežinau, kuo būčiau kam prasikaltęs.
Visuomet pasitikėjau savimi ir buvau stropus.
Nesijaudinu dėl kūno, dar mažiau – dėl sielos,
Drąsiai turiu pripažinti, kad drauge su manim ji mirė,
Triūso ano neturėsiu, kurį turi kiti –
Ieškoti kiekvienas savosios, kai iš kapo pakils…^[1]

(11) Also, Aušra told about Bekešas' "boss" - a king Steponas Batoras and a funny story about his wife Ona Jogailaite.

(12) Then, we left the Bernardine Garden and finally reached the Cathedral Square.

We stopped near the Palace of Grand Dukes of Lithuania and Ausra had the last story about the Grand Duchess of Lithuania and the Queen of Poland Bona Sforza.

Thanks to Grand Duchess Bona Lithuania had forks on their tables!

#ForTheFirstTime

And thanks to guide Aušra for a really interesting walking tour!