Day 97. Republic of Užupis

#Užupis


In 1997 the residents of the Užupis delared the Republic of Užupis.

And it celebrates Independence Day on 1st of April!!!

Day 96. Šnipiškės Jewish cemetery.

#JewishVilnius

#VilniusCemeteries

The first Jewish cemetery was established in Šnipiškės in the end of the 15th cent.

It functioned till 1831, when the the russian imperium authorities closed it because they needed the territory for building the fortress around the Vilnius castles.

Vilna Gaon was burried in  Old Šnipiškės cemetery (LT)  In 1948 his remains and those of his relatives were moved to a New Jewish cemetery at Olandų street.
And in 1963 remains moved to Sudervės Jewish cemetery.

The territory of Old Jewish cemetery was changing in size because the Jews aquired sites around the cemetery and they started to pay taxes for the sites.
All sites were merged and the cemetery gained its maximum territory equal to 4,3 ha in the end of 18th cent. - begging of 19th cent.

1/4 of the cemetery territory was used for the fortress building. The rest was left as a field for firing.

In 1935 Polish authorities declared the cemetery as having museum value.

After the WWII the soviets finally destroyed the cemetery. On the site they constructed the swimming pool and the Palace of Concerts and Sports.

#ControversialVilnius

Day 95. Liepkalnis Orthodox Cemetery. #OrthodoxVilnius

#OrthodoxVilnius

#VilniusCemeteries

Orthodox Ruthenians were one of the first citizens of Vilnius as the Capital city of the GDL, and they had accepted cristianity earlier that than lithuanians.

So, catholic cemeteries were founded along with orthodox cemeteries.

At the beginning of 19th cent. Rasos cemetery were founded in a New World  on the other side of railway.

I. Orthodox Cemetery (in LT) 

Also, in the beginning of 19th cent., west from the Rasos Cemetery, over the hill, south from the LFF stadium at Liepkalnis street, Orthodox Cemetery (in LT) were founded.

Of course more information about the Orthodox Church of Saint Euphrosyne and Liepkalnis cemetery is provided on vilniusGO, but only in Lithuanian.

the Chapel of Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk is seen in the background

(on the left)

Old Wooden Crosses

Orthodox Church of Saint Euphrosyne in Vilnius (in LT)

devoted to Saint Euphrosyne of Polotsk

As our lecturer tour guide Dalia has said, it not understandable why the Rasos cemetery, founded in the begining of 19th cent. is on the the Culture Heritage List and it is protected by the state, whreas Liepkalnis Orthodox Cemetery, founded in the same beggining of the 19th cent. is not on the list and it is not protected.

The Culture is devided into so called  Our Culture and Not Our Culture. Pity.   

West from the orthodox cemetery, in the area between Tyzenhauzų str. and Naujininkų str, 

II. Old Believers Cemetery is located. 

From the first sight you can see the diffrence between the Orthodox Cross and the Old Believers cross (the latter has 3 crosspieces).

Old Believers Church at cemetery

Švč. Dievo Motinos Užtarėjos sentikių cerkvė 

III. Church of St. Alexander Nevsky in Naujininkai 

Saint Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Church (Naujininkai)

The St. Mary Magdalene Orthodox Convent http://www.magdala.lt/)

is located near the Orthodox Church @Lenkų str.1 

And some news regarding the St. Mary Magdalene Orthodox Convent: https://madeinvilnius.lt/verslas/statybos-vilniuje/vienuolyno-teritorijoje-bus-statoma-kepyklele/

Day 94. Hanukkah in Vilnius. #DecemberinVilnius

JewishVilnius

#DecemberinVilnius

Each December Jewish Community of Lithuania observes Hanukkah.

Each sunset during Hanukkah candles on Menorah_(Hanukkah) are lightened on Vincas Kudirka Square just in the city centre.

the Menorah on the last night of Hanukkah in 2018

Day 93. Spring Equinox @Šventaragis valey. #EthnoVilnius #MarchinVilnius

#EthnoVilnius

#VilniusinMarch #MarchinVilnius

Vilnius Ethnic Culture Center each year, starting from 2008, on a night from March 20 to March 21 organizes the Spring Equinox festival @Šventaragis' Valley

A show is a mixture of ethno music and light composition.

The night duration equals to day duration. The symbolic darkness and the ice vanishes away and the light and warmth comes.

This year the festival was callled The Light Sowing.

And I've attended the festival for the first time.