About Gediminas Castle Tower
The octagonal Gediminas Tower sits atop the 142-meter Pilies kalnas (Castle Hill) and, as the only surviving corner tower of the Upper Castle of Vilnius, is a central landmark of the Lithuanian capital. The Gothic structure houses a museum that traces the history of the fortress, built in 1323 by Grand Duke Gediminas. You can reach the tower easily by funicular and enjoy sweeping views of the city from the observation deck. The site is also of special historical significance, as the Lithuanian flag was first raised here on New Year's Day 1919. Despite geological instability in the surrounding slopes, which led to extensive stabilization work, the tower remains a popular destination for culture lovers and tourists.
At a glance
- Category
- Museum › History museums
- Rating
- no reviews yet · write a review
- Address
- Arsenalo g. 5
01143 Vilnius, Lithuania - Phone
- +37052617453
- Website
- lnm.lt
- pilis@lnm.lt
- Coordinates
- 54.68680° N · 25.29073° E
- Data quality
- confidence 0.99
- Identifier
- ID ef487e58-95d…
Part of the tour
Getting to Know Vilnius: Cathedral, Castle Hill and Old Town →Location & surroundings
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This is the Upper Castle of a complex of three built from the 13th century, much bashed about, and abandoned from the 16th. (The Lower Castle became the site of the Arsenal, Palace and Cathedral, and the "Crooked Castle" was destroyed in 1394.) You can ascend the cobbled lane and enter the courtyard free for views of the city, and the Three Crosses on the hill east. The ducal palace east side of the courtyard is just a shell, converted into a performance space. West side is the three storey red brick tower, now a museum.
Source: Wikivoyage, „Vilnius“ · authors per page history · CC BY-SA 4.0 · as of 2/7/2023