Trakų Vokė Manor

The Trakų Vokė Manor sits halfway between Vilnius and Trakai and is a remarkable example of historicist architecture, blending elements of Neoclassicism, Gothic Revival, and Eclecticism. The complex was built in the late 19th century, when Jan Witold Tyszkiewicz bought the estate and commissioned the Italian architect Leandro Marconi to design the present building. Marconi drew inspiration from the architecture of the Palace on the Isle in Warsaw. The two-story manor house is surrounded by a brick fence with pseudo-Gothic gates and urns, next to which stands a guardhouse. Inside, you'll find an entrance hall with the Tyszkiewicz family coat of arms, a gallery of paintings by the artist Suchodolski, and a variety of historical style elements. The ensemble also includes a chapel built in 1870, a bell tower, outbuildings, and a park designed by the famous landscape architect Édouard André.

The history of the site goes back to the 14th century, when a battle between the Lithuanians and the Teutonic Order took place here. Over the centuries, the estate changed hands several times before coming into the possession of the noble Tyszkiewicz family. After the death of the founder of the present building, his son Jan Józef inherited the estate; he had the park redesigned and expanded the library. His successor, Jan Michał, also used the estate for industrial purposes in the interwar period and was active in social and political causes. During World War II and the Soviet era, the building served various state institutions, which led to the loss of art treasures and the restructuring of the interior rooms.

Today the manor is a cultural center run by a public institution and open to visitors year-round. You can join guided tours, attend concerts, performances, and exhibitions, or host private events. The historic buildings and the surrounding gardens provide an impressive setting for cultural experiences. The complex has also served as a filming location for various productions, including international ones such as "War and Peace" and the HBO miniseries "Catherine the Great," in which the building portrayed the empress's residence.