Culture

CULTURE OF LITHUANIA

The Legend of the Founding of VilniusThe Legend of the Founding of Vilnius

This legend relates to Gediminas, the Grand Duke of Lithuania, whose monument stands in the Cathedral Square.

Grand Duke, Gediminas, was on a hunting trip in the forests around the mouth of the River Vilnia. When night fell, the party, feeling tired after a long and successful hunt, decided to set up a camp and spend the night there.

While he was asleep, Gediminas had an unusual dream in which he saw an iron wolf at the top of the mountain. The iron wolf was standing on the top of a hill with its head raised proudly towards the moon, howling as loud as a hundred wolves.

The pagan priest Lizdeika told the Duke that the dream was a direction to found a city among these hills. The howling of the wolf, explained the priest, represented the fame of the future city: that city will be the capital of Lithuanian lands, and its reputation would spread far and wide, as far as the howling of the mysterious wolf…

LithuanianLithuanian is the official language of Lithuania.

It’s an Indo-European language, closely resembling the ancient Sanskrit, and is written using the Latin alphabet.

There are 65 churches in Vilnius. Like most medieval towns, Vilnius was developed

around its Town Hall.

The Old Town, the historical centre of Vilnius, is one of the largest in Europe. The most valuable historic and cultural sites are concentrated here.

The buildings in the old town were built over several centuries, creating a blend of many different architectural styles.

Although Vilnius is known as a Baroque city, there are examples of Gothic, Renaissance, and other styles.

Gothic church of St. Anne's

Baroque church of St. Peter and Paul's

The Vilnius Castle Complex, a group of defensive, cultural, and religious buildings that includes Gediminas Tower, Cathedral Square, the Palace of Lithuania and several medieval castles, is a part of the National Museum of Lithuania.

Lithuania is a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Lithuania is the head of the government, and of a multi-party system.

The current president of Lithuania is Dalia Grybauskaitė.

Today Lithuania has the most homogeneous population in the Baltic States.

Lithuanian 83.5% Polish 6.7% Russian 6.3% Belarussian 1.2% Ukrainian 0.7% Jew 0.1%

Religion in Lithuania Catholic 70% Orthodox 3% Protestant 1% Old Believers 0.8% Jewish 0.1%

FOLK Lithuanian folk music is based around songs, which

include romantic, wedding songs, as well as work songs and more archaic war songs.

Traditional vocal music is held in high esteem on a world scale: Lithuanian song fests and SUTARTINĖS multipart songs are on the UNESCO's list.

TRADITIONAL FOOD

Cepelinai

(Zeppelins)

Juoda duona

(Black rye bread)

TRADITIONAL FOOD

Bulviniai blynai

(Potato pancakes)

Gira

(Kvas)

MUSIC

Lithuanian folk music is based around polyphonic music played on flutes and zithers (kanklės).

Violeta Urmanavičiūtė - one of the finest soprano voices in the world

CINEMA AND THEATRE

Lithuania has a lively drama scene. Many film festivals are held and the most popular is

“Kino Pavasaris” (“Film Spring”). A major theater in Lithuania is the Lithuanian

National Drama Theater. Famous directors: Oskaras Koršunovas, Eimuntas

Nekrošius.

Jonas Mekas

Lithuanian artist, regarded as the godfather of American avant-garde cinema

George Maciunas

Lithuanian artist - creator of Fluxus

BASKETBALLBASKETBALL The most popular and successful team sport in

Lithuania. "Basketball is the only sport the 3 million Lithuanians

truly care about—it is their second religion, after Catholicism—and their success is proportionately stunning."

Famous basketball players: Arvydas Sabonis; Šarūnas Marčiulionis; Žydrūnas Ilgauskas; Darius Songaila; Linas Kleiza.

Virglijus Alekna

Famous Lithuanian athlete discus thrower; Two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time

world champion.

Rūta Meilutytė At the age of 15, she

had already broken eleven Lithuanian women's swimming records.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Meilutytė won the gold medal.

Lithuania at the Paralympics

In Summer Paralympics (1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012) Lithuania won 4 gold, 11 silver and 30 bronze medals.

UNESCO Heritage

VILNIUS OLD TOWN - the historical center;

KERNAVĖ - the first capital of Lithuania

THE CURONIAN SPIT

CROSS-CRAFTING - a unique branch of Lithuanian folk art

THE HILL OF CROSSES

SONG FESTIVALS

Geographical midpoint of Europe This point is located in Lithuania, specifically 26

kilometres north of its capital city, Vilnius.