Vilnius, previously known in English as Vilna, is the capital of and largest city in Lithuania and the second-most-populous city in the Baltic states. The city's estimated July 2024 population was 605,270, and the Vilnius urban area has an estimated population of 708,627.
Vilnius International Airport is the airport of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. It is located 5.9 km (3.7 mi) south of the city center. It is the largest of the three commercial airports in Lithuania by passenger traffic, with one runway and 5 million passengers a year. Vilnius International Airport serves as a base for airBaltic, Ryanair, and Wizz Air. The airport is managed by Joint Stock Company Lithuanian Airports under the Ministry of Transport and Communications. It is the 96th busiest airport in Europe.
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania after Vilnius, the fourth largest city in the Baltic States and an important centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the largest city and the centre of a county in the Duchy of Trakai of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Trakai Palatinate since 1413. In the Russian Empire, it was the capital of the Kaunas Governorate from 1843 to 1915.
Vilnius University is a public research university, which is the first and largest university in Lithuania, as well as one of the oldest and most prominent higher education institutions in Central and Eastern Europe. Today, it is Lithuania's leading research institution.
Joniškis is a city in northern Lithuania with a population of about 9,900. It is located 39 kilometers north of Šiauliai and 14 kilometers south of the Lithuania–Latvia border. Joniškis is the municipal and administrative centre of Joniškis district municipality.
Visaginas is a city in northeastern Lithuania. It is the centre of Lithuania's youngest municipality, located on the north-eastern edge of the country. It was built as a town for workers engaged in the construction of the now decommissioned Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. Visaginas is the only city in Lithuania where the majority of population speaks Russian as their first language. Originally the aerial view of Visaginas was designed to resemble a butterfly. However, after work on the nuclear power plant was cancelled, so was further construction of the town. Currently Visaginas consists of three residential regions that locals refer to as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Microdistricts. Visaginas has 14 streets. The city grew up in a pine forest by Lake Visaginas. Tourism is currently an area of great potential, as is the possibility of a new nuclear power plant.
Gediminas Avenue is the main street of Vilnius, where most of the governmental institutions of Lithuania are concentrated, including the government, parliament, Constitutional Court and ministries. It is also the location of cultural institutions such as the Lithuanian National Drama Theatre, Bank of Lithuania, Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre and Martynas Mažvydas National Library. It is also a popular shopping and dining street, with the highest average rent prices in the country. It is partially a pedestrian street in the evenings when traffic is prohibited.
Panevėžys is the fifth-largest city in Lithuania and the eighth-most-populous city in the Baltic States. As of 2021, it occupies 50 square kilometres (19 sq mi) with 89,100 inhabitants. As defined by Eurostat the population of the Panevėžys functional urban area that stretches beyond the city limits is estimated at 124,412.
Vilnius District Municipality is one of the 60 municipalities in Lithuania. It surrounds the capital city of Vilnius on three sides. The municipality is also bordered by Trakai district and Elektrėnai municipality in the west, Astravyets and Ashmyany districts of Belarus in the east, Širvintos, Molėtai and Švenčionys districts in the north and Šalčininkai district in the south.
The Europa Tower is a high-rise located in Vilnius CBD, Lithuania. It is the tallest building in the Baltic states. It is located on Konstitucijos Avenue in Šnipiškės, a district of Lithuania's capital Vilnius. It rises 148 meters above the ground. It was designed by the Vilnius-based Audrius Ambrasas Architects Company. Dominating the skyline of the newly developing New City Center, the building was completed and officially opened on 1 May 2004, as part of Lithuania's celebrations upon entering the European Union. The building caused some controversy among some of the public and some watchdog groups because of its interference with the historic skyline of the Vilnius' Old Town. Despite varying opinions, the tower is now often regarded as a modern landmark of the Lithuanian capital. There is an observation deck on the open roof terrace at 114 m (374 ft).
Lithuania attracts many visitors from neighbouring countries and from all over the world. In 2018,there were 1.7 million foreign visitors to Lithuania for business, family and leisure. The historical legacy of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, its rich history, architecture, pristine nature, seaside and spa resorts are the main attraction points of Lithuania. Domestic tourism is also highly popular: in 2018 it grew by 12%. Lithuanians also prefer to spend their vacations in Lithuania – 70 percent.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Lithuania have evolved rapidly over the years, although LGBT people still face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Both male and female expressions of same-sex sexual activity are legal in Lithuania, but neither civil same-sex partnership nor same-sex marriages are available, meaning that there is no legal recognition of same-sex couples.
Čili is a restaurant chain in Lithuania and Latvia. It started as a pizza restaurant, but soon diversified into different areas.
Saint Nicholas Church is the oldest surviving church in Lithuania, built in the Old Town of the capital city Vilnius.
Vilnius Metro is a proposed rapid transit system in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius. Three lines are currently proposed to connect the busiest and most populous city districts. Its purpose is the relief of traffic congestion, which increased significantly in the 1990s and 2000s.
A referendum on the presidency was held in Lithuania on 23 May 1992. Voters were asked whether they approved of restoring the institution of the presidency. It was initiated by Sąjūdis.
Vilnius City Municipality Building is located in Vilnius CBD on Konstitucijos Avenue, Vilnius. The building was completed and opened in 2004. In the past, Municipal Departments and Divisions were scattered throughout the capital. Now they are concentrated in the new center of the Municipality, which has improved the service of the city residents and the working conditions of the municipal employees.
The COVID-19 pandemic in Lithuania was a part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The virus was confirmed to have reached Lithuania in February 2020. On 18 March 2020, the first domestic case was confirmed, the first infected being an immediate family member of a known case. The first cases of community spread were found in the country on 19 March and the first related death occurred on 20 March 2020.
The Central Business District is a rapidly developing business district in Šnipiškės eldership of Vilnius, Lithuania. It is Lithuania's most important business district and the largest of its kind in the Baltic States.
View from above
View from south
At sunrise
