Wednesday, May 13, 2009

A STROLL BACK TO SCHOOL

VILNIUS - JUNE 2008

Lithuania joined the European Union on May 1, 2004, and, before the current crisis, it had one of the fastest growing economies in the EU.


"NEW CITY CENTRE - With the Europa Tower in the middle - the tallest skyscraper in the Baltic States - and the Hotel Lieutva on the left"


"BUILDING - Frenetic construction on the right bank of the River Neris"


"PLANETARIUM - The only one in the Baltic States, it is part of the University of Vilnius Theoretical Physics and Astronomy Institute"


"ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL - Old building for new concepts"


"BRIDGE STATUES - Old style statues on the bridge crossing the Neris"


"OPERA HOUSE - It seems that 36 years after the opera was born in Florence the first one - «Il Ratto di Helena» - was produced at the Vilnius Lower Castle; we were on September 4, 1636"



"GEDIMINAS PROSPECT - The main street of Vilnius runs from the Zverynas Bridge to the Cathedral Square. Created in 1836 as St George’s Prospect, it was renamed to Mickiewicz Street by the Poles, Lenin’s Prospect, when Lithuania was one of the Republics of USSR, and Gedimino from 1989. The Parliament, the National Library and the central Bank, as well as banks, hotels, shops, restaurants and cafés may be found there"


"PORTUGUESE EMBASSY - And, of course, the Portuguese Embassy may also be found in Gedimino Avenue"



"SMALL STATE THEATRE - Established in the new building in the autumn of 2005, it has «An Open Theatre» as motto. It seems the essence is to speak a language everyone understands..."


"VILNIUS UNIVERSITY - One of the oldest in Northern Europe and the largest in Lithuania. It started when a college, established in 1570 by the Jesuits who came to Lithuania to fight the Reformation, was transformed by the 1579 King Stephen Bathory's charter into the Almae Academia et Universitas Vilnensis Societatis Jesu"


LIBRARY DOOR - The bronze door commemorates the first Lithuanian book"


"LIBRARY - The Library of the University, established in 1570, stores collections of rare publications, the first printed books and maps"


"AULA MAGNA - The main Hall of the University"


"AULA RECTORIS - The Rector's Hall"


"ASTRONOMY was a feature of Vilnius University. As most of the medieval universities, studies probably started with the trivium - logic, grammar and rhetoric - considered preparatory for the more difficult quadrivium - arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy!"


"VIEW - No need of a telescope..."

54 comments:

Trotter said...

Hi Everybody! Sorry I could neither answer your comments on the previous post yet, nor visit your sites. I’ve been too busy also my parents’ health but hope it will improve in the coming days... Anyhow, thanks for your comments and keep them coming!! Have a great week!

Rakesh Vanamali said...

Brilliant pictures, as always! I found the Vilnius University building very impressive.....even more impressive are the wonderful wall paintings that decorate the insides of this magnificient edifice!

Thanks very much for sharing!

Baron's Life said...

I hope your parent are doing better with their health.
Fantastic post a usual, great pictures and excellent preentation...Never thought Lithuania had so much to offer...Rganks for sharing

Thérèse said...

Hope everything will get better for you.
The theater caught my eye!
It looks indeed like a booming town!

Mandy said...

I hope your parents are getting better!

I really love thr architecture schhol in this set - these are lovely photos and a great post as usual!

Irina said...

Hope your parents are getting better, and sorry about not commenting sooner.

Vilnius looks very nice in your pictures, and I simply loved the telescope!

alicesg said...

Wow very lovely photo of the city. I love the interior of the library. I wish our libraries are like that. Hope your parents are better. Take care.

Voegtli said...

Very, very attractive sights. You are a great "mouth waterer".

Ron said...

Great pictures. Lithuanina looks beautiful. One of my favorite hockey players is from there.

Hope your parents are doing fine.

Rhonda Hartis Smith said...

More interesting, beautiful pictures! I especially liked the 3 figures on the theatre. Hope your parents are feeling better.

Lara said...

best wishes for your parents! and the post is fantastic! I had no clue that Vilnius is such a modern city!

MedaM said...

I wish for your parents to get well soon.
This is a great tour again with so many interesting and impressive buildings.
Beautiful post as always!

Azer Mantessa said...

quite a surprising view on the new city - elegant, contemporary and improvising.

now the perspective on this city is changed.

parts of the historical city is well maintained though ... phew. but i think the combination of both old and new is fascinating. the library is conceptual. lithuanians should be proud of themselves.

-----------
Started a new blog:

mantessa.blogspot.com

it's on music, writing music, music and animation programming and anything in between.

P.N. Subramanian said...

Vilnius looks beautiful. The building housing the school is impressive and so are other pictures as well. I am pained to learn about the indisposition of your parents. I pray the allmighty for their speedy recovery and back to being cheerful.

PeterParis said...

Looks booming, nice ... and still with some old memories, like the beautiful library! Unfortunately, it seems that the Baltic states are very seriously struck by the present crisis!

Alexander said...

Fantastic photos. They are all very nice. :D
The skies looks very nice and blue too!

Have a nice weekend.

Alexander
Alex's World! - http://www.kakinan.com/alex

Daniela Valdez said...

Everytime I visit your blog I feel like taking a break, going on a trip, and take amazing pics like yours!

Your my weekly escapade! Thanks :)

Maria Verivaki said...

stunning architecture
a very clean looking city

Olivier said...

une superbe ville, j'aime beaucoup les statues sur le "small state theatre".

bindu said...

The older buildings are so beautiful. Interesting to see a part of the world I have no idea about.

Wendy said...

Thank you for the architectual tour.

Leena said...

Greetings from China and at last spring like Jonesuu as well!
Our trip was succesful without any bigger blunders.
I have been in Riga, but never in Vilnius, so, thank you for a trip :)
Relaxing weekend to you, Gil!
I put from Wikipedia our oldest University, (we were a part of Sweden in those days ( we were over 500 years actually! )
"The Royal Academy of Turku was founded in 1640 by Queen Christina of Sweden at the proposal of Count Per Brahe on base of Turku Cathedral School (f. 1276). It was the Swedish Empire's third university following Uppsala University, founded in 1477, and the Academia Gustaviana (now the University of Tartu in Estonia), founded in 1632.", tells Wikipedia.
Before the Unversity of Turku boys from Cathedral school went to study to Paris or German`s Universities.

Anonymous said...

Nice! I particularly liked the Theater building. Unique and unlike most buildings we build now-a-days can be one which will attract tourists a few hundred years from now...?

Mariposa said...

i like the pic of you viewing through the telescope!

adelynne said...

Firstly, I hope your parents are doing well! Secondly, that tower isn't all that tall, is it? :P Thirdly, I've got a German friend who went to Vilnius University for a semester! I saw her pics of the library :) Really cool.

Jen Laceda | Milk Guides said...

I have always loved the library! This is probably one of the most ornate medieval libraries I have seen (thanks for sharing).

leo said...

I love the library and the small theatre. Hope your parents health are improving. I saw two other latest post from you Lake Trakia etc but I cant seem to access them. Will try again other time. Take care.

eye in the sky said...

majestic library interiors. i like the "3 wisemen" of the state theatre.

Dsole said...

Wow!
I'm just fascinated about the blue and clean sky and, really surprised because I supposed the architecture of this city so different to the one you showed us.
Anyway, such an interesting post! as always!

By the way, Gil,I've been trotting a little over Granada, if you want to have a look at my blog and tell me if you like the pic I've choose.
Have a nice monday! (tomorrow)
Cheers :)

lyliane six said...

J'espère que tes parents vont mieux, c'est le soucis que nous avons à nos âges.
Le passé et le moderne se mélangent bien à Vilnius, il y a des monuments qui ressemblent à la vieille Angleterre et d'autres à la Russie.
J'aimerai observer les étoiles, mais il n'y a pas d'associations qui nous explique le système près de chez moi, il faut aller à Paris.
Bonne courte semaine, car je suppose qu'au Portugal on fête aussi l'ascension.

Unknown said...

Tks Gil for the marvelous tour, to a place I could probably never visit ever. Hope your parents health will improve soon.

Rajesh said...

Marvelous, each one of them is unique.

lyliane six said...

Il est bien beau l'immeuble de l'ambassade, j'y ai reconnu le drapeau et celui de l'Europe, sur la façade il y manque un bel azulejos, comme au Portugal.

Shaun said...

Lithuania is somewhere I never would have considered in my travels. Really interesting thank you...

Joy said...

So very many interesting buildings. I especially liked the university.

There are some problems with my photoblog going down now and then. We're trying to fix it, but will have to ask for your patience.

Thanks for visiting Norwich Daily Photo and leaving your comment. Come back tomorrow for more of Norwich!


joy
A Pinay In EnglandYour Love CoachI, Woman

Nikon said...

A beautiful series of photos, Gil of a beautiful city. I don't know how you get such fabulous blue skies!
I love the library!
(I know Hem is tad slow on updates :-)
I hope that your parents are doing well.

Daniel Chérouvrier said...

Quel magnifique patrimoine, les nouvelles réalisations sont aussi superbes.
Prends soin de tes parents.

Chuckeroon said...

So nic, as usual, to find your little hoof prints trotting across my page. I have always wanted to see this Baltic area. Finalnd and St. Petersburg were the nearest I got...........so Thanks to the Trotter!!!!

Trust things are going comfortably on the "health front".

Cutie said...

I love the small state theatre. The buildings are beautiful. Love them all.

Pietro Brosio said...

Gil, all fabulous pictures!
I like the buildings, the view of Gedimino Avenue and very much the photographs of the University.
I hope your parents' health is good now. My best wishes.

Venksh said...

Hey Gil,
Nice fabulous picx.... the city looks like more of techy with ancient architecture n stuffs...
So howz ur parents health now will pray for them...

Kven,
http://kollywoodmoviereview.blogspot.com/

Ash said...

Brilliant photos! The library is awesome.

Mark H said...

What a great looking city.

A Lady's Life said...

The Library and university is beautiful as is the painting in the rectors hall WOW!

Trotter said...

Hi Everybody! Thanks for your comments and good wishes on my parents health. Things seem to be improving but full assessment is still under way...
I notice some difficulties last Friday to access my blog; hope that Blogger settles this problem so that you may enjoy these beauties... ;))

Rakesh,
The University is located in a very old building and some of the walls have wonderful frescos indeed!

Baron,
It’s truly amazing what small countries in Europe have to show... ;)

Thérèse,
The theatre will have surely a great deal of activity this year as Vilnius is the European capital of Culture 2009!!

Emm,
Thanks!

Irina,
Glad to see you back here! I thought that picture with the telescope would make some success... ;))

Alice SG,
Old libraries look like old libraries; new libraries look much more modern... ;))

Pete,
Hope you’re doing well in Sri Lanka; news are a bit troublesome on the Humanitarian front!!

Ron,
Ice hockey and basketball are famous in Lithuania!!

Rhonda,
Those figures are amazing; I’ll try to check what they represent!

Lara,
Travelling is getting surprised...

Medam,
I must confess that Vilnius was also a surprise for me...

Azer,
The new financial district in Vilnius was in great development; hopefully not with the toxic products... ;))
I’ll check your new blog. Amazing how you manage all that... ;))

Subramanian,
Thanks! The old building of the University is amazing; and unfortunately I lost battery power for the camera in the middle of the visit... ;))

Peter,
I wonder how it would be if they weren’t already in the European Union...

Alex,
I was lucky to get such blue skies throughout my stay in Vilnius!!

Dana,
It’s my pleasure to provide you with the easy (and cheap) escapades... ;))

Maria,
Very clean indeed!!

Olivier,
Les «muses» du théâtre sont magnifiques...

Bindu,
It’s not such a small world… ;))

Wendy,
You’re welcome! My pleasure!

Leena,
Great to read that you survived the big tour!!! I was once in Turku; long, long time ago… ;))

Shantanu,
That theatre is a huge success on this post!! ;))

Mariposa,
Agreed!! ;))

Addy,
You mean the tower on the previous post? «Tall enough…» ;)) («I’m tall enough…» is a quote from one of my favourites: Humphrey Bogart!! ;)

Jen,
It’s time for you to come to Portugal and have a look the Library at the Mafra’s convent; it’s where Portuguese Nobel Prize José Saramago’s located his book «Blimunda»… ;))

Leo,
Lake Trakai was still under development; you’ll get it later… ;))

Eye,
Three Wise men or three Muses? I leave it open… ;))

Dsole,
Travelling is always a surprising event! Loved to see your Granada: a wonderful town and… the fabulous Alhambra… ;))

Lyliane,
Merci! L’ancien télescope était amusant… L’Ascension n’est pas jour férié ici… Alors, semaine normale… ;(
Le bâtiment de l’Ambassade n’a pas d’azulejos; bâti par les Lithuaniens… ;) Dommage…

M.Kate,
Never say never; who knows? ;))

Rajesh,
You’re right: unique!!

Shaun,
I don’t think people would insert Lithuania in the top priority tourist destinations; but once you have the chance to visit, it’s worthwhile… ;)

Joy,
I wonder whether the problem is with your blog or with Blogger… I also had troubles last Friday and don’t know whether it’s already fixed or not…

Paul,
I was lucky to catch those blues; but you must acknowledge that my Portuguese pocket sun usually works when I’m abroad; not always actually, as we’ll see in the near future… ;))

Daniel,
C’est vraiment un beau mix qu’ils ont réussi à Vilnius ; en plus, avec la Capitale Européenne de la Culture 2009, tout était récupéré pour le grand évènement… ;))

Stuart,
Saint Petersburg is outstanding; not to be compared with Vilnius, though this one has its own charm… What about the Côte? Cannes Festival… ;))

Cutie,
Thanks! We’ll miss you during your time off… ;(

Pietro,
Gedimino is an interesting stroll; not the Nevski Prospect in St. Petersburg, but anyhow… The old building of the University is also quite interesting!!

Trotter said...

Hi everybody! Sorry for the cut in the answers! Blogger has invented another way to make things difficult for their users: a limitation of 4096 characters per comment, even for the blog owners. So I had to split the answers to your comments... Sorry!

Kven,
It’s amazing how some old towns are matching the gap to modern technologies; Vilnius might be one of the examples…

Ash,
I knew you would love that library!!


Mark,
Small is beautiful! At least in this case… ;)

Lady,
The painting in the Rectors Hall was a nice surprise!!

Light and Voices said...

I became speechless after seeing that photograph of a library established in 1570. Never have I been in a library that old. I am awed.
Joyce

Trotter said...

Joyce,
There are some old libraries somewhere around in Europe!!

Ming the Merciless said...

I love the mixture of old and new in Vilnius. I don't know very much about Lithuania but these photos makes me want to visit it.

trotter said...

Ming,
It's always a wish that I carry, anytime I see something new: the wish to visit it... ;)

Lifecruiser Travel Blog said...

Wow. Must be one of the most beautiful Universities I've seen. At least from the inside.

Pierre said...

Congratulations on a fine, informative blog and some great photos! A link has been added by the travel community at trivago. Perhaps you may wish to also share your images/experiences there?

Trotter said...

Lifecruiser,
That's an amazing place; and it seems that people on the Erasmus Exchange Programme enjoy it a lot... ;)

Trotter said...

Pierre,
Thanks! Found trivago very interesting!!