Monument to Adam Mickewicz
In short
There is no doubt that Adomas Mickevičius is familiar to anyone who loves to read.
The monument commemorating Mickevičius can be found on the left bank of the Vilnelė River in the square between Bernardine and St. Michael's churches on Maironio Street. This is one of the most visited sculptures in Vilnius!
The composition of the monument consists of a rectangular pedestal with the inscription Adomas Mickevičius in Lithuanian and a 4.5-metre granite sculpture.
The poet is depicted in a standing position, leaning thoughtfully on a low, horizontally partitioned column, the two parts of which symbolise his life in his homeland and in exile, which conveys how he belongs to both Polish and Lithuanian cultures. The monument was built in 1984 and unveiled by sculptor Gediminas Jokūbonis and architect Vytautas Čeknauskas.
The monument to Adomas Mickevičius is one of Vilnius’ talking sculptures. This is evident from the blue table attached to the sculpture's pedestal inviting you to listen to the sculpture. Choose one of the two alternatives listed in the table on your smartphone: scan the QR code or type in the specified URL.
Brief History
Adomas Mickevičius (1798-1855) was a famous poet of Lithuanian and Polish Romanticism. His origin, life, activity and works are closely related to Lithuania, its history and culture. He comes from an old tribe of Lithuanian nobility who lived in the district of Rodūnė. Mickevičius considered himself a citizen of the Lithuanian and Polish states, wrote in Polish, but called Lithuania his homeland.
The first monument to the poet Adomas Mickevičius was secretly built in 1899 in St. John's Church. This location was chosen because the tsarist government forbade the construction of monuments in the city. There have been several attempts throughout history to erect a sculpture for the poet in the city, but they all failed.
On 23 August 1987, about 3,000 people gathered near the Adomas Mickevičius monument to silently condemn the Ribentrop-Molotov pact. This meeting actually started the revival of Lithuania.
