Gediminas' Hill
In short
Standing 48-metres tall, the hill is one of the highest points in Vilnius Old Town, making it a perfect spot to get a 360° view of the city. On one side you can see the red rooftops of the Old Town, and on the other the modern city with glass skyscrapers and the Neris River flowing. This is also your chance to see the Vilnius Cathedral from above. Visitors can either walk up the hill or take the funicular.
Brief History
Gediminas’ Hill is an anthropogenically-modified slope of erosive origin, transformed into a fortified castle. Legend has it that Grand Duke Gediminas dreamt of a howling Iron Wolf on the hilltop, which he took as a prophecy of the great city that would one day stand in this place. The hill is where he built a wooden castle in the 14th century.
In 1989, Gediminas’ Hill also served as one of the starting points of the Baltic Way, a historic human chain running from Lithuania to Estonia in protest of Soviet occupation. The city installed a funicular on the hill in 2003, making it easily accessible for those with reduced mobility and families with small children. In 2019, remains of the leaders and participants of the 1863-1864 rebellion were found on the hillside.
