Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania

The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania is a special building in Vilnius, Lithuania. It was built a long time ago, in the 15th century, for the important leaders called the rulers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and later, the Kings of Poland. The palace sat in the lower part of Vilnius Castle and grew bigger and more beautiful over the years, especially in the 1500s and 1600s. For more than 400 years, it was a very important place where leaders made decisions and shared culture.

Sadly, the old palace was torn down in 1801. But people didn’t forget about it! In 2002, work began to build a new palace in the same spot. It took 16 years, and the new palace was finished in 2018. The new building looks like old styles from the Renaissance. Long ago, a letter from one of Bona Sforza’s messengers said that rebuilding the palace once cost a huge amount – 100,000 gold ducats – and this work was ordered by Sigismund I the Old.

History

Grand Duchy of Lithuania

In the 1300s, there were stone buildings on the palace site, and some believe there may have also been a wooden palace. The stone palace was built in the 1400s after a big fire in 1419. It was built in Gothic style, with three wings and two stories.

Grand Duke Alexander Jagiellon, who later became King of Poland, lived in the palace and made improvements to it. After marrying a daughter of Moscow’s Grand Duke Ivan III, the royal couple lived there until they passed away.

Sigismund I the Old, after becoming Grand Duke, used the palace for his official work. He added another wing, a third floor, and extended the gardens. The palace was very valuable, worth 100,000 ducats. An Italian architect helped with the design.

Sigismund’s son, Sigismund II Augustus, was crowned Grand Duke of Lithuania in the palace in 1529. He continued to improve the palace and filled it with treasures and beautiful tapestries.

The palace was remodeled in the Renaissance style in the 1500s. More changes happened in the early 1600s, adding a Baroque style during the rule of Sigismund III Vasa. Artists helped with these changes.

During this time, important events took place, including a wedding and the first opera in Lithuania in 1634.

In 1655, the palace was damaged by fire after Vilnius was captured. It was never used as a royal home again and stood empty for many years. Later, parts of it were torn down.

After demolition of the palace

Only a small part of the palace walls survived and were used in a different building. Over time, this building served many purposes, including as army headquarters and a museum.

Reconstruction

Lithuania became independent again in 1990. Archaeologists studied the site, and plans were made to rebuild the palace. After many years of work, the palace was partly opened in 2009 and fully completed in 2018.

Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2013

In 2013, the palace was used for important meetings during Lithuania’s presidency of the European Union. Leaders from many countries gathered there for dinners and discussions.

Recent history

In 2020, leaders from Lithuania and Poland met at the palace for the first time in over 200 years. In 2023, the palace hosted a special event for delegates attending the Vilnius NATO Summit.

Building

The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania has four wings, each with its own history. The south wing has three floors and was once used for meetings with foreign ambassadors. The east wing, also with three floors, contains some of the oldest parts of the palace and was home to the grand duchess. The west wing, with two to three floors, was where the grand duke lived. The north wing, mostly two floors, was used for servants and also had a palace theatre.