Cities
Vilnius - is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 555,613 (847,954 together with Vilnius County. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County.
Vilnius is a cosmopolitan city with diverse architecture. There are 65 churches in Vilnius.
Like most medieval towns, Vilnius was developed around its Town Hall. The main artery, Pilies Street, links the Royal Palace with Town Hall. Other streets meander through the palaces of feudal lords and landlords, churches, shops and craftsmen's workrooms. Narrow, curved streets and intimate courtyards developed in the radial layout of medieval Vilnius. Vilnius Old Town, the historical centre of Vilnius, is one of the largest in Europe (3.6 km²). The most valuable historic and cultural sites are concentrated here. The buildings in the old town - there are nearly 1,500 - were built over several centuries, creating a blend of many different architectural styles. Although Vilnius is known as a Baroque city, there are examples of Gothic (e.g. St Anne's Church), Renaissance, and other styles. Their combination is also a gateway to the historic centre of the capital. Owing to its uniqueness, the Old Town of Vilnius was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994. In 1995, the world's first bronze cast of Frank Zappa was installed in the Naujamiestis district with the permission of the government.
Kaunas - is the second largest city in Lithuania and a former temporary capital. Kaunas is located at the confluence of the two largest Lithuanian rivers, the Nemunas and the Neris, and near the Kaunas Reservoir, the largest body of water entirely in Lithuania.
Gothic architecture, defensive fortresses, footprints, left by various ethnical groups that used to live there, museums, Kaunas as the capital of the First Lithuanian Republic, rationalism and functionalism in architecture - these are only several of the possible routes for the first acquaintance with Kaunas.
Klaipėda - is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Curonian Lagoon where it flows into the Baltic Sea. As Lithuania's only seaport, it has ferry terminal connections to Sweden and Germany. Some of its older buildings have picturesque half-timbered construction, similar to that found in Germany, France, England, Denmark and southern Sweden.Popular seaside resorts found close to Klaipėda are Nida to the south on the Curonian Spit, and Palanga to the north.
Klaipėda contained 26 hotels, 4 Catholic chapels,a synagogue, 10 museums, 4 theaters, and 15 sport centers.
Šiauliai - is the fourth largest city in Lithuania, with a population of 129,075. It is the capital of Šiauliai County. Unofficially, the city is the capital of Northern Lithuania.
Panevėžys - is the fifth largest city in Lithuania, the capital of Aukštaitija Ethnographic Region, the seventh largest city in the Baltics and the greenest city of Lithuania. You can easily guess: that is Panevėžys.
Panevėžys is situated halfway between two Baltic capitals- Vilnius (130 km) and Riga (150 km).
Panevėžys has a favourable geographic position and good communication potentials. VIA BALTICA highway connects the city to Scandinavia and Western European countries.
It occupies 50 square kilometres with more than 112 thousand inhabitants.
