Gediminas Tower
It is a pleasure to watch the Old Towns from the top of the hill. Gediminas Tower is an old hill built on the top of Vilnius. It is the ideal spot for viewing the city.
Another name of the upper castle is Gediminas, the symbol of Vilnius. Built in the 14th century by Gediminas, the king of Lithuania, the wooden structure was replaced by a much more powerful structure with the lower castle.
In 1655, during the war with Moscow, part of the structure was damaged and lost its importance. Today, the castle’s surviving tower has been restored and opened as a museum. The castle is also the ideal spot for a panoramic view of Vilnius from above.
The tower was built with octagonal corners using bricks and all 4 floors serve as a museum. In the area where you enter the museum, there are photographs of the castle and in the center is a model of the city, including the upper castle and the lower castle. As you can see from the model, the whole of the buildings is a complex. The National Museum of Lithuania and Museum of Applied Art museums next to the castle contain many prehistoric finds from archaeological excavations, coins and objects that shed light on the history of Lithuania.
A medieval cannon is one of the artifacts you should see. On the upper floors, there are also sections where the armor and other equipment worn by the knights are exhibited.
The castle is too high for pedestrian access. With this in mind, in 2003 the administrators built a funicular right next to the castle, making it easier to get to the castle. They built a 70-meter funicular with a capacity for 16 people, which can climb the 70-meter height in 30 seconds.
Funicular prices are 1.5€ for adults and 1€ for students, but these prices are round trip. If you want to take the funicular and get off on foot, the prices are 0.50€ more affordable. Make sure you take the funicular up to the castle, because you will need the energy for the ride up. It is preferable to walk down from the castle. Even in the sun it is not too difficult.
