Visit to the Baltic States: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia - July 2005 |
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Following study days in the UK with
Edward Saunders, a group of NADFAS members from societies throughout
East Surrey Area visited the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia and
Estonia in July. |
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The tour started in Vilnius with the Church of St Peter and Paul. The Church has a simple façade, behind which lies a breathtakingly beautiful high baroque interior with over 2000 white stucco figures representing mythological, biblical and historical scenes. A highlight is the crystal chandelier in the form of a boat. |
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We then took the cable car to Gediminas Castle with its unusual octagonal turret from where there is a view over the rooftops to Vilnius University - an architectural delight. |
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The following day we went to Trakai,
Lithuania’s medieval capital during the days of the Grand Duchy
with its fully restored 15th century Castle, birthplace of Lithuania’s
notorious ruler, Vytautas Didysis. |
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The next visit was to Kaunas with its mix of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings. Situated at the confluence of the two largest Lithuanian rivers - the Nemunas and the Neris, Kaunas is Lithuania's second city, briefly being the country's capital from 1920 to 1939 when Vilnius was invaded by Poland. |
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Just outside Kaunas is the Hill of Crosses, the Lithuanian national pilgrimage centre. Located on the top of a small hill are hundreds of thousands of crosses that represent Christian devotion and a memorial to Lithuanian national identity. |
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At the Rundale Palace, possibly the finest palace in the Baltic Republics, the group was given a tour by the Duke’s Master of Ceremonies and Lady of the Bedchamber in period costume. The Palace is an outstanding blend of Baroque architecture and Rococo decorative art, perhaps smaller than but comparable with the Palace of Versailles, Schloss Schönbrunn or St Petersburg’s Winter Palace. |
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Riga, capital of Latvia, is the largest city of the Baltic Republics and designated a World Heritage Site. The Old town is a tapestry of gabled storehouses, restored 15th century merchants’ houses, gothic spires and baroque churches. The newer part of the city has a magnificent concentration of Art Nouveau buildings. |
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In the afternoon we visited the
resort of Pärnu,
with its tree lined boulevards often described as ‘Estonia’s
summer capital’ due to its fine white sandy beaches. |
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The final destination of our tour was Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, with its narrow streets, gabled roofs, towers and spires. An ancient Hanseatic port with a wealth of architectural monuments revealing Swedish, German and Russian influences, Tallinn has a beautifully preserved medieval town centre. |
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Just outside the town the Rocca-al-Mare Open
Air Museum displays superb examples of vernacular architecture from
the 18th and 19th centuries, with craftsmen and women in local costumes
demonstrating their skills. |
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