Walks Around Vilnius and Its Environs (Przechadzki po Wilnie i jego okolicach)

The publisher, archaeologist and historian Adam Honory Kirkor (1818–1888) published the first guide to the city, titled Walks Around Vilnius and Its Environs, in Polish (1856). He wrote: “We see how passionate Lithuanians are about their capital and their monuments, which have close ties to almost every Lithuanian family. Our main goal was to overview all the noteworthy monuments in a small booklet and comment on their historical circumstances [...].” Eighteen walks along the city’s streets familiarize the reader with churches, important buildings, parks, etc. Kirkor’s guide Vilnius and the Railway from Vilnius to Saint Petersburg, Riga and Towards the Border in the Direction of Kaunas and Warsaw was published in 1862. The railway line Vilnius-Daugavpils built in 1860 brought a new era of modernity and tourism, and changed the city guide’s narrative. The guide starts with the railway information, followed by the city’s history, statistics, and an acquaintance with its suburbs, parishes and streets. The city’s administration, finances, industry and commerce are briefly described. Finally, some information is given about various churches (both active and closed), cemeteries, welfare and educational institutions, and the city’s environs. It is a kind of encyclopaedia of Vilnius. 

Text author Laima Laučkaitė

Expositions: ‘Vilnius Forever. A Dialogue of Artworks and Guides to the City’, 25 May 2022 – 30 April 2023 Lithuanian Art Centre TARTLE (Užupio St. 40, Vilnius). Curator Laima Laučkaitė.

The publisher, archaeologist and historian Adam Honory Kirkor (1818–1888) published the first guide to the city, titled Walks Around Vilnius and Its Environs, in Polish (1856). He wrote: “We see how passionate Lithuanians are about their capital and their monuments, which have close ties to almost every Lithuanian family. Our main goal was to overview all the noteworthy monuments in a small booklet and comment on their historical circumstances [...].” Eighteen walks along the city’s streets familiarize the reader with churches, important buildings, parks, etc. Kirkor’s guide Vilnius and the Railway from Vilnius to Saint Petersburg, Riga and Towards the Border in the Direction of Kaunas and Warsaw was published in 1862. The railway line Vilnius-Daugavpils built in 1860 brought a new era of modernity and tourism, and changed the city guide’s narrative. The guide starts with the railway information, followed by the city’s history, statistics, and an acquaintance with its suburbs, parishes and streets. The city’s administration, finances, industry and commerce are briefly described. Finally, some information is given about various churches (both active and closed), cemeteries, welfare and educational institutions, and the city’s environs. It is a kind of encyclopaedia of Vilnius. 

Text author Laima Laučkaitė

Expositions: ‘Vilnius Forever. A Dialogue of Artworks and Guides to the City’, 25 May 2022 – 30 April 2023 Lithuanian Art Centre TARTLE (Užupio St. 40, Vilnius). Curator Laima Laučkaitė.