Capital of Lithuania Vilnius - one of the oldest cities in Europe. At bottom of mountain Pilies people lived in a place of merge of the rivers Neris and Vilnjale about 2000, and on the mountain in the first millenium the settlement BC has already become stronger. In V century of our era the mountain Pilies bottom already had a rather big settlement through which took place trading ways. In XI century at merge of the rivers Neris and Vilnjale on a grief the wooden fortress has been constructed, and at its bottom in a valley of Shventaragisa the pagan temple of Perkunasa has been based. Миндаугас which has united set of the Lithuanian earths, in 1251 has accepted a christening and on a place of a temple of Perkunasa has constructed a stone cathedral. However officially capital of Lithuania Vilnius became when Gediminas has transferred it to Vilnius from Old Trakaja and in 1323 has dispatched letters on cities of the Western Europe, inviting masters and merchants to Lithuania. In XIV century in Vilnius nearby one with another there were three fortresses: On a grief Pilies - Top (stone strengthening), in a valley of Shventaragisa - Bottom (residence of the grand duke) and the Curve (wooden) - on a hill on the right party Vilnjale. Therefore in first half XIV century Vilnius became the administrative, military, trading and cultural centre of Grand duchy Lithuanian.During board of a dynasty of Gediminasa, during two hundreds years, Vilnius quickly grew. After a christening of Lithuania in 1387 in Vilnius the new cathedral, a city town hall has been constructed, churches were under construction, monasteries have been based. In city centre magnificent palaces representatives of the nobility (built Radvily, Patsasy, Sapiegi, Hodkjavichi and others), near to them were proved merchants, masters and other townspeople. Vilnius was residence not only great Lithuanian princes, but also (after association with Poland) some kings (Kazimierasa, Aleksandrasa, Zhigimantasa Old, Zhigimantasa of August), and it had huge value for a political, economic and cultural life of a city. Since Gediminasa Vilnius was diverse, multilingual, tolerant in relation to inhabitants of various nationalities, beliefs and cultures. In it rather peacefully got on not only Lithuanians, Poles, but also Russian, German, Jewish, Tatar and other communities, keeping the language, belief, customs. Near to the Catholic Protestant churches, orthodox and unitary churches, the Jewish synagogues, the Tatar mosques were under construction also, were erected разностильные palaces of the nobility and apartment houses of townspeople. In the Middle Ages in Vilnius it is live the spirit both western, and east culture was shown. The highest point of the development Vilnius has reached in XV-XVI a century.However within centuries because of passing wars, occupations and other acts of nature (fires especially often stormed) Vilnius has strongly suffered, has lost not only set of unique buildings, but also the whole quarters. However about one today the remained medieval old city of Vilnius is one of the greatest and beautiful in Europe. In a city panorama the mountain Gediminasa with the remained western tower of the lock (it became an original symbol of Vilnius) and the rests of the former Gothic palace of princes dominates; at mountain bottom the majestic cathedral in classical style towers; highly in the sky Gothic towers of churches and belltowers rise, and quiet baroque domes, разновеликие and разноэтажные separate palaces and quarters of the apartment houses, shining by roofs from a red tile nearby are intertwined. Vivacity and a cosiness to an old city give narrow curve medieval streets and small streets, the small public gardens, the closed court yard. The motley, dynamical old city is harmoniously combined with the natural it natural, hilly, hilly and woody nature. An old city of Vilnius buildings of different epoch and architectural styles decorate, culture and art monuments. In it it is possible to see a modest church of St. Mikalojusa of style of an early gothic style and a graceful church of St. Ony in style of late Gothic (a pearl of the Lithuanian gothic style), and near to it there is a majestic Gothic church Bernardintsev. Some buildings in style the Renaissance have remained: a church of St. Mikolasa (in it an architectural museum), алюмнат the daddies, some fragments of a university palace and unique from the former 10 gate укрепительной walls of the beginning of XVI century - Vorota Aushros (earlier as Medininku called as collars). The chapel of Gate of Aushros with an icon of the Merciful Mother of god became the second symbol of a city of Vilnius and is known to Catholics of all world. Written by the unknown artist in XVI century in style the Renaissance an icon St. Maidens Maria in the Middle Ages was considered wonder-working and was popular not only among local population, but also among visitors from other countries of pilgrims. In cathedrals of other countries there are many copies from this icon. The copy of the Vilnius Madonna can be seen in St. Severin's Parisian cathedral, in Rome in St. Peter's cathedral Vorot Aushros chapel is equipped. Copies from an icon of the Merciful Mother of god of Gate of Aushros are in Poland, the USA and other countries.In an old city of Vilnius buildings in a Baroque taste (therefore many consider Vilnius as a baroque city) dominate. This style is inherent not only constructed in XVII-XVIII century in new churches (to St. Kazimierasa, St. Terezy, Dominicans, St. Rapolasa, etc.), but also атреставрированным to interiors of some Gothic churches and other buildings (for example, in churches St. Jonasov, Bonifratrijtsev, Bernardintsev, in churches of the St. Trinity and St. Spirit, etc.), to palaces of Tyshkjavichej, Oginskene, collars of a monastery Bazilikantsev, etc. the Most beautiful monument of baroque - St. Peter and Pavel's church in Antakalnise. On elegance of the interior (in it about 2.000 sculptures) it is unique in all Europe.In an old city of Vilnius buildings in a Baroque taste (therefore many consider Vilnius as a baroque city) dominate. This style is inherent not only constructed in XVII-XVIII century in new churches (to St. Kazimierasa, St. Terezy, Dominicans, St. Rapolasa, etc.), but also атреставрированным to interiors of some Gothic churches and other buildings (for example, in churches St. Jonasov, Bonifratrijtsev, Bernardintsev, in churches of the St. Trinity and St. Spirit, etc.), to palaces of Tyshkjavichej, Oginskene, collars of a monastery Bazilikantsev, etc. the Most beautiful monument of baroque - St. Peter and Pavel's church in Antakalnise. On elegance of the interior (in it about 2.000 sculptures) it is unique in all Europe.In an old city of Vilnius buildings in a Baroque taste (therefore many consider Vilnius as a baroque city) dominate. This style is inherent not only constructed in XVII-XVIII century in new churches (to St. Kazimierasa, St. Terezy, Dominicans, St. Rapolasa, etc.), but also атреставрированным to interiors of some Gothic churches and other buildings (for example, in churches St. Jonasov, Bonifratrijtsev, Bernardintsev, in churches of the St. Trinity and St. Spirit, etc.), to palaces of Tyshkjavichej, Oginskene, collars of a monastery Bazilikantsev, etc. the Most beautiful monument of baroque - St. Peter and Pavel's church in Antakalnise. On elegance of the interior (in it about 2.000 sculptures) it is unique in all Europe.In architecture of an old city the correctness, strict forms, calmness, monumentalism allocates buildings of classical style (the Cathedral, a church евангеликов - reformers, a town hall, palaces of Radvil, Reusov, with Hodkjavichej, Abramavichene and others). One of the most magnificent palaces which have remained since the Middle Ages - repeatedly restored former palace иепископов, now a palace of the President - has lines of style an empire style.In an old city of Vilnius is more than thousand archaeological, historical, architectural and other monuments of art. Therefore not casually old city of Vilnius in 1994 has been entered in the list a world cultural heritage of UNESCO. Last years the whole quarters and separate buildings of an old city are intensively restored, put to keep on purpose in order their original reliability of facades and interiors, to underline their feature and beauty, but at the same time to adapt them for needs of modern townsmen and arriving visitors.