Vilnius cityscape and Genius Loci: historical architecture and nature in an urban environment

ENThe Gothic legacy of Vilnius is largely lost, despite the fact that there are numerous examples of the style in its historic center, such as St. Nicholas’ Church (the city’s oldest Gothic sacred building) or the marvelous St. Anne’s Church. The present cityscape of Vilnius’ Old Town and its character - or genius loci (if one prefers the conceptualization of Norberg-Schulz) — contains a character more peculiar to the urban and architectural aesthetics of the Baroque or, in some cases, the Neo-Classical era. Nevertheless, some remaining architectural layers are still visible, and sacred architectural symbols continue to be deeply embedded in nature. [Extract, p. 16]

• Dingęs Vilnius / Vladas Drėma. Vilnius : Versus aureus, 2013. 446 p.
• The Sprawl of Vilnius city – establishment and analysis of growing urban region / Rūta Ubarevičienė, Donatas Burneika, Edis Kriaučiūnas. Geografijos metraštis 2011, 43/44, p. 96-107.
• Vilniaus įkūrimas / Gediminas Vaitkevičius. Vilnius : Lietuvos nacionalinis muziejus, 2010. 125 p.
• Vilniaus pilys: istorija, statyba, architektūra / Napaleonas Kitkauskas. Vilnius : Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos centras, 2012. 311 p.
• Vilniaus tapsmas / Gediminas Vaitkevičius. Miestų praeitis. 2010, 2 04.htm.