History · Walking tour

The Road to the Gate of Dawn

New

This walk leads from the Town Hall to the only surviving gate of the Vilnius city wall. On the way you stop at the house of Ulrich Hosius on Vokiečių Street, and on Žydų Street, where the remains of the Great Synagogue lie underground. You meet Doctor Shabad, who inspired Doctor Aibolit, see the oldest surviving Gothic church in Lithuania and a stone St Christopher placed there when the city's coat of arms was banned. At the end you stand under the Gate of Dawn and find a small head of Hermes.

Length: 1.9 km
Est. time: 1h
Stories: 9
Route: One-way

1h · 1.9 km one-way

Uneven paving, mostly flat; the last stretch to the Gate of Dawn climbs uphill. The chapel above the gate is reached by stairs (optional).

Starts at Town Hall Square, facing the Town Hall with its columns

Ends at Gate of Dawn, south side, after passing through the gate

9 GPS-triggered stories

Audio plays automatically as you reach each stop

Audio in English · Lithuanian · Polish

Switch language any time during the walk

Listen to a sample

0:00 / 0:47

What you'll hear

Why the Town Hall looks like an ancient temple and where its tower went
Who Ulrich Hosius was and why Vokiečių Street is so wide
What is left of the Great Synagogue and what archaeologists found
Doctor Shabad, the cat and Chukovsky's Doctor Aibolit
The oldest Gothic church and a St Christopher who outlived a ban

Story stops

Stop 1 · 5 minVilnius Town HallThe white Town Hall with six columns looks like an ancient temple. Why has it no tower, and what does the St Christopher coat of arms say?
Stop 2 · 4 minHosius HouseIn the 16th century the German Ulrich Hosius, an influential Vilnius official, lived here. The wide street is a result of the war.
Stop 3 · 1 minHosius yard (optional)An optional short stop: a yard with buildings from different times and a low arched passage where you have to bend down.
Stop 4 · 5 minSite of the Great SynagogueThe Great Synagogue is no longer visible on Žydų Street. Archaeologists found remains of ritual baths and the bimah underground.
Stop 5 · 5 minDoctor ShabadA bronze doctor with a girl and a cat. Zemach Shabad treated the poor for free and inspired Chukovsky's Doctor Aibolit.
Stop 6 · 3 minSt Nicholas' ChurchThe oldest surviving Gothic church in Lithuania, built before the baptism, later the Lithuanian parish in a Polish-speaking city.
Stop 7 · 2 minChurchyard and St ChristopherA granite St Christopher made in 1959, when the city coat of arms was banned. The sculpture survived in the churchyard.
Stop 8 · 3 minGate of Dawn StreetA narrow street rises towards the gate. What do you see: the chapel window with the painting and the Baroque church of St Teresa?
Stop 9 · 2 minGate of DawnThe only surviving gate of the city wall: arrow slits, a fresco and a small head of Hermes above the road.

The route

Things to know

Before you go

Plan about 1 h 5 min. The walk is about 1.9 km.
Use headphones. Audio plays at the stops; you start some parts yourself.
All stops are in public places. Pause the audio when you cross a road.
The last stretch climbs uphill, so wear comfortable shoes.
People live and pray by the yard and the chapel: speak quietly.

Accessibility

Uneven paving, mostly flat; the last stretch to the Gate of Dawn climbs uphill. The chapel above the gate is reached by stairs (optional).
Not fully step-free
No, but the yard (stop 3) is only open if the gate is open; the chapel is optional.
Cars use Aušros Vartų Street: pause the audio when you cross. The last stretch is uphill.
The fate of Jewish Vilnius and the destruction of the synagogue are told calmly, without graphic detail.

€4.99one-time

or included in a pass

The Road to the Gate of Dawn

Old Town, Vilnius

New

What you'll hear

Why the Town Hall looks like an ancient temple and where its tower went

Who Ulrich Hosius was and why Vokiečių Street is so wide

What is left of the Great Synagogue and what archaeologists found

Doctor Shabad, the cat and Chukovsky's Doctor Aibolit

The oldest Gothic church and a St Christopher who outlived a ban

Story stops

Stop 1 · 5 minVilnius Town HallThe white Town Hall with six columns looks like an ancient temple. Why has it no tower, and what does the St Christopher coat of arms say?

Stop 2 · 4 minHosius HouseIn the 16th century the German Ulrich Hosius, an influential Vilnius official, lived here. The wide street is a result of the war.

Stop 3 · 1 minHosius yard (optional)An optional short stop: a yard with buildings from different times and a low arched passage where you have to bend down.

Stop 4 · 5 minSite of the Great SynagogueThe Great Synagogue is no longer visible on Žydų Street. Archaeologists found remains of ritual baths and the bimah underground.

Stop 5 · 5 minDoctor ShabadA bronze doctor with a girl and a cat. Zemach Shabad treated the poor for free and inspired Chukovsky's Doctor Aibolit.

Stop 6 · 3 minSt Nicholas' ChurchThe oldest surviving Gothic church in Lithuania, built before the baptism, later the Lithuanian parish in a Polish-speaking city.

Things to know

Before you go

Plan about 1 h 5 min. The walk is about 1.9 km.
Use headphones. Audio plays at the stops; you start some parts yourself.
All stops are in public places. Pause the audio when you cross a road.
The last stretch climbs uphill, so wear comfortable shoes.
People live and pray by the yard and the chapel: speak quietly.

Accessibility

Uneven paving, mostly flat; the last stretch to the Gate of Dawn climbs uphill. The chapel above the gate is reached by stairs (optional).
Not fully step-free
No, but the yard (stop 3) is only open if the gate is open; the chapel is optional.
Cars use Aušros Vartų Street: pause the audio when you cross. The last stretch is uphill.
The fate of Jewish Vilnius and the destruction of the synagogue are told calmly, without graphic detail.

Themes

Language

The Road to the Gate of Dawn

Listen to a sample

What you'll hear

Story stops

The route

Things to know

Before you go

Accessibility

Coming soon — get notified

Language

Language

Language

Themes

Payment

The Road to the Gate of Dawn

Listen to a sample

What you'll hear

Story stops

The route

Things to know

Before you go

Accessibility

Coming soon — get notified

Payment