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Concept
Vilnius
Summary
Vilnius (ˈvɪlniəs , ˈvjɪljnjʊs; previously known in English as Vilna, see other names) is the capital and the largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 593,436 . The population of Vilnius's functional urban area, which stretches beyond the city limits, is estimated at 718,507 (as of 2020), while according to the Vilnius territorial health insurance fund, there were 753,875 permanent inhabitants as of November 2022 in Vilnius city and Vilnius district municipalities combined. Vilnius is situated in southeastern Lithuania and is currently the second largest city in the Baltic states. It is the seat of Lithuania's national government and the Vilnius District Municipality.
Vilnius is known, among other things, for the architecture of its Old Town, one of the largest and best preserved old towns in northern, eastern, and central Europe, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. Architectural style Vilnian Baroque is named after the city, which is the largest Baroque city north of the Alps, and the farthest one to the east.
The city was noted for its multicultural population already in the time of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, with contemporary sources comparing it to Babylon. Before World War II and the Holocaust, Vilnius was one of the most important Jewish centres in Europe. Its Jewish influence has led to its nickname "the Jerusalem of Lithuania". Napoleon called it "the Jerusalem of the North" as he was passing through in 1812.
In 2009, Vilnius was the European Capital of Culture, together with Linz, Austria. Furthermore, in 2021, Vilnius was named one of the 25 fDi's Global Cities of the Future.
The name of the city originates from the Vilnia River, from the Lithuanian for ripple. The city has also had many derivative spellings in various languages throughout its history: Vilna was once common in English. The most notable non-Lithuanian names for the city include Vilna, Wilno, Вiльня (Vilnia), Wilna, Viļņa, Вільно (Vilno), ווילנע (Vilne). A Russian name from the time of the Russian Empire was Вильна (Vilna), although Вильнюс (Vilnyus) is now used.
Official source
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