The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania is the white Renaissance palace beside Vilnius Cathedral, at the foot of Gediminas Hill. For four centuries it was the seat of the rulers of Lithuania and a centre of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth; it was demolished in 1801, and what you see today was rebuilt on the old foundations and completed in 2018.
The palace at a glance
- Where: in the Lower Castle area, between Cathedral Square and Gediminas Hill, in the old town of Vilnius.
- Built: a Gothic stone palace in the 15th century, rebuilt in Renaissance style in the 16th century; demolished in 1801; reconstructed from 2002 and completed in 2018.
- By: the 16th-century rebuilding is linked to Italian architects, probably including Bartolomeo Berrecci, who worked for Sigismund I the Old.
- What it is today: the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, with original ruins, archaeological finds, reconstructed state rooms and exhibitions.
- Time needed: two to three hours for the museum; 10 minutes to look at the outside.
From royal court to rubble
A stone palace rose here in the 15th century, after a great fire in 1419, as the residence of the grand dukes. Under Sigismund I the Old and his Italian wife Bona Sforza it grew into a Renaissance palace, and in 1529 their son Sigismund II Augustus was proclaimed Grand Duke of Lithuania here. He filled it with one of Europe's great collections of books and tapestries, and a papal envoy wrote that it held more treasures than the Vatican. Under the Vasa kings it was remodelled in early baroque style, and in 1634 the first opera in Lithuania was performed in the palace.
The decline began in 1655, when a Muscovite army captured Vilnius and the palace was burned and plundered. It stood half-ruined for about 150 years. After the Grand Duchy was absorbed by the Russian Empire, the authorities ordered the remains demolished, and in 1801 the walls were pulled down and the bricks sold. Archaeologists began excavating the site in earnest in the 1980s, and after independence Lithuania decided to rebuild the palace over the surviving foundations. Work started in 2002 and was completed in 2018, the centenary of the restored Lithuanian state.
What to look for
- The white Renaissance façades and the large inner courtyard, rebuilt from old drawings, descriptions and archaeological evidence.
- Inside, the original foundations and walls of the Gothic and Renaissance palace, shown in the excavated lower levels.
- Archaeological finds from the site: tiles, weapons, glass and everyday objects from the court.
- The reconstructed state rooms, furnished with period pieces to show the court of the Jagiellonian and Vasa rulers.
- The view from beside the palace up to Gediminas Tower on its hill, the Upper Castle that once guarded this Lower Castle.
A building that divides opinion
The reconstruction was debated for years. Supporters saw it as restoring a symbol of the Grand Duchy's statehood, wiped out under Russian rule; critics pointed out that little is known about the exact appearance of the palace and that it is essentially a new building. Either way, the museum is the best place in Vilnius to understand the Grand Duchy, once one of the largest states in Europe, and the original remains in the basement are genuine.
Tips for your visit
- Start in the lower levels with the excavated ruins, then go up through the state rooms: the order helps the history make sense.
- Allow plenty of time; the museum is larger than it looks from the square.
- Combine it with the climb up Gediminas Hill right behind the palace.
- Visit the cathedral next door in the morning, before the palace, when the square is quiet.
Nearby
- Vilnius Cathedral: the neoclassical cathedral with its free-standing bell tower, right next to the palace.
- Gediminas Tower: the brick tower of the Upper Castle on the hill behind, with views over the old town.
- Cathedral Square: the city's main square, with the statue of Grand Duke Gediminas.
- Bernardine Garden: a riverside park a few minutes' walk east, with fountains and old trees.
See Vilnius with World City Trail
Our Vilnius scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around three hours, with about 58 minutes of walking, and it includes places such as the Gate of Dawn, Town Hall Square and Literatų Street. You can play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish or Dutch.
If you prefer a different format, Vilnius also has a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game.
Play the Vilnius scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Vilnius →
Play the outdoor escape game in Vilnius →
Facts checked in October 2026.