"constitutional claims, Kaunas was designated as a temporary or provisional capital until Vilnius would be ""liberated from Polish occupation"". In March 1938, Lithuania accepted a Polish ultimatum, demanding diplomatic relations. Despite normalised relations, the new Lithuanian Constitution, in May 1938, still claimed Vilnius as the ""de jure"" capital of Lithuania, and Kaunas remained as the temporary capital. Temporary capital of Lithuania The temporary capital of Lithuania () was the official designation of the city of Kaunas in Lithuania during the interwar period. It was in contrast to the declared capital in Vilnius, which was under Polish control from 1920 until"
"culture. The population of Vilnius, which was sometimes nicknamed the northern Jerusalem, was about 30% Jewish. Almost all its Jews were killed during the Holocaust in Nazi-occupied Lithuania, some 75,000 alone between the years 1941 – 1942, while others later immigrated to the United States and Israel. Now there are about 3,200 Jews living in Lithuania. Apart from the various religious and ethnic groups currently residing in Lithuania, Lithuanians themselves retain and differentiate between their regional identities; there are 5 historic regional groups: ""Žemaičiai"", ""Suvalkiečiai"", ""Aukštaičiai"", ""Dzūkai"" and ""Prūsai"", the last of which is virtually extinct. City dwellers are usually"
"""Jerusalem of the North"" - a major religio-cultural center of Eastern European Jewry. After the Third Partition of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795, Vilnius was annexed by the Russian Empire and became the capital of Vilna Governorate, a part of the Northwestern Krai. In order to allow the city to expand, between 1799–1805 period, the city walls were pulled down, only the Dawn Gate (also known as ""Aušros vartai"", ""Medininkų vartai"" or ""Ostra Brama"", ""Вострая Брама"") remained. In 1803 Alexander I re-established the Polish-language University. In 1812 the city was seized by Napoleon on his push towards Moscow. After the failure"
"Vilnius Vilnius (, see also other names) is the capital of Lithuania and its largest city, with a population of 574,147 . Vilnius is in the southeast part of Lithuania and is the second largest city in the Baltic states. Vilnius is the seat of the main government institutions of Lithuania and the Vilnius District Municipality. Vilnius is classified as a Gamma global city according to GaWC studies, and is known for the architecture in its Old Town, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. Before World War II, Vilnius was one of the largest Jewish centres in Europe."
"other Lithuanians exclusively as Žemaitija (the name Samogitia is no longer in use within Lithuania and has not been used for at least two centuries). Žemaitija means ""lowlands"" in Lithuanian. The region is also known in English as Lower Lithuania or, in reference to its Yiddish names, Zamet or Zhamot. Žemaitija is located in northwestern Lithuania in the territories of: Eastern parts of: Western part of: The largest city is Šiauliai, or Klaipėda if the latter is considered in the region. Telšiai is the capital, although Medininkai (now ""Varniai"") was once the capital of the Duchy of Samogitia. The largest"
"Gate of Dawn The Gate of Dawn (), or Sharp Gate (, , ) is a city gate in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, and one of its most important religious, historical and cultural monuments. It was built between 1503 and 1522 as a part of defensive fortifications for the city of Vilnius, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It has also been known as the ""Medininkai Gate"", as it led to the village Medininkai south of Vilnius as well as ""Aštra broma"", which derivative for the Lithuanian language word ""aštra"" meaning sharp. Of ten city gates, only"
"over 33% of the country. Drūkšiai is the largest, Tauragnas is the deepest and Asveja is the longest lake in Lithuania. After a re-estimation of the boundaries of the continent of Europe in 1989, Jean-George Affholder, a scientist at the Institut Géographique National (French National Geographic Institute), determined that the geographic centre of Europe was in Lithuania, at , north of Lithuania's capital city of Vilnius. Affholder accomplished this by calculating the centre of gravity of the geometrical figure of Europe. Lithuania's climate, which ranges between maritime and continental, is relatively mild. Average temperatures on the coast are in January"
"business. They were called Litvaks and had a strong culture. The population of Vilnius, sometimes nicknamed Northern Jerusalem, was about 30% Jewish. Almost all of these Jews were killed during the Nazi German occupation, or later emigrated to the United States and Israel. Now there are only about 4,000 Jews living in Lithuania. Lithuania's membership of the European Union has made Lithuanian citizenship all the more appealing. Lithuanian citizenship is theoretically easier (see court ruling notes below) to obtain than that of many other European countries—only one great-grandparent is necessary to become a Lithuanian citizen. Persons who held citizenship in"
"History of Vilnius The city of Vilnius, the capital and largest city of Lithuania, has undergone a diverse history since it was first settled in the Stone Age. Originally the head of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and later part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, it changed hands between Imperial and Soviet Russia, modern-day Belarus, Germany, Poland, and Lithuania multiple times. It was especially often the site of conflict after the end of World War I and during World War II. It officially became the capital of independent, modern-day Lithuania when the Soviet Union recognized the country's independence in August 1991."
"Kaunas Kaunas (; ; also see other names ) is the second-largest city in Lithuania and the historical centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the centre of a county in Trakai Municipality of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. In the Russian Empire, it was the capital of the Kaunas Governorate from 1843 to 1915. During the interwar period, it served as the temporary capital of Lithuania, when Vilnius, the traditional capital, was considered part of Poland between 1920 and 1939. During that period Kaunas was nicknamed the Little Paris because"
"Šnipis, who was gifted these plots of land from Grand Duke Vytautas. In the past, Šnipiškės had a synagogue and a working cemetery. Its alternative names in other languages include: ; . Šnipiškės Šnipiškės (also known as ""New City Centre"") is a neighborhood in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Located on the north bank of the river Neris, it is the site of Vilnius' new business district. Several skyscrapers and the Europa Tower business center have been erected since the turn of the millennium. Although until recently the area was just a small village north of Vilnius proper, it continues"
"transforming from a Soviet dominated enclave into a modern European city in less than 15 years. History of Vilnius The city of Vilnius, the capital and largest city of Lithuania, has undergone a diverse history since it was first settled in the Stone Age. Originally the head of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and later part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, it changed hands between Imperial and Soviet Russia, modern-day Belarus, Germany, Poland, and Lithuania multiple times. It was especially often the site of conflict after the end of World War I and during World War II. It officially became the"
"Žaliakalnis Žaliakalnis (literally, ""the green hill"") is an elderate in Lithuania's second largest city, Kaunas. Žaliakalnis is located north of the old town and the city center area, between the Neris and Girstupis valleys. It is one of the largest residential areas in Kaunas, with a population of 38,480 in 2006. Žaliakalnis became part of Kaunas in 1919, when the city became the temporary capital of Lithuania. Kaunas expanded rapidly and the need for a comprehensive plan became evident by 1922. The Danish engineer M. Frandsen was invited to devise this plan. In Frandsen's plan, Žaliakalnis was to be an"
"named after the city of Kaunas. Kaunas Kaunas (; ; also see other names ) is the second-largest city in Lithuania and the historical centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the centre of a county in Trakai Municipality of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. In the Russian Empire, it was the capital of the Kaunas Governorate from 1843 to 1915. During the interwar period, it served as the temporary capital of Lithuania, when Vilnius, the traditional capital, was considered part of Poland between 1920 and 1939. During that period Kaunas"
"January Events (Lithuania) The January Events () took place in Lithuania between 11 and 13 January 1991 in the aftermath of the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania. As a result of Soviet military actions, 14 civilians were killed and 702 were injured. The events were centered in its capital, Vilnius, along with related actions in its suburbs and in the cities of Alytus, Šiauliai, Varėna, and Kaunas. The Baltic states, including Lithuania, were forcibly annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940. This move was never recognized by Western powers. See Occupation of the Baltic states. The"
"Jonava Jonava (, Yiddish: יאנאווא, , ) is the ninth largest city in Lithuania with a population of ca 30,000. It is located in Kaunas County in central Lithuania, north east of Kaunas, the second-largest city in Lithuania. It is served by Kaunas International Airport. ""Achema"", the largest fertilizer factory in the Baltic states, is located nearby. The city is sometimes called ""the capital of midsummer holiday"" (lt. – ""Joninės""). Jonava was officially established as a city in the 18th century during the times of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1750 first wooden church has been built in Jonava. In 1778"
"Šnipiškės Šnipiškės (also known as ""New City Centre"") is a neighborhood in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Located on the north bank of the river Neris, it is the site of Vilnius' new business district. Several skyscrapers and the Europa Tower business center have been erected since the turn of the millennium. Although until recently the area was just a small village north of Vilnius proper, it continues to be expanded with plans for modern commercial and apartment complexes. Šnipiškės is also home to the Kalvarijos Market. In 19th-20th century, Šnipiškės was a suburban settlement, named after a rich merchant"
"many local and international tourists. The most popular tourist destinations are Palanga, Kretinga and Žemaičių Kalvarija. The majority of tourists come from Latvia, Poland, Belarus, Russia, Germany, Spain, Finland and Sweden. Palanga is popular tourist destination among tourists from the United Kingdom, Germany and Russia. Žemaičių Kalvarija (or New Jerusalem as it used to be called) is very popular among pilgrims from all around the world, due to its annual The Great Žemaičių Kalvarija Church Festival (usually in June or July). Žemaitija historically was an autonomous region in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, although it lost this status once Lithuania"
"is considered to be saintly. This place was mentioned in 1253 as ""Garde"" (Gardaí). In the 17th century, when the main church and road of cross was built, people started calling it the New Jerusalem, but after some time it was named Kalvarija after the name of the hill where Jesus was crucified. In the 20th century, the town was renamed to Žemaičių Kalvarija to avoid misunderstandings, because there is another town in south-west of Lithuania called Kalvarija. During the Soviet years, 1964–1989, the town was renamed to Varduva after Varduva river that flows near the town. At that time,"
"Church of St. Nicholas, Vilnius St. Nicholas Church () is the oldest surviving church in Lithuania, built in the Old Town of the capital city Vilnius. Originally built in the 14th century, the church is mentioned in writing for the first time in 1387. In 1901-39 the Church of St. Nicholas was the only church in Vilnius where the mass was held in Lithuanian. By the same token it was a centre of Lithuanian culture (its famous dean Kristupas Čibiras was killed in 1942 during a bombing raid). During the Soviet occupation a statue of the patron of Vilnius, St."
"Klaipėda, Kaunas and Vilnius exist. Nida, Lithuania Nida () is a resort town in Lithuania, the administrative centre of Neringa municipality. Located on the Curonian Spit between the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea, it is the westernmost point of Lithuania and the Baltic states, close to the border with the Russian Kaliningrad Oblast exclave. It currently has about 2,385 residents. A settlement area of the Baltic Curonians, the original place called ""nida"" (""fluent"" in the Old Prussian language) was first mentioned in 1385 documents issued by the Teutonic Knights, who ruled the lands within their Monastic State. The original"
"Užupis Užupis (, , , ) is a neighborhood in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, largely located in Vilnius' old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Užupis means ""beyond the river"" or ""the other side of the river"" in the Lithuanian language and refers to the Vilnia River; the name Vilnius was derived from the Vilnia. The district has been popular with artists for some time, and has been compared to Montmartre in Paris and to Freetown Christiania in Copenhagen, due to its bohemian and laissez-faire atmosphere. On April 1, 1997, the district declared itself an independent republic (The Republic"
"shot near Joniškis in the nearby forest. The remaining Jews (men, women and children) were murdered in the forest in September 1941. 493 people were murdered in total by an Einsatzgruppen of Joniškis policemen and Lithuanian nationalists supervised by the Germans. Joniškis is twinned with seven cities: Joniškis Joniškis () is a city in northern Lithuania with a population of about 11,150. It is located 40 kilometers north of Šiauliai and 14 kilometers south of the Lithuania–Latvia border. Joniškis is the municipal and administrative center of Joniškis district municipality. With the Church of the Accession of the Holy Virgin Mary"
"three agreements covering rail transit, mail service, and river navigation had been concluded. The railroad, torn apart for several kilometers at the border, was repaired. A customs post was established in Vievis, and consulates were opened in Klaipėda and Vilnius. Lithuania closed the League for the Liberation of Vilnius and the Vilnius Foundation; the latter organization had given financial support to Lithuanian activities in the Vilnius Region. Nevertheless, Lithuania continued to claim Vilnius as its ""de jure"" capital. In May 1938 a new constitution was adopted, which echoed the previous constitution's statement that Vilnius was the permanent capital of Lithuania"
"Lithuania. As a result of these declarations, on 9 January 1991, the Soviet Union sent in troops. This culminated in the 13 January attack on the State Radio and Television Building and the Vilnius TV Tower, killing at least fourteen civilians and seriously injuring 700 more. The Soviet Union finally recognised Lithuanian independence in September 1991. The current Constitution, as did the earlier Lithuanian Constitution of 1922, mentions that ""the capital of the State of Lithuania shall be the city of Vilnius, the long-standing historical capital of Lithuania"". Vilnius has been rapidly transformed, and the town has emerged as a"
"in 1915, and it became the capital of an administrative unit for the first time. In 1919 the first train departed from Kaišiadorys to Radviliškis. When Trakai and the rest of the Vilnius Region became part of Poland, Kaišiadorys became the temporary capital of the Trakai Apskritis. On August, 1941, the Jewish population of the town and surroundings was murdered in mass executions perpetrated by an Einsatzgruppen of Germans and Lithuanian nationalists. Kaišiadorys Kaišiadorys (; see Etymology below) is a city in central Lithuania. It is situated between Vilnius and Kaunas. Kaišiadorys is one of six Lithuanian diocese centres. It"
"were killed near the village of Dvariūkai. The victims came from Linkuva, along with Jewish refugees who had fled to the village. Linkuva Linkuva () is a city in the Pakruojis district municipality, Lithuania. It is located north-east of Pakruojis.The town is more than 500 years old. In 1940, with the annexation of Lithuania to the USSR, all the town’s factories & stores, mainly owned by Jews, were nationalized. On June 23, 1941, after the Soviet withdrawal from Lithuania hundreds of Jews escaping eastward from Šiauliai and the neighboring towns found refuge in Linkuva and remained there. Most of the"
"expected to sign the agreements but postponed the decision, sparking large protests in Ukraine. Vilnius is situated in south-eastern Lithuania () at the confluence of the Vilnia and Neris Rivers. Lying close to Vilnius is a site some claim to be the Geographical Centre of Europe. Vilnius lies from the Baltic Sea and Klaipėda, the chief Lithuanian seaport. Vilnius is connected by highways to other major Lithuanian cities, such as Kaunas ( away), Šiauliai ( away) and Panevėžys ( away). The current area of Vilnius is . Buildings occupy 29.1% of the city; green spaces occupy 68.8%; and waters occupy"
"the Council of Lithuania and later became chairman of the Supreme Salvation Committee of Lithuania Minor. In 1925 Jankus returned to live in Bitėnai. After the Klaipėda Region was seized by Germany following the ultimatum of 1939, Jankus moved to Kaunas, the temporary capital of Lithuania. During the Nazi occupation he was forbidden to deliver public speeches. In 1944 he returned to Bitėnai and was forced to evacuate by Nazi authorities. Martynas Jankus died in Germany, but expressed his will to his daughter that his body should be burned and, when Lithuania had regained independence, his ashes should be moved"
"industrial centers of the Russian Empire, such as Riga and Saint Petersburg. Many of Lithuania's cities were dominated by non-Lithuanian-speaking Jews and Poles. Lithuania's nationalist movement continued to grow. During the 1905 Russian Revolution, a large congress of Lithuanian representatives in Vilnius known as the Great Seimas of Vilnius demanded provincial autonomy for Lithuania (by which they meant the northwestern portion of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania) on 5 December of that year. The tsarist regime made a number of concessions as the result of the 1905 uprising. The Baltic states once again were permitted to use their native"
"Šeškinė Šeškinė () is a fairly new district located in the north of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, built in 1977 as a microdistrict. Šeškinė is a largely residential district although it is also home to the Akropolis Mall, one of the largest in Eastern Europe. The second largest sports facilities in Lithuania, the Siemens Arena and the Lietuvos Rytas Arena, are also located there. The only water park in Vilnius was opened on June 1, 2007 next to the Siemens Arena. Earlier, the village of Šeškinė was located there, from which the neighborhood derives its name. In historical sources,"
"region became part of Poland in early 1920s. Lithuania, however, continued to claim the 1920 border as official and the Soviets continued to recognise these areas as part of Lithuania rather than Poland as well. In 1940, when Lithuania was incorporated into the Soviet Union, a new boundary was drawn, enlarging the ""de facto"" Lithuanian territory, though not to the full extent of the republic's claim. The notable gain was the city of Vilnius, which again became Lithuania's capital. The control of the Vilnius region was partitioned between the Lithuanian SSR (including towns of Švenčionys, Druskininkai and the village of"
"was the main source of the Lithuanian cultural revival during the 19th century and was a focal point for the smuggling of books printed in the Lithuanian language, which was banned by the occupying Russians. After World War I, Žemaitija became a part of the newly re-established Lithuanian State. The Žemaičiai resisted the Bolsheviks and the Bermontians. As the idea of former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth fallen apart, Poles occupied in 1919–1920 and until 1939 the southern part of the current Lithuania, including the current Lithuanian capital Vilnius. However, Žemaitija, along with the rest of Lithuania, was occupied by the Soviet Union"