One of most interesting churches in Vilnius (in
tourist map i counted 31 church ) as
it belongs not to the church as it is understood in Christianity, but to
Vilnius university. Built in 1426 m, after baptism of Lithuania.
After Vilnius university’s beginning as Jesuit academy church
was used mainly by proffesors, students, also as space for debates, defending
theses, place to meet visiting kings. Nowadays all Vilnius university students
gets their diplomas there, church also used as a place for some concerts.
In
September 5th of 1993 church was visited by then pope
Jonas Paulius II.
Vilnius bishopric once wanted St. Johns church to belong to
them, but didn’t succeed . Almost all the time during it’s history church
belonged to university and after regaining independence it was returned to
Vilnius university. Nowadays church’s events are organized by Vilnius
university and rectors of church.
In
summer of 2011 church tower was opened for tourists and now it’s possible to
climb to 45 meters height and get wonderful view of all old town. Inside
tower you will also see Foucault's Pendulum, a device
to demonstrate the rotation of the Earth (it’s the only one such device in
Lithuania).
St
John the Evangelista and St John the Baptist church (Jonų
bažnyčia)
Šv. Jono st. 12
Open 10 – 17 every day
