St. Anne's Church in Vilnius is a famous Catholic church in the Baltic states. It is one of the most famous sights of the Lithuanian capital. It is located in the Old Town. To be more precise, on Myron Street. Dedicated to Saint Righteous Anna.
Church History
The first mention of the church of St. Anne in Vilnius appeared in 1394. At that time the church was still wooden. Stone at the same time was built over the period 1495-1500. In 1501, it was officially consecrated.
In 1502, a nearby Bernardine church collapsed. After that, the monks began to conduct all services in this church. However, he remained a parish. A large number of people visited him weekly. The patron of the church at that time was the Lithuanian prince Alexander Jagiellonchik, who lived in the 15th century.
The name of the creator of this religious building has not reached our days. Presumably, it was Nikolai Enkinger, a native of Danzig. At the very beginning of the XVI century, it was he who was engaged in the restoration of the architectural ensemble, consisting of a church and a Bernardine monastery.
True, some researchers speak out against this version. For example, art critic Kristina Makovska disputes this proposal, arguing that the design of the Bernardine church and St. Anne's Church in Vilnius are very different. Therefore, they cannot be the work of one architect.
Makovska suggests that the real author was the architect Benedict Reit, who worked for the Vitebsk prince Vladislav Jagiellon. He also owns the authorship of the Cathedral in Prague and the Wawel architectural complex in Krakow.
To this day, evidence has come that Reit was sent to Vilna with a master named Jacob. His name was found on the bricks of St. Anne's Church. His portrait remained, which is now kept in the Cathedral of the Czech capital.
Church in desolation
Dark times for the Church of St. Anne in Vilnius came in 1564. After a strong fire, the temple fell into disrepair. Chancellor Nikolai Radziwill Black restored it. He was consecrated again in 1581. It was after this that the building acquired the form in which it is known today.
In the XVII century, the arches of the building collapsed. When they tried to carry out operational repairs, the interior was badly damaged. The walls were plastered, three baroque altars appeared at once.
In the church of St. Anne in Vilnius (its history is very interesting) in 1761 there was another fire, after which the external walls were painted red. Only then were the wooden floors replaced with stone vaults. The appearance of the temple at the same time repeatedly changed under the influence of restorations and restorations.
Beauty that hit Napoleon
By the way, this church is very popular among tourists. Many overcome the route Moscow - Vilnius in order to specifically look at it. Guests are often told the legend of Napoleon Bonaparte, who in 1812 was so delighted with the beauty and grace of the church that he later lamented for a long time that he could not transfer it to Paris.
When the French troops entered Vilnius, their cavalry settled in the temple. This caused damage to the interior (soldiers, for example, burned wooden utensils).
Large-scale restoration was carried out in the years 1848-1859. On the external walls they imitated a red brick. In 1867, another fire occurred, from which the roof was severely damaged. And in 1872, for the sake of paving the street, the old bell tower was demolished. Nearby was built a new one that imitated Gothic. The architect was the architect Nikolai Chagin. The bell tower has survived to the present day.
Church in the 20th century
The Church of St. Anne in Vilnius, the description of which is given in this article, was restored in the 20th century in 1902, after the threat of collapse arose. The restorer from Warsaw Dzekonski strengthened the foundation, laid drainage, strengthened the walls with metal structures. The arches were rebuilt again. For the outer layer of plaster used red clay. It is noteworthy that the church remained to work even after the Great Patriotic War, when Soviet power settled in Vilnius.
In 1969, another renovation of the temple, which was carried out by Lithuanian architects, even began here. During these years, the towers of the church were repaired, which by that time had collapsed.
In 2008, during the restoration, most of the church was closed with scaffolding. This time, the main damage was caused by vehicles, because of which cracks began to form in the walls of the building and even bricks fell out.
Church architecture
Vilnius architecture can be literally studied from this church. In this regard, this is a work that can be attributed to the late Gothic style. In the XV century, it was very common in the Netherlands and France.
The building itself is very small. It has a rectangular shape, only 10 meters wide and 22 meters long.
At the moment, the most valuable architectural element is the main facade. The guides serving tours to Vilnius pay special attention to tourists. It is believed that he has no equal in all of Eastern European Gothic.
The pediment of the church is considered one of the greatest achievements of architecture. It is distinguished by special plastic, various forms and decorativeness. It is also worth paying attention to the octagonal towers that complete the openwork facade.
A well-known Lithuanian art historian and museum worker named Vladas Dremy noted that in the composition of the facade itself a distinctly state symbol of Lithuania is visible. Its three peaks correspond exactly to the three towers of the facade.
During the construction, a yellow brick was used, which was carefully burned. It is most resistant to dampness and large temperature fluctuations. Only after the fire of 1761, the external walls were repainted in red.
Church interior
It is worth recognizing that at present the interior of the temple is not of any interest. In fact, its space consists of only one nave, the height of which is slightly less than 13 meters. In the eastern part of the temple from the altar it is separated by a Gothic arch.
At the same time, ribs adorn the arches of the church. These are the protruding ribs of the Gothic frame vault. A gallery and a sacristy are located in the northern part of this church. They were erected in 1613. With their help, the Church of St. Anne is connected to the Church of Bernardine.
Church bell tower
Most of those who travel on the route Moscow - Vilnius climb the bell tower. It is located on the right hand side of the main building. It was built in 1873. True, according to other sources, in 1874 by the architect Chagin.
Due to the fact that for many the bell tower seemed an unsuccessful imitation, the ratings of this creation were very low. Immediately behind the bell tower is a chapel called the Steps of Christ, built in the Baroque style.
Around 1752, the bell tower was significantly expanded. Inside, another staircase and a canopy were completed. The interior of the bell tower is also decorated in the Baroque style.
Church Services
St. Anne's Church in Vilnius (its exact address is Miron Street 8) attracts a large number of tourists. Catholic services are regularly held here.
If you are going to visit this church institution, then you need to check its work schedule.
From May to October, the church is open daily except Monday. The temple opens its doors at 10 a.m., and closes them at about 18 p.m. From October to April, the temple’s work schedule changes slightly. At this time, the church opens strictly half an hour before the mass.
All services at St. Anne's Church are held exclusively in Lithuanian. From Monday to Saturday, they take place daily at 17:30.
And on Sunday and on holidays, they organize two services. The first starts at 9 a.m., the second at 11 a.m.
Today, this church is rightfully considered one of the main religious institutions of Catholic Lithuania. Pilgrims from all over the country and neighboring countries come to it. He attracts many with his antiquity and fascinating history.