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Fly to
Vilnius
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Did you know?
The bell tower of the
Vilnius Cathedral
offers a beautiful
panoramic view of the
city. You can get to
the belfry by walking
up the tower’s small
19 th -century stairs.
Lonely
bell
tower
“Meet me by the bell
tower” is a common
phrase used by
Vilnius residents
when arranging
a date. The bell
tower of the Vilnius
Cathedral marks
the heart of the
Old Town and is a
prominent symbol of
the city.
Text by DOVYDAS KIAULEIKIS
Photo courtesy of
vilnius-tourism.lt
The square where the cathedral and the bell
tower stand today was previously part of a castle
and surrounding wall. The bell tower is the only
remaining part of this medieval fortification. The
tower was built in the 13 th century and most of its
ground floor has survived to this day. During the 16 th
century, the defensive tower was transformed into
the bell tower of the adjacent cathedral and gained
its current appearance in the 19 th century. The height
of the tower is 52 metres, with the tip of the cross
extending upward for another five metres. Visitors
can climb to the top floor (at 50 metres in height)
and enjoy an impressive panoramic view of Vilnius.
The bell tower has two important features –
the bells and the clock. The bells have seen many
transformations over the years. During past wars,
previous bells were dismantled and melted down for
the production of munitions, only to be fashioned
anew and reinstalled in more peaceful periods.
During the Soviet occupation (1940-1991), the
bells of other closed churches were taken to the
cathedral’s bell tower with the intention of creating
a carillon – a musical instrument composed of
at least 23 bells. However, the idea was scrapped
because the collected bells didn’t sound good
together. Nowadays, six bells weighing from 475 to
2,500 kilograms ring to mark the start and the end
of each day, to invite worshippers to Mass and to
mark special occasions.
The height of the tower is
52 metres, with the tip of
the cross extending upward
for another five metres
The clock of the cathedral’s bell tower is the oldest
and most significant in the Lithuanian capital. It
was made in Germany by an unknown master and
installed in 1672. The clock has only one hand, whose
rounded end is decorated with a moon crescent. The
sharp spike on the crescent indicates the hour. The
bells ring out every 15 minutes to mark each quarter
hour. In addition, the bells that mark the time are
different from the other bells in the tower – their
sound is sharper and echoes less, making it easier to
count the strokes. BO
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