An issue of Polska magazine dedicated to Vilnius. The general history of the city is recalled, especially in the context of religious buildings, including the churches of St. Nicholas, St. John, St. Anne and the Bernardine Fathers. The text is accompanied by numerous photographs, including bells, silhouettes of the towers of St Anne's Church and the Ostrobramska Chapel (Source: "Polska", Warsaw 1938, R: 4, no. 33, after: Jagiellonian Digital Library).

A modernised reading of the text

Vilnius, the nicest city of the Republic of Poland.

At the fork of the rivers Vilnia and Vilenka, as if at the bottom of a great spell, amidst the wonders of nature, Vilnius spread out. "One of the most beautiful cities in the world", said Marshal Pilsudski. - Marshal Piłsudski said of it.

"Rows of walls run, hills, surrounded by greenery, caress the walls. The walls gaze longingly at the hills. Nice town. When you reach one of the hills, towers shine upwards through the mist of vapour towards the sky, towers on which, when the bells ring, you do not know whether they are complaining or asking for mercy, or whether they are just raising their longing voices to heaven.

The oldest historical information about Vilnius dates back to 1323, to the reign of Grand Duke Gediminas, who chose Vilnius as the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Even before Gediminas, Vilnius may have been a significant settlement because two great trade routes, the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea, crossed there. However, it only came to its prime importance as the capital of the state during the reign of the actual founder of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Gediminas.

After his death, the capital city shared the changing fortunes of the Gediminas dynasty. It was not until Jogaila was appointed to the Polish throne that Vilnius entered a new period of its history, at the same time closing its last page as the capital of pagan Lithuania. A wonderful book of the history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and its capital city is made up of the most important events: the union of Lithuania and Poland, the so-called Krevts Union of 1385, the adoption by Grand Duke Jogaila of the Roman Catholic faith in Krakow, his marriage to Queen Jadwiga and assumption of the Polish throne, and finally the Baptism of Lithuania.

Through Jogaila the Lithuanian statehood was united with the Polish statehood, and through his baptism in 1386 the people of Lithuania opened the way to the social and cultural relations of Western Europe. As a direct result, the Vilnius Bishopric was established and incorporated into the ecclesiastical organisation of Poland. In 1387, Vilnius was granted the Magdeburg law, i.e. the formerly fortified settlement of a rural character became a city. The capital of Poland, Warsaw, was a model for Vilnius in the formation of the new urban organisation. Thus, Vilnius soon became a major commercial centre with a large bourgeoisie, merchants and craftsmen.

From that time until the middle of the 17th century, the development of the city continued and became more and more splendid. The description of the town in 1414 by the Burgundian knight Gilbert de Lannoy is interesting. Travelling from Dyneburg, he arrived at one of Vytautas' residences, known as the Royal Court, through a forested forest, across large frozen lakes and deserted countryside.

"From the Royal Court I rode," he writes in his diaries, "between many villages, great lakes and forests. Then I came to the capital city of Lithuania, called Vilnius, where there is a castle situated very high on a sandy mountain, surrounded by stones, earth and a wall; inside it is all built of wood. The perimeter of the castle descends from the top of the mountain into two sides, closed off by a wall down to the bottom, so that many houses are included in it. The aforementioned Duke Vytautas, the ruler of Lithuania, usually stays in the castle and its grounds, and has his court and flat there. Near the castle there is a river which runs through the town below; the river is called Vilnia. And the town is not enclosed, but is long and narrow from top to bottom, very sparsely built up with wooden houses, and only some churches are of brick. The castle mentioned above is enclosed only by a wooden palisade, made in the manner of walls, but defensive and powerful".

In the hierarchy of Vilnius churches, the first place is undoubtedly occupied by the Ostra Brama Chapel with its famous image of the Virgin Mary. It is located in the fortress gate, the only one of the five that survived the demolition of the Vilnius fortress. According to the custom of the time, an image of the Madonna was placed on this gate in the Middle Ages to guard the spiritual defence of the city. In the course of time, this image became a sanctuary for Vilnius, and finally a shrine for the whole Polish nation. And the Madonna - the Guardian has also been a National Advocate throughout history. Hence the song: "The great defence of the city of Gediminas, Vilnius the whole consolation only.

In this Ostra Brama the mighty defence, Queen of Poland, and Princess of Lithuania. In the capital city the capital of wisdom, Here you reside in abundance of gifts". Vilnius is the "Florence of the North", it is the city of the flowering of medieval art. In the 15th century, the mighty castles of Vilnius magnates expanded here, and in the 15th and 16th centuries magnificent churches were built: St. Nicholas, St. John, Franciscans, St. Anne and Bernardines, as well as the Orthodox churches of St. Trinity and St. Nicholas. These churches immediately gave the city a style of sacred architecture. And since the artists - architects and sculptors were brought from Italy, hence the influence of the greatest centre of world art, Rome, can be seen in the monuments of Vilnius medieval art. The architecture of Vilnius, this Polish Florence of the North, is powerful and magnificent.

And the Vilnius Cathedral and the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, are two eternal wonders of virtuoso art, which are not only a precious jewel in Polish architecture, but a unique phenomenon in the Polish lands. At the beginning of the 16th century, the city was surrounded by a defensive wall, later demolished completely in the early years of the 19th century. In 1578, King Stefan Batory established Vilnius University, originally in the form of the Jesuit Academy. This fact exerted its deep and lasting influence on the history of the city. Vilnius became a great centre of scientific, religious and political thought. Staszic said of Vilnius University: "If the light had not been lit in Vilnius, it would have been extinguished in all of Poland". The professors of Vilnius University were the ones who lit the fires of knowledge and thought that radiated into Poland and even into the East.

It would be impossible to enumerate all the Vilnius scholars who rendered great service to Polish science. However, names such as Skarga, Śniadecki, Lelewel, Jundziłł, etc., and, above all, the two bards of the nation, Mickiewicz and Słowacki, are like the stars of the eternal glory of Vilnius. Vilnius was the favourite city of the Jagiellons. They granted it ever new privileges, ever more splendid architectural setting, ever greater splendour of art, science and beauty.

Despite repeated spontaneous fires and invasions by the Muscovites, the city was constantly being rebuilt and expanded. The city shone with particular splendour at the ceremony of the elevation to the altar of the holy prince, Casimir Jagiellon, who became the patron saint of Poland and Lithuania. This happened in 1604, at a time of heroic struggle against the enemy - despite the great sacrifice of the defenders of Vilnius' freedom, the uprising succumbed to the violence of the Muscovite tyrant. The Moscow enslavement dealt a cruel blow to Polish culture in Vilnius.

The invader destroyed and demolished the city's most valuable architectural monuments, castles and city walls, converted palaces into prisons and military hospitals, and monasteries into barracks. Thus, when the invincible Napoleon was pulling through Vilnius towards Moscow, faith in his own strength and the complete regaining of freedom was revived. The eighth regiment of Polish uhlans saw Vilnius with Napoleon's army. Vilnius then again became a focus of patriotic enthusiasm. From here the words seem to resound throughout the country: "God is with Napoleon, Napoleon is with us".

The general enthusiasm of the city's population reached its peak when, on the initiative of Vilnius youth, a solemn renewal of the Union of Lithuania with the Crown took place in the cathedral. Soon, however, faith in the miracle of the resurrection of the Fatherland - after the collapse of Napoleon's enormous power - turned into a tomb of hope. The only refuge of the national spirit became enlightened patriotism under the cover of social and educational work. The leading role in this movement was and was played by the University of Vilnius, particularly the Philaret Union.

After Novosiltsov's investigation, the cruel catastrophe of the heroic Vilnius youth spoke deeply into the consciousness of the nation and its state instinct. The tsar's verdict: for "devotion to the unintelligent Polish nationality and love for the extinguished irrepressible fatherland" - condemning young enthusiasts to exile and to fortresses - was the beginning of a martyrdom unprecedented in the civilised world. The spirit of Polish Vilnius remained steadfast against the oppressors. Hence, the slogans of the November and January national uprisings evoked a lively response in Vilnius. Revolutionary hymns were sung in the Ostrobramska Chapel, and academic youth, not waiting for orders from Warsaw, secretly sneaked out and joined the Polish army.

The gloomy times of Muraviev - Wieszatiel - had arrived in Vilnius. Through him, the martyrdom of Poland reached its peak. Gallows, murders and looting were the essence of his life. Leaders and participants in the uprising were tortured and executed in public on Lukiskie Square, their families were deported to Siberia, and the victims' property was confiscated. The Polish language was banished along with Poles from schools and offices; Polish speech was persecuted everywhere and banned altogether.

"Through the vapours of martyr's blood and a sea of tears, through suffering and steadfast perseverance, through loyalty to the common homeland, through love and immortal faith in the resurrection, Vilnius stood at that time in the row of heroic cities of the Republic of Poland - as its most faithful redoubt".

"This is the most beautiful war deed performed in this war by the Polish cavalry".

The first breath of freedom blew in 1905. At that time, for the first time since the days of Muraviev, Polish songs sounded in the streets of Vilnius during the huge Corpus Christi procession, and the 500th anniversary of the battle of Grunwald was celebrated in the Cathedral. However, the clandestine conspiracy did not produce its final result until 1915. After the retreat of the retreating Russian front, Vilnius was occupied on 19 September 1915 by the German army, whose command confirmed the Polish character of the city. The retreat of the German army at the end of 1918 was followed by a final, decisive struggle to throw off the yoke of slavery.

This fight was undertaken by the Polish army with the resolve to rebuild the whole of the Fatherland at all costs, and thus to liberate Vilnius. "WILNO MUST BE MINE". This was the slogan that Piłsudski put into the hearts of his best soldiers. Through love and deed, under the Master's leadership, they fulfilled his will. His city was liberated on 19 April 1919. For centuries, it had been the pride of Polish culture and statehood; from now on, it will continue to be free, forever united with the Motherland. Vilnius, like rarely any other Polish city, is dear to every Pole.

Vilnius charms and radiates.

"This is what all of Vilnius is like: - writes Mr Jerzy Remer in his series 'The Wonders of Poland' about Vilnius - a city - a fortress, for centuries a fortified camp on great trade and war routes in the midst of primeval forests and forests, girt by the ribbon of the Neris, closed by a chain of hills, concentrated, praying in its dozens of temples, creating and nurturing the most peaceful creation - art. We can find elsewhere, in strangers and in our own country, many other cities of art, many major works and artistic ensembles, gathered in one place. Probably. But no city will take us so lovingly into its arms, no city will give us its whole soul, its whole heart, its whole self, as it does - the city of the greatest spirits, of the nation's leaders and forefathers. A city endowed by nature with the most beautiful creations, a city generously endowed by art, a city of mighty and famous dynasties, a city seat of the Lady of the Gate of Dawn, a city torch of learning, a city of great poets and bards, a city repeatedly stripped by invaders, a city of martyrs and heroes, - a city of the National Leader, a city of a litany of the highest exaltations and upsurges - once again stands guard and is the beloved, kind and dear city of the Republic of Poland.