VILNIUS
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The town of Vilnius is at the confluence of two rivers : Néris
and Vilnia, in a plain and on the slopes of the hills of Paneriai
covered with forests. The first written mention of Vilnius goes back
to 1323.
At this point in time Lithuanian prince Gedymin (Gediminas) transferred
there his capital from Trakai. It is known that there was on this
site a wooden fortress. In XIVth., Vilnius was surrounded many times
by the Knights teutonics but its citadel of the Mount of the Castle
remained impregnable.
The rise of the city starts in XVth, one engages there of work of town
planning, the trades develop, manufactures appear. In XVIth, Vilnius
is one of the largest cities of the world with its 25000 inhabitants!
Heavy events will strike the city to the XVII - XIX th -, the fires,
the epidemics, the destroying invasions of the Swedens and of the armies
of Napoleon involve his decline.
In 1920, Vilnius
is occupied by the Polish troops, the city is torn off in Lithuania.
In 1939, Vilnius is restored in Lithuania by the Soviet government and
on July 21, 1940, the Soviet socialist Republic is proclaimed in Lithuania.
Thirty percent of the population of the city perished, forty percent
of the buildings were destroyed during the Hitler occupation (1941-1944)
including 80 of its 180 monuments. The city with its historical center
was completely rebuilt. Modern Vilnius has today a population of approximately
600000 inhabitants.
The old middle-age protection wall
