INSTITUTE OF LITHUANIAN LITERATURE AND FOLKLORE | VILEISIS PALACE

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The neo-baroque Petras Vileišis Palace, built at the beginning of the 20th century, sits on the terrace of the Neris River, surrounded by greenery and next to the magnificent Church of St. Peter and St. Paul.

Upon entering the fenced grounds of the palace, a magnificent neo-Baroque palace complex unfolds before the eyes. The ornate façade of the main building creates a pull to see the inside, where guests are greeted by a sumptuous interior with an abundance of colour and a wealth of authentic details, from the doors to the cockle stoves to the wrought-iron lighting fixtures. Vileišis’ residence stood out from other buildings of the time for its innovative solutions – Mrs. Vileišienė was the first person in Vilnius to have her own bath, and the buildings were even equipped with electrical wiring.

The Vileišiai Palace was not only a personal space furnished in the northern neo-baroque style, but also the centre of Lithuanian national revival. The first Lithuanian art exhibition was also held here, where Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis displayed his works for the first time in public.

More than a century later, the exquisitely beautiful palace still catches the eye of passers-by, and the mission of the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore, which is housed in the palace, is similar to the ideas of Lithuanian identity that Vileišis had nurtured at that time.