DESTINATION:
Hanseatic Heritage Of The Baltics
Among the nine nations which jostle for attention around the shores of the Baltic Sea, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have much common history. The three countries are similar in size, and together add up to an area a little less than that of Britain. Their cities grew rich in the days of the medieval Hanseatic League, and the ports continue to be important centres of trade. Despite having much in common historically and architecturally, the three countries also exhibit distinct national differences. Most obvious are linguistic differences, part of strong traditions of independence, and of resistance during the Soviet occupation. There are discernible differences in art and architecture, with each country interpreting major styles in their own vernacular tradition. Unlike the two northern states, Lithuania is predominantly Catholic and there are many Catholic churches as well as numerous roadside shrines and the extraordinary Hill of Crosses. Visiting all three countries, this tour explores similarities and differences in their cultural heritage.
Recommended duration - 6 nights/7 days
KEY VISITS (Recommended)
TALLINN
Tallinn is an ancient Hanseatic port with a wealth of architectural monuments revealing Swedish, German and Russian influences, and a beautifully preserved medieval town centre.
- TOWN HALL – the oldest in northern Europe.
- TOOMPEA CASTLE – the seat of the Parliament of the Republic of Estonia, and easily recognisable by its pink Art Nouveau façade.
- TOOMPEA HILL – site of the Gothic Dome Church, also known as St Mary’s Cathedral and the Russian Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, which is the largest in Tallinn and has a wonderfully lavish interior.
- PIKK HERMANN – an imposing defence tower above the castle.
- VIRU GATE – the eastern entrance to the Lower Town.
- GREAT COAST GATE – another gate to the city dating from the 16th century.
- ROCCA-AL-MARE OPEN AIR MUSEUM – a lovely open-air folk museum on the coast displaying superb examples of vernacular architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries.
- KADRIORG PARK – built on the orders of Peter the Great and featuring a beautiful symmetrical Swan Lake.
- PIRITA – a marina located on the coast just outside Tallinn, where you can see the remains of St Birgit’s Convent.
- TARTU – the second largest city in Estonia. Its university is the oldest and most prestigious in the country. Tartu can be included en-route to Riga.
RIGA
The largest city of the Baltic Republics, yet still one of the most beautiful. Designated a World Heritage Site, the old Hanseatic town is a tapestry of gabled storehouses, restored 15th century merchants’ houses, gothic spires and baroque churches, as well as many fine civic buildings from the 19th century.
- DOME CATHEDRAL – the largest medieval church in the Baltic States, epitomising Old Riga’s diversity of architecture, blending Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Neo-Classical styles.
- MEDIEVAL CITY – including the unusual ‘Powder Tower’ (Pulvertornis), Old Riga Castle, the Swedish Gate and the 19th century Parliament House.
- ART NOUVEAU ARCHITECTURE – Riga has the finest concentration of Art Nouveau buildings in the world with over one third of all buildings in Riga constructed in the Art Nouveau style.
- HOUSE OF BLACKHEADS (Ratslaukums) – one of Riga’s finest architectural treasures dating from 1344. The building is Gothic in style and boasts a beautiful Dutch Renaissance façade.
- RUNDALE PALACE – possibly the finest palace in the Baltic Republics. Built between 1736 and 1768 for the Duke of Courland by Bartolomeo Rastrelli, it is an outstanding blend of Baroque architecture and Rococo decorative art, with gardens modelled on those of Versailles.
VILNIUS
Vilnius is located some way from the sea and has a very different feel than its Baltic neighbours. An air of elegance pervades due to its predominant Baroque style.
- HILL OF CROSSES – located on top of a small hill it is characterised by hundreds of thousands of crosses that represent Christian devotion and a memorial to Lithuanian national identity.
- VILNIUS CATHEDRAL – originally built in 1387 to mark Lithuania’s conversion to Catholicism, it was reconstructed in 1777 in a gleaming white Neo-Classical style. Serving as an art gallery during Soviet domination, it was the first church to be re-consecrated in 1989.
- ST CASIMIR CHAPEL – housing the silver tomb of St Casimir, the patron saint of Lithuania.
- ST ANNE’S CHURCH – built between 1520 and 1572 and representing the peak of Gothic architecture in Lithuania – 33 different types of bricks were used in the façade.
- GEDIMINAS CASTLE – built in 1419, on the instructions of Grand Duke Vytautas. The castle was damaged in the 17th century by the Russians but was later restored in the 1930s. The castle is easily recognised by its unusual octagonal turret, which affords spectacular views over the city.
- GATE OF DAWN – a 16th century Renaissance building, which originally formed part of the town’s fortifications and the city’s University.
- VILNIUS UNIVERSITY – founded in 1579 it is an architectural delight with its 16th century Jesuit church, courtyards and arcades.
- CHURCH OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL – A masterpiece of 17th century Baroque architecture. It is famous for its interior which features more than 2,000 stucco figures.
- TRAKAI – Lithuania’s medieval capital during the days of the Grand Duchy.
- TURAIDA CASTLE – located in the Gauja National Park in Sigulda. Dating from the 13th century the castle has been fully restored and affords spectacular views over the surrounding area.
ALTERNATIVE VISITS
- A WALKING TOUR of the Jewish Ghetto, which was once the heart of a thriving Jewish community from medieval times to the Holocaust.
- VILNIUS PICTURE GALLERY – offering an overview of Lithuanian art from the 16th century to the early 20th century.
- PALACE OF THE GRAND DUKES OF LITHUANIA – this completely reconstructed Palace today offers three exhibitions. One charting the history of the function of the palace, one highlighting the evolving architectural styles of the building and another introducing arms, music and the everyday life of the Palace.
A shorter tour of Riga and Tallinn only can be done in 5 nights/6 days.