A Connie-led walking tour, even in the rain, is a bargain at twice the price. With the places of interest circled and numbered on her map of the Old City, she lead me to the Presidential Palace and the Cathedral Basilica, just around the corner from our Skopa apartment. The Cathedral Basilica is one of 55 places of worship, mostly Roman Catholic, in Vilnius, many more than are needed we've been told. Despite being 85% catholic, few of the city's half-million inhabitants practice their religion "religiously." Prior to the Second World War, Jews made up 38% of the population. The thriving ghetto, with the support of "christian" Lithuanians, waa emptied by the Nazis and most of the Jews were exterminated in the nearby Panieri Woods. More Lithuanian Jews, as a percentage of the population (91%), were murdered during the Holocaust than in any other nation. Only one synagogue remains today.
St. Anne and St. Bernadine Church Ensemble
Above the Cathedral a single tower from the Upper Castle looms. The views of the Old Town show how large it really is; bigger even than Tallinn, though not as medieval. Somehow it wasn't damaged much during the war. We could see the Gothic and Baroque spires of the Churches of St. Anne and St. Bernadine in the Old Town and Neris River running through the newer parts of the city and even make out the Uzupias neighborhood. Lithuanians are unashamedly proud of their history and heritage. The Uzupias area takes it to another level. The Uzupias Constitution is posted in a dozen languages on a wall for all to see. It spells out rights and obligations of dogs, cats and even people! "Dogs have the right to be dogs." "Cats are not obligated to love their owners. But they are required to help out in times of need." "People have the right to die, but they are not obligated." "Never kill." "Never fight back." "Never surrender."
Reflecting on the Uzupius Constitution
The Liteeratu is another interesting area. Quotes, photos, works of art and other memoribilia from famous Lithuanians are neatly affixed to a plastered wall. None of them, sadly, were familiar to us - not like Lithuanian-American athletes Dick Butkus and Johnny Unitas, musicians Jasha Heifitz, Aaron Copeland and Al Jolson, or the most famous Stooges of all, Larry, Moe and Curly.
