Bernardine Church, Vilnius

Bernardine Church, Vilnius

The Church of Saint Francis and Saint Bernard (also known as Bernardine Church) is a Roman Catholic church in the Old Town of Vilnius. It is located next to Saint Anne's Church. Dedicated to Saints Francis of Assisi and Bernardino of Siena, it is an important example of Gothic architecture in Lithuania.

After their arrival in Vilnius, Bernardine monks built a wooden church in the second half of the 15th century, and at the end of the same century - a brick one. In the early 16th century it was reconstructed and the church was incorporated into the construction of Vilnius defensive wall.

Renaissance and Baroque features were added in the 17th and 18th centuries. The church is much larger than the nearby Saint Anne's Church. According to the legend, the Bernardine monks used to tell such good sermons that crowds would come to listen. That is why the church is so large.

During the Soviet time, the church was closed down and used as an art institute. It re-opened as a church in 1994. The church features some mural paintings dating from the early 16th century and are considered unique in the world. The painting's composition and subject matter belong to Renaissance, while their stylistics belongs to the Gothic style.

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Bernardine Church on Map

Sight Name: Bernardine Church
Sight Location: Vilnius, Lithuania (See walking tours in Vilnius)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Vilnius, Lithuania

Create Your Own Walk in Vilnius

Create Your Own Walk in Vilnius

Creating your own self-guided walk in Vilnius is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Užupis District Walking Tour

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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.2 Km or 0.7 Miles
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles
Historical Churches Tour

Historical Churches Tour

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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles