Orthodox Holy Spirit Church, Vilnius, Lithuania

The complex of the Holy Spirit church and adjacent monastery was established in 1567. The construction was ordered by the King of Lithuania-Poland Wladyslaw Vasa. By the end of the 16th century, a monastery, a school and a printing shop were situated next to the church. In 1749 the church was badly damaged by fire.

After the reconstruction between 1749-1753 (made by architect January Kristof Glaubic) the church became the only Baroque style Orthodox sanctuary in Lithuania. The interior was crowned by a wooden iconostas resembling the Catholic altar, under which a crypt was built for the relics of Orthodox saints Anthony, John and Eustatius. In 1853 the relics were relocated to a new reliquary. The last reconstruction of the church was accomplished on the initiative of N. Muravyov. The monastery complex comprises two monasteries: the friary of Holy Spirit (built at the intersection in the 15th and 16th centuries) and the convent of Holy Mary Magdalene (built in the late 16th century). Both buildings (reconstructed in the 19th century) have Gothic fragments.

Today Holy Spirit church is the main Orthodox Church in Lithuania. The male and female monasteries next to the church are the only working Orthodox monasteries in Lithuania.

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Vilnius Tourism

Church of St Donatus

The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.

The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.

The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.

Dina buntov (4 years ago)
Nice church

John Bostic (4 years ago)
Among God's finest

Krystyna Kamińska (4 years ago)
Breathtaking place, worth to visit and feel this atmosphere.

Edmunds Imša (5 years ago)
For spiritual experience. This is not a tourist place

Sandra (5 years ago)
Very nice church. Just be aware that bad people might be met there as well...

Orthodox Holy Spirit Church

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Church of St Donatus