Trakai Castle - former residence of Lithuanian princes

The former capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and now the picturesque town of Trakai is located 30 km from Vilnius. Many tourists come to this place to enjoy fabulously beautiful nature and architectural sights. The places here are picturesque: green hills, bottomless lakes, dense forests, and in the middle of all this beauty is the legendary Trakai Castle. This building is one of the best examples of Gothic. The palace of the prince is surrounded by a fortified thick wall with defensive towers. The interior is made up of frescoes, stained glass windows, displaying moments from the life of Lithuanian rulers.

In Trakai there are two castles: the Island and the Peninsula. The second one was built earlier and during the battles took on the main blow. Repeatedly it was captured by the Crusaders and destroyed to the ground. Trakai Castle was built in 1409, at that time it was the most beautiful and powerful in the whole principality, therefore it repeatedly became the residence of the rulers. Not once did the enemy succeed in conquering the fortress, which was considered the most impregnable in all of Eastern Europe. The castle lost its military significance after the Battle of Grunwald, then Prince Vitovt arranged here luxurious receptions of foreign ambassadors, feasts for the meeting of distinguished guests.

Foreigners have always been struck by the Island Fortress, and not so inaccessibility as a rich interior decoration. Trakai Castle was first destroyed only in the XVII century, but before that time, the crusaders, for the fight against which it was built, have long been forgotten. In the XV century, Vitovt on the basis of Magdeburg law gave Trakai self-government, and in the future the rulers did not interfere in the life of this city. For the right to be considered independent, the townspeople paid tribute, and also guarded bridges and fortresses.

In the 16th century Vilnius became the seat of the Lithuanian rulers. Trakai Castle lost its former greatness, and the town itself became provincial. In 1665, the fortress was seized and looted by the Russian Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. The reason for this act was hidden in the untold wealth hidden in the cellars of the castle. The conquerors did not find anything, as local residents managed to take out the treasures, and some of them hide at the bottom of the lakes. By the twentieth century, from once powerful buildings were only ruins.

Trakai Castle began to restore only in the 30s of last century, and serious work was carried out only after the war. In the 80s, the Island Fortress was restored in exactly the same way it was under Prince Vytautas in the 15th century. During the archaeological excavations, scientists discovered several treasures, but most of them are still stored at the bottom of the lakes. The number of exhibits totals more than 100 thousand, and all of them are genuine. Recently Trakai Castle has again started accepting foreign guests for signing important documents. Presidents of many countries, monarchs of Sweden and Denmark visited here.

Trakai became the center of tourism in Lithuania, and its main attraction is Trakai Castle. How to get to this majestic structure, tell the map or locals and guides. Most people come here in the summer to see with their own eyes a fortress drowning in greenery, although it is nice here in winter. In addition, in the cold season, you can safely consider the entire exposition.