Church of St. Anne, Vilnius

About

St. Anne's Church (Lithuanian: Šv. Onos bažnyčia; Polish: Kościół św. Anny) is a Roman Catholic church in Vilnius' Old Town, on the right bank of the Vilnia river established circa 1495–1500. It is a prominent example of both Flamboyant and Brick Gothic styles. St. Anne's is a prominent landmark in the Vilnius Old Town that enabled the district to be named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is one of the most interesting examples of Gothic architecture in Lithuania.

The first church at this site, constructed of wood, was built for Anna, Grand Duchess of Lithuania, the first wife of Vytautas the Great. Originally intended for the use of Catholic Germans and other visiting Catholics, it was destroyed by a fire in 1419.

The present brick church was constructed on the initiative of the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Alexander I Jagiellon in 1495–1500; the exterior of the church has remained almost unchanged since then.

A reconstruction of the church, funded by Mikołaj Radziwiłł the Black and Jerzy Radziwiłł, was carried out following severe fire damage, in 1582. Abraomas Kulvietis preached in the church between 1538 and 1541.

In 1747, the church underwent a repair under the supervision of Johann Christoph Glaubitz. In 1762, side arches of the main portal were hidden in order to strengthen the support for the facade.

According to a well-known legend, Emperor Napoleon, after seeing the church during the Franco-Russian War in 1812, expressed a wish to carry the church home with him to Paris 'in the palm of his hand'.

The church was renovated in 1902–1909 when the side arches were uncovered and the walls were strengthened with iron. The initiator and organizer of the renovation was Father Jan Józef Łaboda, while the author of the project was Józef Pius Dziekoński.

During the Soviet occupation, the church remained open and was even renovated between 1960–1970 when the towers were in bad shape.

On 23 August 1987, the Lithuanian Liberty League held a rally in a square near the church and the Adam Mickiewicz Monument to protest the ongoing Soviet occupation, which was broken up by the Soviet militsiya.

Most recent reconstruction followed in 2009: the roofing was replaced, facade elements were reinforced and long-missing side spires were rebuilt.

On 13 June 2018 St. Anne's Church was dedicated by The Archbishop of Vilnius, Gintaras Grušas, to be used exclusively to celebrate the Tridentine Mass.

A reconstruction of the church, funded by Mikołaj Radziwiłł the Black and Jerzy Radziwiłł, was carried out following severe fire damage, in 1582. Abraomas Kulvietis preached in the church between 1538 and 1541.

In 1747, the church underwent a repair under the supervision of Johann Christoph Glaubitz. In 1762, side arches of the main portal were hidden in order to strengthen the support for the facade.

According to a well-known legend, Emperor Napoleon, after seeing the church during the Franco-Russian War in 1812, expressed a wish to carry the church home with him to Paris 'in the palm of his hand'.

The church was renovated in 1902–1909 when the side arches were uncovered and the walls were strengthened with iron. The initiator and organizer of the renovation was Father Jan Józef Łaboda, while the author of the project was Józef Pius Dziekoński.

During the Soviet occupation, the church remained open and was even renovated between 1960–1970 when the towers were in bad shape.

On 23 August 1987, the Lithuanian Liberty League held a rally in a square near the church and the Adam Mickiewicz Monument to protest the ongoing Soviet occupation, which was broken up by the Soviet militsiya.

During the Soviet occupation, the church remained open and was even renovated between 1960–1970 when the towers were in bad shape.

On 23 August 1987, the Lithuanian Liberty League held a rally in a square near the church and the Adam Mickiewicz Monument to protest the ongoing Soviet occupation, which was broken up by the Soviet militsiya.

Most recent reconstruction followed in 2009: the roofing was replaced, facade elements were reinforced and long-missing side spires were rebuilt.