The Eastern Partners Summit is taking place at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, which was first built in the 15th century. During four centuries, the palace had been the political, administrative, diplomatic and cultural center of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It was demolished in 1801. Its reconstruction began in 2002 and the palace was opened to officials on July 6, 2009. The public has had access to the palace since this July, when it became a national museum, IPN reports.
The old palace dates from 1419. It was built in Gothic style and was intended to host the crowning of Vytautas the Great. The Grand Duke of Lithuania Alexander, who later became king of Poland, moved his residence to the Royal Palace, where he met with ambassadors. It was he who ordered the renovation of the palace.
During the reign of Sigismund I, the palace was extended. It is considered that the reconstruction plan was drawn up by Italian architect Bartolomeo Berrecci da Pontassieve. Sigismund II Augustus was crowned Grand Dyke of Lithuania in the Royal Palace. According to the writings of an emissary of the Holy Chair, the Royal Palace at that time had more treasures than the Vatican. The palace was renovated in renascent style in the 16th century. During the reign of Sigismund III Vasa, the Royal Palace was renovated in early baroque style.
In 1655, Vilnius was occupied by the Russian army. The Royal Palace burned in a fire, while his treasures disappeared. After the city was re-conquered six years later, the palace was no longer used as a state residence and remained abandoned for about 150 years. At the end of the 18th century, a number of families lived in different parts of the destroyed palace.
Shortly after the Grand Duchy of Lithuania entered the Tsarist Russia, it was ordered demolishing what remained of the Royal Palace. The construction was practically fully destroyed. A Jewish man bought what remained of it and built a residence in that place. Before World War II, that residence was used as office of the Lithuanian army. During the war, it was the office of the German army, while after the war it was used by the Soviet security bodies and then became the Palace of Pioneers.
The construction of a new palace started in 2002. The Royal Palace was thrown opened to official delegations in 2009, though it wasn’t yet fully ready. From July 6, 2013, the palace can be visited by the public.
