ROYAL PALACE – A WITNESS OF MAJOR HISTORIC EVENTS
The Royal Palace proudly stands right in the centre of Vilnius, in the Cathedral Square known as the heart of the city. Its history dates back to the country's most majestic times, and many of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania that were once residing here. The Palace has been burned down more than once, has changed is architectural appearance, and finally was demolished – but after 200 years of nothingness the Palace was newly revived again and invites you to visit it.
Reborn during the Lithuanian millennium
The idea to restore the Palace of Rulers was born along with the movement of the Lithuanian liberation in the end of the twentieth century. Detailed archaeological investigations of the palace started in 1987. About 0.5 million unique finds were found here. They became the basis for the palace restoration. In 2002, the restoration of the destroyed Palace of Rulers began. Usually the commemoration of the Millennium of the name of Lithuania on 6 July 2009 a symbolic opening of the restored Palace of the Lithuanian Grand Dukes took place. The Palace again became the symbol of the Lithuanian statehood and national pride, and a centre for the presentation of civic education, history and cultural heritage.
The restored Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania and the permanent exhibitions should be open for visitors in the middle of 2013. While the Palace is under reconstruction, its exhibitions and events are organized in the Museum of Applied Arts (Arsenalo g. 3A) or in other cultural places of Vilnius and Lithuania.