Editing Vilnius (section)

==History==
{{Main|History of Vilnius}}
{{For timeline}}
[[File:Transcript of Gediminas' letter, which is the oldest known mentioning of Vilnius in written sources (25 January 1323).jpg|thumb|left|alt=A 14th-century manuscript|The oldest known mention of Vilnius, in Gediminas' 1323 [[Letters of Gediminas|letter]]]]
[[File:Vilenskija zamki. Віленскія замкі (T. Makoŭski, 1600) (2).jpg|thumb|left|[[Vilnius Castle Complex]] in 1600 with the Upper Castle (marked as 7th), [[Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania|Lower Castle]] (6th), and [[Vilnius Cathedral|Cathedral]] (5th)]]
Vilnius' history dates to the [[Stone Age]].<ref name="ViVle">{{cite web |title=Vilniaus istorija |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/vilniaus-istorija/ |website=[[Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija]] |access-date=25 January 2025 |language=lt}}</ref> The city at least from 1323 until 1795 was the capital of the [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]]. Later Vilnius was ruled by [[Russian Empire|imperial]] and [[Soviet Union|Soviet Russia]], [[Napoleonic France]], [[German Empire|imperial]] and [[Nazi Germany]], [[interwar Poland]], and again became a capital of Lithuania in the 20th century.<ref name="ViVle"/>

A [[Balts|Baltic]] settlement since its foundation, Vilnius became significant in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.<ref name="ViVle"/> The city was first mentioned in letters by Grand Duke [[Gediminas]], who invited Jews and Germans to settle and built a wooden castle on a hill.<ref name="ViVle"/> Vilnius became a city when it was given city rights in 1387, after the [[Christianization of Lithuania]], and was settled by craftsmen and merchants of a variety of nationalities.<ref name="ViVle"/> It was the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (until 1795) within the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]].<ref name="ViVle"/> Vilnius flourished under the Commonwealth, especially after the 1579 establishment of [[Vilnius University]] by the Lithuanian Grand Duke [[Stephen Báthory]].<ref name="ViVle"/> The city became a cultural and scientific center, attracting migrants from east and west.<ref name="ViVle"/> It had diverse communities, with Jewish, Orthodox, and German populations.<ref name="ViVle"/> The city experienced a number of invasions and occupations, including by the [[Teutonic Order|Teutonic Knights]], Russia and, later, Germany.<ref name="ViVle"/>

Under [[Russian partition|imperial Russian rule]], Vilnius became the capital of [[Vilna Governorate]] and had a number of cultural revivals during the 19th and early 20th centuries by Jews, Poles, Lithuanians, and Belarusians.<ref name="ViVle"/> [[Second Polish Republic|After World War I]], the city experienced conflict between Poland and Lithuania which led to its occupation by Poland before its annexation by the Soviet Union during World War II.<ref name="ViVle"/> After that war, Vilnius became the capital of the [[Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic]].<ref name="ViVle"/>

===Independence===
[[File:Vilnius_skyline.jpg|thumb|left|300px|alt=Modern Vilnius from a distance|The New City Centre seen from [[Karoliniškės]], with most of its [[high-rise building]]s constructed within two decades of independence]]
On 11 March 1990, the [[Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic|Supreme Council of the Lithuanian SSR]] announced its [[Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania|secession]] from the Soviet Union and intention to restore an independent Lithuania.<ref>{{cite web |language=lt |url=http://www.archyvai.lt/exhibitions/kovo11/paroda2.htm |title=Lietuvos Nepriklausomos Valstybės Atkūrimas (1990 M. Kovo 11 D.) |access-date=10 November 2013 |archive-date=10 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110131929/http://www.archyvai.lt/exhibitions/kovo11/paroda2.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref> On 9 January 1991, the Soviet Union sent in troops; this culminated in the 13 January [[January Events|attack]] on the State Radio and Television Building and [[Vilnius TV Tower]] which killed 14 civilians.<ref>{{cite news |first=Audrius |last=Siaurusevicius |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/1991/jan/14/eu.politics |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114155334/https://www.theguardian.com/world/1991/jan/14/eu.politics |url-status=live |archive-date=14 January 2018 |title=Soviet tanks crush the human shield of Vilnius |department=World |work=The Guardian |date=14 January 1991}}</ref> The Soviet Union recognised Lithuanian independence in September 1991.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/07/world/soviet-turmoil-soviets-recognize-baltic-independence-ending-51-year-occupation-3.html |first=Serge |last=Schmemann |date=7 September 1991 |title=Soviet Turmoil; Soviets Recognize Baltic Independence, Ending 51-year Occupation of 3 Nations |work=The New York Times |access-date=2021-02-16}}</ref> According to the [[Constitution of Lithuania]], "the capital of the State of Lithuania shall be the city of Vilnius, the long-standing historical capital of Lithuania".

[[File:Panorama Neris - Mount Gediminas (cropped).jpg|300px|left|thumb|Post-independence construction in [[Žirmūnai]] on the Neris river's right bank]]
Vilnius has become a modern European city. Its territory has been expanded with [[:lt:Lietuvos administraciniai-teritoriniai pokyčiai 1989–2001 m.#Vilniaus apskritis|three acts]] since 1990, incorporating urban areas, villages, hamlets, and the city of [[Grigiškės]].<ref>{{cite news | title=Vilnius intends to deregister about 90 village names: Pašilaičiai, Rokantiškii and Tarandė will no longer exist | work=MadeinVilnius.lt | date=4 February 2024 | url=https://madeinvilnius.lt/en/news/city/Vilnius-intends-to-register-about-90-villages-under-the-name-of-Rokantiskie-and-Tarandes/ | access-date=2 April 2024 | archive-date=2 April 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240402161955/https://madeinvilnius.lt/en/news/city/Vilnius-intends-to-register-about-90-villages-under-the-name-of-Rokantiskie-and-Tarandes/ | url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Vilnius išregistruos apie 90 prie jo prijungtų kaimų pavadinimų | work=LRT | date=2 April 2024 | url=https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/lietuvoje/2/2240187/vilnius-isregistruos-apie-90-prie-jo-prijungtu-kaimu-pavadinimu | language=lt | access-date=2 April 2024}}</ref> Most historic buildings have been renovated and a business and commercial area became the [[Vilnius Central Business District|New City Centre]], the main administrative and business district on the north side of the river Neris. The area includes modern residential and retail space, with the municipal building and the {{cvt|148.3|m|ft|adj=on}} [[Europa Tower]] its most prominent buildings. The construction of [[Swedbank]]'s headquarters indicates the importance of [[Scandinavia]]n banks in Vilnius. The [[Vilnius Business Harbour]] complex was built and expanded. Over 75,000 flats were built from 1995 to 2018, making the city a Baltic construction leader.

Vilnius was selected as a 2009 [[European Capital of Culture]] with [[Linz]], the capital of [[Upper Austria]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Cultural capitals of Europe |work=Chicago Tribune |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-cultural-capitals-0111_rjan11,0,6197408.story?page=2&track=rss |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410102122/https://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-cultural-capitals-0111_rjan11,0,6197408.story?page=2&track=rss |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 April 2023 |access-date=12 January 2009 |date=11 January 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.webjournal.unior.it/Dati/17/41/Articolo%20Lituania.pdf |language=it |author=O. Niglio |title=Restauri in Lituania. Vilnius Capitale della Cultura Europea 2009 |trans-title=Restorations in Lithuania. Vilnius Capital of European Culture 2009 |journal=Web Journal on Cultural Patrimony |issn=1827-8868 |access-date=9 November 2006 |archive-date=9 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131209232257/http://www.webjournal.unior.it/Dati/17/41/Articolo%20Lituania.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[2008 financial crisis]] led to a drop in tourism, which prevented many projects from completion; allegations of corruption and incompetence were made;<ref>{{cite web |last=Greenhalgh |first=Nathan |title=Capital of Culture: success or failure? |url=http://balticreports.com/?p=7374 |access-date=15 May 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=A.Gelūnas: prokuratūra nusikaltimo rengiant Bjork koncertą neįžvelgė |url=http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/agelunas-prokuratura-nusikaltimo-rengiant-bjork-koncerta-neizvelge.d?id=36556461 |access-date=15 May 2011}}</ref> tax increases for cultural activity led to protests,<ref>{{cite web |title=Vilnius: artists protest 'breakdown of culture' in EU cultural capital |url=http://www.cafebabel.co.uk/video/110/vilnius-protests-artists-tax-cultural-capital-eu.html |publisher=cafebabel.com |access-date=15 May 2011 |archive-date=26 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726051704/http://www.cafebabel.co.uk/video/110/vilnius-protests-artists-tax-cultural-capital-eu.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> and economic conditions sparked riots.<ref>{{cite news |last=Burke |first=Jason |title=Eastern Europe braced for a violent spring of discontent' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jan/18/eu-riots-vilinius |location=London |work=The Guardian |date=18 January 2009}}</ref> On 28–29 November 2013, Vilnius hosted the [[Eastern Partnership]] summit at the [[Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania]]. Many European presidents, prime ministers, and high-ranking officials participated.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.eu2013.lt/en/news/pressreleases/eastern-partnership-summit-in-vilnius-begins |date=29 November 2013 |title=Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius begins |publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania}}</ref> In 2015, [[Remigijus Šimašius]] became the city's first directly elected mayor.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.2013.vrk.lt/2015_savivaldybiu_tarybu_rinkimai/output_lt/rezultatai_vienmand_apygardose2/apygardos_rezultatai7829.html |title=Balsavimo rezultatai |publisher=2013.vrk.lt |date=22 March 2015 |access-date=26 September 2015 |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20160518050243/http://www.2013.vrk.lt/2015_savivaldybiu_tarybu_rinkimai/output_lt/rezultatai_vienmand_apygardose2/apygardos_rezultatai7829.html |archive-date=18 May 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[2023 Vilnius summit|2023 NATO summit]] was held in Vilnius.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lithuania to host 2023 NATO summit, first event 'of such a scale' |url=https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/1431705/lithuania-to-host-2023-nato-summit-first-event-of-such-a-scale |website=[[Lrt.lt]] |date=15 June 2021 |access-date=15 June 2021}}</ref>