More of Medieval Lithuania can be seen be in the surrounding countryside of Vilnius. This includes a visit to Trakai, also known as the “town of lakes,” and is an area of tranquility and genuine beauty with storybook houses and old world charm. This obviously wasn’t always the case, because the small town is also the home to the massive Trakai Castle.

Built the 14th century on the shore of Lake Galve, Trakai castle was built in several stages, and eventually completed by Grand Duke Vytauas Magnum. The plan was to create a fortresst that would be unassailable, and here the Grand Duke succeeded as the castle had never fallen in battle.

Instead the remoteness from Vilnius, which is about 20 miles away, contributed to Trakia’s downfall as an important center in Lithuania. The castle remained a retreat for various Grand Dukes, more of a country estate than royal palace.

Trakai Castle is home to the Trakai History Museum, and the castle itself with the Gothic architecture is a must-see. The stained-glass windows, murals and even an ingenious heating/cooling system for the Middle Ages are all impressive sights to take in. While a botched restoration effort almost destroyed, rather than serve to preserve the castle, it was painstaking restored during the Soviet Occupation and today is a cherished piece of Lithuanian history.

www.trakai.lt , www.trakaimuziejus.lt