Eastern and Central Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

NORTH EASTERN EUROPE 43

Lithuania is blessed with an

unblemished natural landscape of

rolling hills, lakes and rivers. The

east ern half of the country is known

as the “highlands” and the west as

the “lowlands”, even though the

terrain is almost universally flat.

Following a tumultuous history,

the country is forging a positive

political and cultural role for itself in

the expanded European Union.

Many of its fine historic buildings

have sur vived, and folk culture

colours every corner of the country.

HISTORY

At the beginning of the 13th century,

Lithuanian tribes, such as the

Samogitia and Aukštaičiai, began to

unite in the face of incursions by

Germanic crusaders. In 1253, Duke

Mindaugas (r. 1235–63) crowned

himself king of the united

tribes. How ever, his acceptance of

Christianity enraged the Samogitians,

who murdered him and reverted to

pagan ism. In the 14th century, the

Teutonic knights (German warrior-

monks) returning from the Middle

East joined the fight against the

pagan Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In

1410, they were defeated at the Battle

of Grünwald (Žalgiris) by the armies

of Lithuania and Poland, which had

forged an alliance by marriage in

1386. Fear of Russia led to closer ties
      between Lithuania and Poland and
      the creation of the Commonwealth

LITHUANIA

T

he largest of the three Baltic States and one of the hidden

jewels of Europe, Lithuania takes pride in its relatively

undiscovered landscape of clean lakes, ancient forests and

coastal dunes. The capital Vilnius, which has a UNESCO-protected

Old Town, combines the romance of breathtaking Baroque archi-

tecture with the modern trappings of 21st-century Europe.

Pavement café along cobbled Castle Street leading to the Old Town, Vilnius

The enchanting red-brick Trakai Island Castle on Lake Galvė