Antakalnis (''literally'' ) is an eldership in

Vilnius Vilnius ( , ) is the capital of and List of cities in Lithuania#Cities, largest city in Lithuania and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, most-populous city in the Baltic states. The city's estimated January 2025 population w ...

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

. Antakalnis is one of the oldest, and largest historical suburbs of

. It is in the Eastern section of Vilnius, along the left bank of the

Neris The river Neris () or Vilija (, ) rises in northern Belarus. It flows westward, passing through Vilnius (Lithuania's capital) and in the south-centre of that country it flows into the Nemunas (Neman) from the right bank, at Kaunas, as its ma ...

, with the river running along the whole Western side of the district. Antakalnis Eldership is the second-largest in Vilnius, with an area of . One of the greatest Lithuanian

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

masterpieces A masterpiece, , or ; ; ) is a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or a work of outstanding creativity, skill, profundity, or workmanship. Historically, ...

, the

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, is in Antakalnis, as is Sapieha Palace (''Sapiegų rūmai''). Sapieha Palace is surrounded by the only surviving Baroque-style park in Lithuania, which contains the oldest

linden tree ''Tilia'' is a genus of about 30 species of trees or bushes, native throughout most of the temperateness, temperate Northern Hemisphere. The tree is known as linden for the European species, and basswood for North American species. In Great Bri ...

in Vilnius. Antakalnis is home to the historically important Antakalnis Cemetery, where victims of the

January Events The January Events () were a series of violent confrontations between the civilian population of Lithuania, supporting independence, and the Soviet Armed Forces. The events took place between 11 and 13 January 1991, after the Act of the Re-Esta ...

in 1991, killed by the

Soviet Army The Soviet Ground Forces () was the land warfare service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces from 1946 to 1992. It was preceded by the Red Army. After the Soviet Union ceased to exist in December 1991, the Ground Forces remained under th ...

, are buried; their graves are often visited, as they are considered national heroes of Lithuania. Antakalnis Eldership includes the recreational area and prestigious

cottage A cottage, during Feudalism in England, England's feudal period, was the holding by a cottager (known as a cotter or ''bordar'') of a small house with enough garden to feed a family and in return for the cottage, the cottager had to provide ...

district Valakampiai, where two river beaches have been established. The current and former

president of Lithuania The president of the Republic of Lithuania () is the head of state of the Republic of Lithuania. The president directs and appoints the executive branch of the Government of Lithuania, represents the nation internationally and is the commande ...

, the

prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

of Lithuania, and other state officials reside in the Turniškės neighborhood of Antakalnis. The Botanical Garden of Vilnius University lies in Kairėnai, the settlement in the Eastern part of the district.

Etymology

The name derives from the prefix ''anta-'' (meaning "on") and the word ''kalnas'' (meaning a "hill", a "mountain"), as the eldership is situated in the highlands, among the hills. In other languages the eldership was formerly referred to as: The Jewish surnames ''Antokolec'', Antokolsky and variants derive from the Polish pronunciation of the eldership's name.

History

Antakalnis is one of the oldest parts of Vilnius. Historically, the suburb of Antakalnis developed along a road to

Aukštaitija Aukštaitija (; literally ''Highland'' or ''Upland'') is the name of one of five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. The name comes from the fact that the lands are in the upper basin of the Nemunas, as opposed to the Lowlands that begin from Š ...

and Viršupis, the summer palace of the grand dukes.

Areas

Antakalnis eldership includes these city parts: Aukštagiris, Aukštieji Karačiūnai, Antakalnis, Antaviliai, Baniškės, Didieji Pupojai, Dvarčionys, Galgiai, Gvazdikai, Kalnai, Kairėnai, Liepynė, Mažieji Pupojai, Meiriškės, Mileišiškės, Pečiukai,

Pylimėliai Antakalnis (''literally'' ) is an elderships of Lithuania, eldership in Vilnius, Lithuania. Antakalnis is one of the oldest, and largest historical suburbs of Vilnius. It is in the Eastern section of Vilnius, along the left bank of the Neris, ...

, Sapieginė, Saulėtekis, Smėlynė, Šilas,

Šilėnai Šilėnai is an ethnographic village (ethnographic cultural reserve) located in the Vilnius District Municipality. It is part of the Neris Regional Park. According to the census of 2011, the village has a population of 90, a decrease from 211, c ...

, Turniškės, Vaguva, Valakampiai, Aukštoji Veržuva, Žemoji Veržuva, Vinciūniškės, Vismalai, Vismaliukai, Vyriai, Žemieji Karačiūnai.

Demographics

The population of Antakalnis was 39,257 according to the 2021 Lithuanian census, an increase from 38,940 in 2011 and a decrease from 39,697 in 2001.

Tourist Attractions

* Pavilniai Regional Park * Antakalnis Park of Benches * UNO Park Vilnius * Colorful Springs

Famous people

Famous Lithuanians having lived in Antakalnis eldership: *

Valdas Adamkus Valdas Adamkus (; born Voldemaras Adamkavičius; November 3, 1926) is a Lithuanian politician, diplomat and civil engineer who served as the fifth and seventh president of Lithuania from 1998 to 2003 and again from 2004 to 2009. Adamku ...

, former President of Lithuania *

Mark Antokolski Mark Matveyevich Antokolsky (; 2 November 18409 July 1902) was a Russian sculptor of Lithuanian Jews, Lithuanian–Jewish descent. Biography Early life Mordukh Matysovich Antokolsky was born in Vilnius (Antokol city district), Lithuania (at t ...

, sculptor *

Algirdas Brazauskas Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas (, 1932 – 2010) was a Lithuanian politician who served as the fourth president of Lithuania from 1993 to 1998. He also served as the prime minister of Lithuania from 2001 to 2006. Brazauskas was the first democr ...

, former president and Prime Minister of Lithuania * Janina Degutytė, poet * Vytautas Kernagis, actor and composer * Andrius Kubilius, former Prime Minister of Lithuania *

Andrius Mamontovas Andrius Mamontovas (born 23 August 1967) is a Lithuanian rock musician. He is also a songwriter, actor, performer and record producer. He was one of the co-founders of the Lithuanian rock band Foje and the initiator of the LT United project. P ...

, a

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

singer * Virgilijus Noreika, an

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

singer *

Rolandas Paksas Rolandas Paksas (; born 10 June 1956) is a Lithuanian politician who served as the sixth President of Lithuania from 2003 until his impeachment in April 2004. He previously served two terms as the Prime Minister of Lithuania in 1999 and again ...

, former President of Lithuania *

Paulius Širvys Paulius Širvys (6 September 1920 – 27 March 1979) was a Lithuanian poet. Biography Paulius Širvys was born in Padustėlis village (now in Zarasai District Municipality), but soon moved to Degučiai village. After his parents and brother die ...

, poet *

Sofija Veiverytė Sofija Veiverytė (April 13, 1926 in Naujatriobiai, Kaunas district – July 23, 2009 in Vilnius) was a Lithuanian artist. She studied monumental painting at the Kaunas Applied and Decorative Arts Institute. From 1951 to 1985 she lectured at the L ...

, artist/painter *

Ingrida Šimonytė Ingrida Šimonytė (; born 15 November 1974) is a Lithuanian politician, public servant and economist who served as the 17th Prime Minister of Lithuania, prime minister of Lithuania from 2020 to 2024. She has been a Member of the Seimas for the A ...

, former Minister of Finance and Prime Minister of Lithuania *

Jurga Ivanauskaitė Jurga Ivanauskaitė (14 November 1961 – 17 February 2007) was a Lithuanian writer. She was born in Vilnius, Lithuania. While studying at the Vilnius Art Academy, she wrote her first book, ''The Year of the Lilies of the Valley'', published in ...

, writer

References

External links

Antakalnis photogallery

Visitor's guide to Antalkalnis Cemetery
{{Authority control Neighbourhoods of Vilnius