Aage Myhre We in Northern Europe should soon start to be proud of the phenomenally prominent cultural role of Vilnius through the Middle Ages, also on behalf of other North European countries ...


Julia Stork Interesting information overall, Aage! And particularly interesting is the architect's perspective on Vilnius -- I can better understand the "draw" I felt in baroque Rome.


Nellie Vin O yes we very proud its beautiful cities Vilnius, Kaunas etc. but now I want to be ironical - but if migration goes like going until now, it may Vilnius will be united with Warsaw and its my good prediction  I no want to say worst possibilities.


Linas Johansonas Lithuania had heavy migration & loss of population after the first World War & rebounded. I feel it will rebound again.


Aage Myhre The solution is very obvious ... You Lithuanians must simply begin to love each other, care for each other and for what your nation represents ...


Boris Bakunas Great article when it comes to architecture, Aage. Too bad about that it suggests Gediminas, a devout pagan, wanted to Christianize Lithuania.

* Grand Duke Gediminas in 1323 – the same year he founded the city – wrote to Pope John XXII asking for support in Christianizing the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, by then one of Europe’s leading nations."

In fact, historians agree that Gediminas was just toying with the Pope. He was a devout pagan who used both diplomacy and war to preserve the culture, traditions, and religion of Medieval Lithuania. He referred to himself as King of Lithuania and Ruthenia, a title that the Pope begrudgingly accepted in a communication to him.

It is extremely important, as Jon Platakis has written, that Lithuanians reclaim their history and their dignity by refusing to allow hostile, foreign historians to write it for us. 

All oppressors try to make those they oppress feel inferior. All try to rob them of their national identity. And sadly, too many Lithuanians have unconsciously succumbed to this insidious campaign of misinformation.

Let's start calling our kings and emperors by their rightful titles -- just like Norwegians do!


Jon Platakis Having pride in Lithuania's past gives tremendous impetus to having pride in Lithuania's future. This is why it is extremely important for us to take back our history that, for over 200 years, has been usurped by oppressors and other foreigners. As in the case of Gediminas, S.C. Rowell and other reputable historians have pointed out that Gediminas never intended to accept Christianity nor Christianize Lithuania. It is heartening to note that leading Lithuanian historians are now in agreement with long held beliefs of the National Lithuanian American Hall of Fame that there is no reason why Lithuania's "Grand Dukes" cannot be addressed as Kings.