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Trakai Castle, outside Vilnius, Lithuania

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 Discover the Baltics > Lithuania > Vilnius > Trakai

 

A Must-See, Vilnius 

 

A Half day tour to Trakai: 



View of Trakai Castle in Galve lake, outside of Vilnius
Trakai, the ancient capital of Lithuania, 30 km outside of Vilnius, is famous for its fairy-tale red brick castle perched on an island in a pretty lake. 


Trakai region features unique views: a combination of numerous unbelievably pure lakes and moraine hills create a breathtaking sight. 

The 'Town on the Water', as Trakai usually called, is also particularly rich in architectural and cultural monuments: there are more than 300 of them. The main landmark of the town is the famous insular Trakai Castle situated on the island in the Galve Lake. 

 

 

Today this is the only extant insular castle in Eastern Europe. 

The town was built in the  14th c. and in the 15-16th centuries it served as the residence of the Grand Duke and his family. 
This is when the town and the castle prospered.


The noblemen and ambassadors came to Trakai from all over Europe, luxurious feasts were held here, legendary treasures were kept in the castle's cellar. By the end of the 16th c. the town gradually lost its former political importance. 
It was outgrown by Vilnius. 

Nowadays you can visit the famous insular castle and plunge into the fascinating medieval atmosphere that has been carefully preserved