On a site that has been settled since at least the 4th century AD stands the latest in a procession of fortified palaces, repeatedly remodelled, extended, destroyed, and rebuilt over the centuries. What visitors now see is a painstaking restoration of its final grand manifestation, the baroque palace built for the Grand Dukes in the 17th century. While the gleamingly white complex is evidently new, it contains fascinating historical remains, and is a potent symbol of revitalised, independent Lithuania.
Underneath the central courtyard begins a fantastic exposition through two millennia of Lithuanian history. Guided through the strata of the palace's foundations, visitors can see the literal bones of successive episodes in the history of the building, and the nation. A second tour explores the reconstructed ceremonial halls of the Grand Duchy, while planned third and fourth tours will explore Lithuanian and European material culture from the time of the Grand Dukes.
