St Anne's Church
On Gingerguide's self-guided Vilnius audio tour, St Anne's Church is a stop worth about ~45 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type religious
- Suggested visit ~45 min
- Vilnius Vilnius guide
About St Anne's Church
A leading example of Flamboyant Brick Gothic, built around 1500 from specially moulded red bricks; it stands beside the larger Bernardine Church as one Gothic ensemble.
St Anne's Church is a Roman Catholic church in Vilnius Old Town and a leading example of Flamboyant and Brick Gothic architecture. The present brick church was built around 1495-1500 by decree of Grand Duke Alexander Jagiellon, its ornate red facade assembled from a variety of specially shaped and moulded bricks. Its architect is unknown, and attributions to figures such as Benedikt Ried or Michael Enkinger remain speculative. The church has survived largely unchanged since the 16th century.
St Anne's stands immediately beside the larger Bernardine Church, and the two form a single Gothic ensemble linked to the Franciscan Bernardine community established in Vilnius in the 15th century. A separate neo-Gothic bell tower was added beside it in the 19th century. Napoleon's army passed through Vilnius in 1812; his retreating soldiers used the Bernardine complex as a warehouse and burned church woodwork. The church remains an active place of worship within the UNESCO-listed Old Town.
Did you know? St Anne's ornate facade is built from bricks moulded into many special shapes; a popular claim of exactly thirty-three types is repeated everywhere but is of uncertain precision.
How much time do you need at St Anne's Church?
Around ~45 min works well for St Anne's Church — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at St Anne's Church?
Yes — St Anne's Church made the cut as one of 21 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Vilnius. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Vilnius
Day 2 of the Vilnius in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of St Anne's Church
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