​The central ensemble of the University consists of the Church of St. John, the Pilies courtyard, and the Vilnius University Library.​

The Main Entrance of Vilnius University

​In this Philosophy Reading Room there are 37 workplaces. In the open fund, there are more than 31 thousand publications: literature on education, philosophy, psychology, sociology, social work and medical studies.​

Philosophy Reading Room

​Vilnius University Library is open, modern and dynamic, while its environment is perfect for individual and group work or simply for relaxing with a book.​

Library Corridor

​Academic theatre performances, concerts, and various conferences are held in the Vilnius University Theatre Hall.​

Theatre Hall

​This reading room is named after the Nobel Prize-winning poet and alumnus of Vilnius University Czeslaw Milosz. The basis of the collection of the Czeslaw Milosz reading room holds world literary classics, award-winning works, and the most valuable modern literature in Lithuanian, English, German, French, Russian and Polish.​

Czeslaw Milosz Reading Room

​ In this reading room are 76 workplaces. In the open fund, there are more than 11 thousand publications: scientific works published by Vilnius University; works of other Lithuanian scientific institutes; summaries of dissertations defended in Lithuania; Vilnius University defended theses since 2012; General or universal encyclopedias; Dictionaries, handbooks and encyclopedias of branches of science relevant to the Vilnius University community.​

Professors' Reading Room

​The Central Library is still housed in the authentic 16th-century premises as an integral part of the old campus at Vilnius University.​

Vilnius University Library

​In the hall room, there are almost a thousand publications related to research into the biography, scientific and creative activities of Joachim Lelewel. You will also find publications about the history of Vilnius University here. At first the hall was an almost square chapel with a vaulted ceiling, rising upwards through the second and third floors. The centre of the vaults was taken up by a panel with a painted portrait of St. Stanislaus Kostka, the guardian of students. The chapel was built at the end of the 17th century according to designs of Tomasz Zebrowski. After the dissolution of the Jesuit Order, the hall was used by the Department of Paintings. The hall was divided into two floors during the first quarter of the 19th century. For a long time the third floor was home to the Art Department and the workplace of famous artist Jan Rustem. In 1929, professor Joachim Lelewel bequeathed a valuable collection of books and atlases to the library; they were transferred from Kurniki to this hall, which was then named in his honour, and a commemorative exhibition was arranged.​

Prof. Joachim Lelewel Hall

​The Hall of Franciszek Smuglewicz is the oldest part of the original library complex, named after Franciszek Smuglewicz, celebrated painter and professor at the University. Until the end of the 18th century, the hall was used as a refectory. In 1803, it was assigned the function of library and the artist Smuglewicz was hired to decorate it. The painter adhered to the spirit of Classicism; between the windows and on the walls he painted the portraits of the 12 most prominent figures in antique art and science: Socrates, Plutarch, Pindar, Anacreon, Hesiod, Heraclitus, Aristotle, Euripides, Diogenes, Homer, Archimedes and Plato.​

Franciszek Smuglewicz Hall

​Vilnius University is a public research university, the first and largest university in Lithuania, as well as one of the oldest and most prominent higher education institutions in Central and Eastern Europe. It was founded in 1579 and located in the historic Old Town of Vilnius, which is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.​

​In the Historical Sources Reading Room there are 18 workplaces. In the open fund, there are more than 15 thousand publications, with historical sources, research, historical science and studies.​

Historical Sources Reading Room

​The history of the White Hall is part of the history of the old observatory (founded in 1753) of Vilnius University. The observatory was designed and built by Lithuanian architect, astronomer and Vilnius University professor Tomasz Zebrowski. At the end of the 18th century, Marcin Odlanicki Poczobutt built an extension to the observatory, designed by architect Marcin Knackfus in the Classical style. The extension housed a large quadrant and other instruments. The White Hall contained not only astronomical equipment but also a valuable library with works on astronomy, mathematics, physics, geography, architecture, and other subjects taught at the University. The books were kept in 12 cupboards in niches between the windows. The hall was decorated with approximately 30 oil paintings of prominent individuals and university scholars. The observatory was seriously damaged by a fire in 1876 and closed in 1883. During the time of the Public Library of Vilnius, the White Hall was used as a book depository. It was reopened in 1997 after a ten-year renovation. A unique collection of ancient astronomical instruments is displayed in the White Hall, including globes made in Amsterdam in 1622 as well as globes made in 1750 and dedicated to King Stanisław August Poniatowski. It currently houses the Professor's Reading Room, and plans are made to arrange a museum of the University's history. ​

White Hall

​The old ensemble of Vilnius University is one of the largest and most valuable architectural ensembles in Lithuania. ​

Second floor of Old Town Campus

​From this tower you can see the Vilnius city panorama in 360 degrees.​

Observatory Tower

​In the central palace, there are not only administrative quarters, but also library spaces, auditoriums and historical areas. Vilnius University Library is an academic library of national significance that was founded back in 1570 in Vilnius. Being the earliest academic library in the Baltics, it has over five million documents in its holdings and it hosts about 45 thousand registered users. The Library consists of the Central Library, the Scholarly Communication and Information Centre (SCIC) in Saulėtekis, and the libraries of different faculties and centres.​

​The hallway to the Theatre hall and the Aula Parva.​

The way to the Aula Parva and Theatre Hall

​The yard is named after Simonas Daukantas, the author of the first book on the history of Lithuania written in the Lithuanian language. The historian is immortalized in the frescoes on the second floor of the Faculty of Philology by artist Rimtautas Gibavičius. The courtyard is surrounded by buildings of the Faculty of Philology built in different centuries, and a valuable fragment of Renaissance-style attic remains in the southwest corner. In the middle of the courtyard, there is a lush green commemorative oak tree of Simonas Daukantas, brought in from the birthplace of the historian.​

Simonas Daukantas Courtyard

​The courtyard is named after Mathias Casimirus Sarbievius, a famous 17th-century European poet, Vilnius University alumnus and later professor. The courtyard, bounded on four sides by buildings reminiscent of different styles and epochs, houses the Littera bookshop in a vaulted room frescoed by the painter Antanas Kmieliauskas. Next to it is the University’s Lithuanian philology centre, frescoed by the painter Petras Repšys.​

Mathias Casimirus Sarbievius Courtyard

​The name of the Bursa courtyard comes from bursa – the free dormitories for pupils and students, previously operated at Jesuit colleges. In 1602, Ambraziejus Beinartas, part of the Vilnius canon, bequeathed 4,000 graves in his will to establish a bursa for poor young people to live and study. In 1619, Vaitiekus Beinartas built a wooden bursa house at the corner of Skapo and Vyskupai streets. Nearby stood the so-called cantor's house, where cathedral musicians lived with their families. After the reconstruction in 2005, the Faculty of Philosophy was established here.​

Bursa (Hostel) Courtyard

​After turning from the Library courtyard through a narrow vaulted passage with a gate, there is an entrance to a small courtyard. It is named after Mikalojus Daukša, the author of the first two Lithuanian books printed in the territory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. This courtyard was previously called the Firewood (Malkų) or Black (Juoduoju) courtyard. In the 16th century, the yard was surrounded by one-storey stables and carriage houses. The main courtyard buildings now belong to the Faculty of History.​

Mikalojus Daukša Courtyard

​This is the oldest courtyard of the University's architectural ensemble. The masonry of its lower floors dates back to the 15th century. The Classical annex of the Observatory is decorated with the signs of the Zodiac and Latin sayings. One of sayings reads Hinc itur ad astra, or ‘from here the way leads to the stars’. We use this phrase as the University slogan for two reasons. It is historical, and you can still see it written on the old observatory in the old ensemble.​

The Observatory Courtyrad

​The courtyard is the pantheon of the University, whose gallery commemorates the University’s founders, patrons and eminent people of science. The surviving frescoes of the northern wing of the building display the Vilnius University coat of arms and portraits of the University’s patrons, while the highlight of the structure is the magnificent baroque portal of the parochial St. John’s Church. After the fire in the middle of the 18th century, the church and the belfry were reconstructed in late baroque style by the most significant architect of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Johan Kristoph Glaubitz.​

The Grand Courtyard

​For two hundred years, the Library Courtyard was a secluded courtyard which enclosed various small buildings and amenities. In the 19th century, the west wing was pulled down, while the Courtyard was opened up and acquired a representative function. As the name of the Courtyard suggests, a major part of the buildings here are operated by the University Library. The memorial door to the Library was cast from bronze by the sculptor Jonas Meškelevičius to commemorate the 450th anniversary of the first Lithuanian book, Catechism of Martynas Mažvydas.​

The Library Courtyard

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The Observatory Courtyard

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Aula Parva

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Theatre corridor

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White Hall 

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 Prof. Joachim Lelewel Hall

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Vilnius University

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