Exhibition dedicated to the ravaged architectural heritage of the Unites opened in Vilnius
The exhibition ‘Ravaged: Uniate’s architectural heritage in Vilnius’ organized by the Cultural Heritage Department in collaboration with the partners was opened in Vilnius Town Hall. The exhibition invites visitors to get a closer look at the heritage of Uniate architecture, the heritage that was sought to be erased by Imperial Russia, passed over in silence during the Soviet era, and unknown to many people. Historical photographs, drawings, plans, and blueprints reveal the mark left by historical transformations.
As early as at the beginning of the 17th century, the Uniates occupied a significant place in the confessional structure of Vilnius, and Uniate sacred architecture reflected the overall architectural trends prevalent in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. After the partitions of the Republic of the Two Nations in 1772, 1793 and 1795, Tsarist Russia began a systematic destruction of the Uniate Church in the former lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, either destroying the old Uniate churches completely or reconstructing them in the Russian style. A striking prominent example is the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas located not far from Vilnius Town Hall (12 Didžioji St.), which is given considerable attention at the exhibition. Also, on display in the exhibition is a model (1:50 scale) of the former Uniate parish Church of St. Nicholas, created by the exhibition curator, Dr. Žygimantas Buržinskas, who is also the director of the Merkinė Regional Museum.
At that time, the building was similar to many other examples of Vilnius Baroque architecture; it was notable for the clearly visible tower that had features of late Baroque. After the Union of Brest in 1609, this Orthodox church was given to the Uniates by Sigismund Vasa, the King of Poland and the Grand Duke of Lithuania, (1566–1632). The exhibition curator Žygimantas Buržinskas urged people to take a closer look at the city's architecture, which abounds in traces of history. ’Buildings are monuments, that felt a significant impact during the time of various occupations. This is especially evident when looking at the Uniate heritage. It became a direct target in the Russification of the heritage of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania,’ he said. The exhibition also presents a considerable amount of the former Uniate heritage in Belarus, where it has either been completely destroyed or disguised in the Russian style.
The organizers of the exhibition were the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture and Vilnius Town Hall. The partners were Merkinė Regional Museum and the Vilnius City Museum.