Hill of Bastion, Vilnius, Bezoekersgids & wat te doen in de buurt

The Hill of Bastion (Bastėjos kalnas) in Vilnius is a brick artillery bastion and the green rise around it, a surviving piece of the defensive wall that once ringed the Old Town. It is one of the best places to understand how the city protected itself, and it sits a short walk from the centre.

The story behind it

Vilnius was once enclosed by a wall that formed a closed circle of roughly two and a half kilometres around the city, pierced by around ten gates. Most of it was pulled down over the centuries, which makes the bastion, a later addition to those defences, all the more valuable as a survivor. It took heavy damage during the war with Russia between 1655 and 1661, when the city was under attack and occupation. The structure was restored in the 20th century and is now a landmark you can walk around.

Like much of Vilnius, the place has its own legend. The tale goes that a basilisk, a creature whose gaze turned people to stone, lurked beneath the old walls until a cunning man held up a mirror and the beast was struck down by its own reflection. It is a story, not history, but it adds some fun to a walk here.

What to look for

• The thick brick walls and rounded form of the bastion show how it was designed to hold cannon and withstand attack.
• The grassy slopes of the hill around it make clear how the fortification was shaped to use height and ground to its advantage.
• From the top and the walls you can look out over the rooftops of the Old Town and the surrounding streets.
• Look at the stretch of the old city wall connected to the bastion, and picture it running in a circle around the whole city.

Tips for your visit

• Allow about 30 to 45 minutes to walk around the bastion and hill, longer if you go inside or sit for the view.
• Late afternoon is pleasant for soft light on the brick and the view over the city.
• The bastion has been used as a museum space, so check current opening hours if you want to go inside.
• It is close to the Old Town, so it combines easily with a longer walk through the surrounding streets.

See it on a quest

Vilnius Highlights: Explore the City brings you to the Hill of Bastion on foot as one stop on a longer route through the city. The app tells you about each place as you arrive and sets a puzzle in what is in front of you, so you look closely instead of just passing by. One ticket covers the whole group.

Old Town Gems - Vilnius is a good fit if you want to see the bastion alongside the streets of the Old Town. You walk from place to place at your own pace, hear the story of each stop, and solve a puzzle on the spot, with no guide and no group to join. One ticket covers the whole group.