Church Heritage Museum

The Treasury

The Museum of Church Heritage preserves the exhibition of the Vilnius Cathedral Treasury – the oldest and richest treasury once held in the churches of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Among the cathedral’s treasures are 14th-century gold liturgical vessels adorned with pearls and gemstones, works of sacred art significant to Lithuania’s culture and history, and the country’s largest collection of liturgical textiles.

The Treasury is housed in the Church of St Michael the Archangel and the former Bernardine convent. Founded by Leonas Sapiega, one of the most prominent nobles of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the church was built in the 17th century as Sapiega family mausoleum. Visitors can still see richly decorated marble tombstones of the nobility and, on scheduled dates, descend into the crypt.

The Bell Tower

Vilnius Cathedral Bell Tower is one of the city’s key symbols and home to the oldest clock in Vilnius. It also is the only surviving part of the defensive wall of the Vilnius castles – evident in its preserved arrow slits and thick stone walls. Today, the bell tower features an interactive exhibition on its history. After climbing staircases dating back to the 14th century, visitors are rewarded with panoramic views of the city from a height of 45 meters and can see the bells of the old clock.

The Cathedral Crypts

A sense of the 13th–14th centuries and a step back to the era of the city’s founding can be experienced in the crypts of Vilnius Cathedral, which are accessible only with pre-booked guided tours. During the tour, guides introduce visitors to the cathedral’s history, burial traditions, one of the oldest surviving frescoes in Lithuania (14th–15th century), and the rulers’ crypt.

In the Royal Mausoleum beneath the Chapel of St Casimir rest the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Aleksandras Jogailaitis, Queen Barbora Radvilaite and the heart of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Vladislovas IV Vasa.

The cathedral crypts can also be explored on an extreme route – guided in darkness, using only mobile phones or flashlights, and at times crawling, as passageways in previously inaccessible, or hidden sections narrow to just 40 cm, with step heights reaching up to 42 cm.