On 31 May, in marking the special 700-year anniversary of Vilnius, Vilnius University Library will present to the Vilniusites and guests of the city an exhibition titled Curriculum Vilnae. The exhibition will have many valuable documents on display recording the history of the city. Among them, there will be a transumpt brought from Germany – copies of three letters written by Gediminas – which has a great significance for the history of both Vilnius city and the entire Lithuania.
Usually, in a Curriculum Vitae (CV) people include all the achievements and things they are the most proud of. The same principle is applied while creating this description of the city – curators of the exhibition selected documents for the exposition reflecting the brightest moments of the city. You will hardly find a document speaking about experiences such as hard times, occupations and wars. This exhibition dedicated to the Vilnius jubilee is created so as to get to know and take pride in the creators of the city and the state, and to reflect on the city’s most significant periods of development. As in an actual CV, here you will see the pedigree of Vilnius, while documents associated with the city’s merchants and various inventories will cover the city’s “work” experience, documents covering the activities of the old Vilnius University will state the city’s education, and documents on various cultural and art initiatives will talk about hobbies of the city.
The exhibition will show the Statute of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, legal documents confirmed with impressive seals, the old printings on astronomy and medicine. Manuscripts, rare books, watercolours, maps, drawings bearing the Vilnius panorama and photos will be on display.
Document written by the Vilnius Bishop regarding allocation of a land parcel, yr. 1504.
The panorama of Vilnius, Józef Czechowicz, yr. 1873.
One of the first documents of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania – letters written by Gediminas – which was brought to Lithuania for the visit of H.E. President of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier on 30 May 2023 from Berlin, the Secret State Archives Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, for two-week exposition, might attract great attention of the public.
These letters (or, to be more precise, copies of the letters as the originals written by Gediminas have not survived) relate the most significant story about the Lithuania under Gediminas rule, the ruler himself, the state he hoped to create and the history of Vilnius. In the letter written by Gediminas 700 years ago to the German cities, the name of the Vilnius city has been mentioned in the written sources for the first time. It is exceptionally rare to see such authentic documents in Lithuania; however, this year is an exception.
Six surviving letters written between 1322 and 1325 by the Lithuanian ruler are spoken of most often. However, there is the seventh letter by Gediminas – a part of the agreement that was concluded in Vilnius on 2 October 1323 between the governors of the Lithuanian and Livonian lands. The exhibition shows a transumpt – three letters written by Gediminas on the same day to Hansa cities of Northern Germany, Franciscan and Dominican monasteries. With the help of these letters, Gediminas sought to strengthen the country’s political position and to encourage its economic development. In the letter addressed to the cities, Gediminas sent an invitation to merchants, craftsmen, peasants and knights to come to his country and work for their own benefit and the country’s advantage.
Date: 31 05 2023 – 15 10 2023
Gediminas’ letters will be on display until 13 June.
An exhibition will be on display in Franciszek Smuglewicz Hall (VU Library, Universiteto str. 3).
Ramunė Gedvilaitė
2023-05-28