Like
so many of Europe's great buildings, the origins of
this one have been lost to the sands of time. Vilnius
was granted the ability to rule itself in 1387, so
it makes sense that a town hall was erected not too
long after. There are documents from 1432 that have
survived, mentioning a city hall on this spot, but
the old city halls were much different than the building
we see today. Chief among the differences is a large
tower, which the current structure lacks. That tower
is depicted in a 1572 book, and in the 1600's a clock
was added with bells. The reason we don't see a tower
today dates back to the mid-18th century. In 1748
a great fire chewed its way across the city, and burned
the city hall. Jonas Kristupas Gliaubicius rebuilt
the structure, including the clock tower. But shortly
after it was finished, the tower proved unstable.
L. Stuoka-Gucevius was commissioned to save the tower,
but before he could it collapsed into the city hall.
He submitted several proposals for rebuilding the
city hall, and one was finally chosen that did not
include a tower. Almost 150 years later, it was decided
that the building was inadequate for the needs of
city government, and the politicians and bureaucrats
moved elsewhere. The building became a theater for
about 50 years, then underwent renovations so it could
be used as a ceremonial pavilion. Just months after
those renovations were completed, the Soviet government
moved the city politicians and bureaucrats back into
the building. They eventually had to move out again,
and it became an art museum. After the Soviet Empire
dissolved, the museum found better digs, and today
the building is finally fulfilling its role as the
focal point of important ceremonies.
