One-Day Literature Festival ‘Literalis: Playing the Classics’
2026-04-20
On 25 April, ‘Vilnius, UNESCO City of Literature’ invites you to ‘Literalis’, a one-day literature festival. For the first time,
Pamėnkalnis Villa
Pamėnkalnis Villa (Pamėnkalnio St. 34) represents not only Vilnius’ impressive interwar modernist architecture but also the tangled fates of the 20th century. Designed by Jan Borowski and Izaak Smorgoński for Colonel Antoni Kiakszto, this private two-story residence with a garden was completed in 1938. Skillfully built into the hillside, it featured a functional layout and modernist aesthetics. The tranquility was short-lived; in 1940, the villa became a sanctuary for war refugees like Polish writer Leopold Tyrmand. Artists and Soviet officials also resided there. From 1946-1971, writer Tomas Venclova spent his childhood and youth in the first floor apartment with his parents Eliza and Antanas Venclova; their home was later turned into a museum. Today, Pamėnkalnis Villa opens its doors, inviting the public to discover its unique architecture and the rich stories of its past residents and eras.
Tours
A tour of the Pamėnkalnis Villa
News
Vilnius is a city of literature for me primarily because studied literature here at the University. This is where metaphors became flesh. I saw Onė Baliukonytė, expecting a baby, wearing an elegant dress made of a fabric that resembled a sack. And Judita Vaičiūnaitė buying a cake in Žibutė cafe. Marcelijus Martinaitis, horrified by our “leaky”, as he would call them, sentences in our dissertations. The author of Tūla dropping by the residence hall to borrow money. Jonas Strielkūnas with jacket sleeves as long as time. And other unofficial individuals.
Your favourite quote about Vilnius, or a passage from a literary work.
Let it be a line from “it was all a long time ago”: “moonlight above Vilnius how wondrous the moon and the snowflakes”.
Giedra Radvilavičiūtė
Because a great deal of litterateurs have lived here, big and small. They have sung praises to this city, each in their own way, capturing its territories with their poems.
Your favourite quote about Vilnius, or a passage from a literary work.
I will wait by Vilnius, by the fairy tale city, where Neris flows in a red glow (Paulius Širvys) But this one might be cited by many, so here’s a backup: I could never leave you, my city (Czesław Miłosz).
Giedrė Kazlauskaitė
Vilnius is a city whose streets are covered in literary quotes, both literally and metaphorically, a city delightfully rife with multilingual literary tradition and people who read, write and love books. I’m surprised every time at how much is happening here. It’s a city which serves as a source of inspiration, a city which contains every literary genre. The status of Vilnius as a city of literature is probably merely a confirmation of something that literary Vilnians have always been aware of.
Your favourite quote about Vilnius, or a passage from a literary work.
„Nuo Vilniaus niekur nepabėgsi. Nėra pasauly kito tokio miesto...“ “There’s no running away from Vilnius. There’s no other city like it in the world…” (Ričardas Gavelis, Vilnius Poker)
Akvilina Cicėnaitė
For me, Vilnius is inseparable from literature, especially poetry. Sometimes it becomes unclear where stonework turns into verse, and a stanza into an alley. I associate most Lithuanian poets (and not just Lithuanian poets) with specific parts of Vilnius, their writings affect and change my view of the city. So you just walk around, listening to Laima Kreivytė on Rasų Radio, or hearing Parulskis’ lines ‘ride gediminai ride gedimonai ride’ at the foot of Gediminas Hill.
Your favourite quote about Vilnius, or a passage from a literary work
The quote that I always remember comes from the poem by Moshe Kulbak called ‘Vilna’: ‘You are a dark amulet set in Lithuania… / Each stone a book; parchment every wall / Pages turn, secretly open in the night’ (translated by Nathan Halper).
Marius Burokas
Every day, there are readings and meetings with writers in Vilnius, not only in churches or special venues, but also in bars, basements, yards and trolleybuses. I have a memory from my childhood, how my father would put a poetry book in his bag to take with him, certain he’d meet a poet in the Old Town whose autograph he didn’t have. And he would. Holding his hand, I would quietly watch the faces of the chosen ones of Vilnius.
Your favourite quote about Vilnius, or a passage from a literary work
‘The crow under Žirmūnai bridge / tries to drown out the noise of cars / until everything becomes harmony / until it evaporates / into fog’ (Jurgita Jasponytė).
Kotryna Zylė
Vilnius is a city of literature because that is what it is for me. First of all, I came here from Zarasai to study Lithuanian literature and language. I live a literary life here, from my work in a library to writing. Even at the end of physical therapy for my disc herniation, I could feel my physiotherapist straightening my neck and stretching my arms to the sides, and I heard her say ‘Now you are like an open book …’
Your favourite quote about Vilnius, or a passage from a literary work
One of my favourite quotes about Vilnius comes from a poem by Albinas Bernotas called ‘Geese Fly over Vilnius’: ‘Red lights of the TV tower / Under its wing like a cluster of lingonberries. / Pine forests rustle in a wintry fashion – / Tonight geese over Vilnius fly.’
That connection between nature and the city is very relatable. It shows that you can feel the rhythm of nature even in the city. Maybe the feeling is not as strong, but you can feel it, and, most importantly, even if you don’t notice it, it’s still happening. Many autumns and springs I have watched flocks of birds migrating, and I realise that birds have their path, and it doesn’t matter what’s under it, whether it’s a city, a village or a forest.
Jurgita Jasponytė
Pamėnkalnis Villa
Pamėnkalnio g. 34,
LT-01114 Vilnius, Lietuva
pamenkalnio.vila@vilniusliterature.lt
+370 678 83665
Opening Hours:
I–V, 9:00 – 18:00