THE PALACE OF THE RADVILA FAMILY
<...>This residence of the Radvila family (in Polish, Radziwill) was located in the center of the Old Town, on Didžioji Pilies Street (now Didžioji g. 10), facing the fish market. Originally this palace belonged to the Goštautas family, but in 1543 it was inherited by M. Radvila the Black, who established here the first Protestant chapel and a public school headed by Abraomas Kulvietis. This small but ornate chapel was used only during 1561 1579, but its memory was still alive among the citizens of Vilnius at the end of the 19th century. The chapel was located in the western corner of the first yard. The palace had a spacious yard divided into two parts, one end of which extended to Didžioji Pilies Street, and the other to Bokštas Street. In the 17th century the Radvila family paid the Jesuit Academy 8 kapas* in interest per year. In 1804 Vilnius University bought this palace from Motiejus Radvila (1749 1821) for 10,000 ducats and set up clinics headed by Professor J. Frank. These clinics existed until 1842. In 1899, during excavations, a treasure was found: two jugs filled with gold and silver coins from the 16th century <...>
- Translated from Vladas Drėma, DINGĘS VILNIUS [Lost Vilnius],
(Vilnius: Vaga, 1991), p. 158.
* The word kapa dates back to the 13th century, when Lithuania used long silver sticks as money (Lith. ilgieji). A short piece cut from one of these sticks was called a kapa, the word being derived from the Lithuanian verb kapoti, which means to cut. Later, with the spread of Prague money, 1 kapa equaled 60 half-kopeck coins.
In the picture: I. Trutnev. Orthodox Church of the Transfer of the Remains of St. Nicholas (before reconstruction). 1863. Lithograph from P. Batiushkov's Album. VUL, inv. G 0019861.
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- The center of Vilnius Old Town (file size 280 KB)
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