LITHUANIA: Mysteries of the Lithuanian Parthenon
by Barbora Petronytė, Titas Vilkaitis, Onutė Baumilienė and Mintautas Čiurinskas
Just as the Greek Parthenon is one of the greatest cultural monuments of the world, the Cathedral of Vilnius is
one of the most wonderful pearls of Lithuanian culture. The history of both these temples is similar: the
buildings have been damaged and rebuilt on more than one occasion and are closely related to their region's
history. The old Greek Parthenon was dedicated to the goddess Athena, and the Lithuanian Parthenon to two
saints: St. Stanislovas and St. Vladislovas. In reality, the Vilnius Cathedral honours many famous names and
many well-known historical figures and, therefore, this cultural monument is a symbol of the spirit of the
Lithuanian nation.
The Cathedral of Vilnius
Photograph by Bernadeta Petronytė
source: http://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaizdas:Parthenon_
from_west.jpg, PD, [31.7.2011]
The beginning of the history of the Lithuanian Parthenon – the Cathedral of Vilnius – dates back to the 13th
century. It is thought that the building was originally King Mindaugas’ Cathedral, and then became a pagan
temple after Mindaugas’ death. Later, in 1419, the old cathedral burnt down and in its place the Grand Duke
Vytautas built a new larger aisled gothic cathedral. The building caught fire many times – once in 1530 and
again in 1610. After each fire, the temple was rebuilt in accordance with specific canons of that epoch, but the
holy place remained the same. The last reconstruction of the Lithuanian Parthenon was carried out in the 18 th
century, following the project of the architect Laurynas Gucevičius, commissioned by the bishop of Vilnius,
I. J. Masalskis. L. Gucevičius rebuilt the cathedral in a new, classical style, imitating architectural forms of
the Antiquity. The cathedral was rebuilt keeping in mind both past traditions and antique architecture – this is
represented well in the plan of the cathedral, which resembles both the Greek Parthenon and the traditional
layout of Lithuanian churches from the baroque and gothic periods, although with some differences. Instead of
towers, the architect planned grand chapels to be put in the corners. He put twelve doric columns under the
pipe organ gallery and decorated the grand altar with a doric portico of four columns. The pediment is adorned
with three monumental sculptures: St. Stanislovas, St. Elena and St. Kazimieras. The cathedral represents L.
Gucevičius' architectural philosophy: the harmonic and moderate approach to art during the antique period was
the ideal that L. Gucevičius followed.
The Cathedral of Vilnius has seen many great rulers: in 1529 the Lithuanian Duke 1 Žygimantas Augustas was
crowned in the Cathedral, and since 1993 the presidents of our country have been inaugurated here. Just like
the Greek Parthenon, the building has also served as a necropolis2 for famous people of Lithuania – the temple
holds the remains of Vytautas the Great and his wife, his brother Žygimantas Kęstutaitis, Švitrigaila,
Žygimantas Kęstutaitis' son Mykolas, St. Kazimieras and his brother Alexander, the ruler of Lithuania and
Poland, and an urn with the heart of Duke Vladislovas IV Vaza, the bishops and members of the chapter of
Vilnius and the two wives of Žygimantas Augustas: Elisabeth of Austria and Barbora Radvilaitė. The latter is
related to one of the most romantic love stories of Europe.
Question:
How is the Cathedral of Vilnius similar to the Greek Parthenon? How are they different?
1
Grand Duchy of Lithuania - Feudal Lithuanian country that existed between the 13 th and 18th centuries. Largest country
in Europe during the 15th century.
2
Necropolis (from the Greek νεκρόπολις) - historic burial ground or cemetery
The Cathedral of Vilnius. Photograph by Bernadeta Petronytė
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Acropolis-panorama-night.jpg, CC
BY-SA 3.0, [31.7.2011]
Barbora Radvilaitė was the offspring of the Radvilos, one of the most famous Lithuanian noble families of the
16th century. Widowed early, the extraordinary beautiful Barbora enchanted the leader of Lithuania,
Žygimantas Augustas. The king of Poland and grand duke of Lithuania disregarded Barbora's family warnings
and even laid out a secret path from his castle to the Radvilos manor, just so he could visit his beloved one
without anyone's interference. The love affair was soon crowned with a secret wedding. Žygimantas' parents –
Žygimantas the Old and Bona Sforza – did not even want to consider a public wedding, as Barbora Radvilaitė
was not of royal blood. Even the Polish nobles were dismissive of the lovers' union, as they were afraid of the
already large influence of the Radvilos family. However, love knows no bounds – in 1548, when inheriting
rule over Poland, Žygimantas Augustas announced his wedding and demanded that Barbora was crowned the
queen of Poland. Thus Žygimantas defeated all who opposed him, even his mother Bona Sforza, and in
December 7th of 1550 Barbora Radvilaitė was crowned the queen in Krakow, then capital of Poland. However,
Barbora was already very ill. Ruling for a total of 5 months, she died in her husband's arms in May 5 th, 1551 in
Krakow. Her last wish was to be buried in the Cathedral of Vilnius and Žygimantas Augustas fulfilled this
wish. The king was incredibly shaken by the death of Barbora – he had the walls of his living quarters painted
black, the entire palace was in mourning, and during the procedure that carried Barbora's remains to Vilnius,
Žygimantas followed on foot. The king, although he married again later, as he wanted children, never forgot
his love – Barbora Radvilaitė. And so, Barbora, who enjoyed her love only briefly and her rule for an even
shorter amount of time, rests eternally in the Cathedral of Vilnius.
Questions and tasks:
1. How was the history of Žygimantas Augustas and Barbora Radvilaitė's love unconventional?
2. Find Greek myths, resembling the royal pair's love story.
Žygimantas Augustas resided in Vilnius along with his court – the main proponent of Renaissance culture in
Lithuania. Among the court members especially close to Žygimantas Augustas was Pedro Ruiz de Moros,
poet and jurist of Spanish descent. Having received a typical „iuris utriusque doctoris“3 in the University of
Bologna. Pedro, invited by the queen Bona Sforza, ended up in the manor of Žygimantas Augustas. Pedro
Ruiz was a man of wide interests who did many important things to help Lithuanian culture: he participated in
creating the Second Statute of Lithuania and published a book on Lithuanian law, which became popular in the
rest of Europe and was used up until the beginning of the 18th century. Ruiz was a humanitarian, well versed in
both law and antique culture, but he participated in court life not only as a jurist, but also as a poet who wrote
very artistic epigrams and epitaphs4.
3
Doctorate degree of roman (civil) and canonical (ecclesiastical) law.
Epigram (from the Greek ἐπίγραμμα) short (usually a single strophe), clever poetic work, usually of a satirical nature,
highlighting the flaws of a certain person or group of people. Epitaph (from the Greek ἐπιτάφιος - „on a tomb“) text on a
tomb or a special plaque, usually rhymed, honouring the deceased.
4
Lucas Cranach the Elder. Barbora Radvilaitė
source: http://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaizdas:
Barbradziwill1520.jpg, PD, [31.7.2011]
The Cathedral of Vilnius. Epitaph for Queen Barbora.
Photograph by Bernadeta Petronytė
In the Cathedral of Vilnius there are 22 epitaphs written in the Latin language, one of them dedicated to
Barbora Radvilaitė5. This text was discovered in 1931 while cleaning the catacombs of the cathedral, on a
plaque attached to the queen's coffin. As during the Antiquity, the epitaph is anonymous, although after
comparing the text in the cathedral with well know works by Ruiz, there is no second guessing the author.
Compare the anonymous epitaph in the Cathedral with one of Ruiz' epitaphs dedicated to Queen Barbora.
Barbara, quae tegitur1 tumulo2 regina sub isto
Augusti conjux altera3 regis erat,
Commoda multa tulit multis, incommoda nulli
A qua se laesum dicere nemo potest.
Immatura4 obiit decima trieteridi capta5
Bis viduos fatis linquere jussa6 thoros.
Occidit ante diem et quamvis anus illa fuisset,
Diceret AUGUSTUS obiit ante diem.
(epitaph, found in the Cathedral).
Barbara, quae condor1 tumulo, regina, sub isto,
Augusti coniux altera regis eram,
Immatura cado, decima trieteride coepta
Regales fatis linquere iussa toros.
Vixi2 grata minus populo3, sed noxia nulli4;
Augusto laus est me placuisse5 meo.
(Ruiz' epitaph)
1. tego 3, texi, tectum: here: is guarded
(praesens indicativi passivi); 2. in the grave
(tumulus, ī m: grave); 3. altera – here: the
second;
4. immātūrus 3: immature, early; 5. decima
trieteride capta: taken, thirty years old
(trietēris, idis f: three years); 6. jubeo 2,
jussī, jussum: order (partcipium perfecti
passivi)
1. condo 3, idī, itum: here: am buried
(praesens indicativi passivi)
2. vivo 3, vīxī, vīctum: to live; 3. grata
minus populo: disliked by the people; 4.
noxia nulli : did not offend anyone (noxius
3); 5. laus est (verbum regens) me
placuisse (acc. cum infinitivo): deserved
glory for pleasing
Ruiz is the author of nine epitaphs dedicated to Queen Barbora Radvilaitė, although only one of them is publicized in
the Cathedral of Vilnius.
5
Questions and Tasks:
1. How is Ruiz' epitaph similar to antique epitaphs?
2. What facts does the epitaph reveal?
3. Does the epitaph reveal the individuality of the late queen?
All the epitaphs in the cathedral are dated between the 16th and 19th century, so the writings dedicated to
Barbora is one of the earlier examples. Overall, epitaphs are valuable not only for their information, but also
for their artistic merit – epitaphs are, after all, a form of short literature. It should be noted that these Christian
epitaphs are quite similar to pagan ones. The epitaphs in the Cathedral of Vilnius are of Roman tradition
(Greek tomb writings usually lack individuality), as they kept certain structural canons while representing the
individuality of the deceased. The epitaphs dedicated to Queen Barbora, as per Roman tradition, indicate her
name and age, while her extraordinarily short reigning period is usually told in metaphors and litotes. Overall,
nine epitaphs for Barbora are attributed to Pedro Ruiz. Here are some other texts:
Barbara, Sauromatum1 cubat hic regina, potenti
De Radivilorum nobilis orta2 domo.
Dat mortem3, quae sceptra dedit, Cracovia4; regis
Quae dederat thalamum, Vilna dedit tumulum5.
1. Sauromatum = Sarmatarum: Sarmatians.
Here this ethnonym dating back to the Antiquity
is used to refer to the entire population of Poland
and Lithuania; 2. orior 4, ortus sum: to
come/originate from (partcipium perfecti
passivi); 3. mortem dare: to die; 4. Cracovia:
Krakow; 5. iteration: Roiz says what Krakow,
the king and Vilnius gave to the Queen;
Barbara, Sauromatum regina, hoc6 clausa7 sepulcro est,
De Radivilorum8 femina nata domo.
Augusto nupsit9 regi, dulcissima coniunx10,
Cui fuit in terris carius ante nihil.
Occubuit11 iuvenis; quae si longaeva12 fuisset
6. hoc sepulcro: sg. Abl.: in the tomb; 7. claudo
3, clausī, clausum: to close, here: is buried;
8. of the Radvilos
9.nūbo 3, nūpsī, nūptum: to marry; 10.
coniunx = conjūx, jugis m, f: spouse, here:
Barbora;
Defunctam13 Augustus ipse negaret anum.
11. occumbo 3, cubuī, cubitum: to die; 12.
longaevus 3: very old; 13. dēfungor 3, fūnctus
sum: to end, to die;
So, as it is required by the canon, the epitaphs describe Barbora's heritage and duties. In addition to that,
reading the epitaphs, like with Roman tomb writings, the places of birth and death of the deceased are
revealed. Overall, the epitaphs reveal their epoch's (in this case, the Renaissance's) worldview – the sense of
free will, confidence in one's own strength, dominance of emotions and justice. Although the genre, according
to antique tradition, is associated with honouring the dead and ignoring their flaws to the point of sacralisation,
Ruiz' epitaphs for Barbora are an exception, which was apparently based in the author's streightfoward
character and the dramatic, extraordinary love story of Žygimantas Augustas and his wife Barbora Radvilaitė.
Ruiz did not have to create anything fantastic – the actual situation was more astonishing than any sort of
artistically decorated reality.
Questions and tasks:
1. Which tradition do the epitaphs in the Cathedral follow – Greek or Roman? Why do you think so?
2. The remaining epitaphs for Barbora by Ruiz show the structural canons of the genre: indicating the name,
age, duration of reign, origin and received royal duties. Confirm or deny using the text.
3. What new things about Barbora's personality did you learn from Ruiz' epitaphs?
4. The renaissance era is the rebirth of the Antiquity. How do the epitaphs for Barbora reveal the worldview
of the Renaissance?
5. In what aspect do Ruiz' epitaphs differ from antique epitaphs? Why?