Today's Lithuanian capital Vilnius was not only part of a hybrid Polish-Lithuanian state for a long time, but was also shaped by a wide variety of cultures over the centuries. This is exemplarily visible in the city's sacral architecture – buildings that are often multi-ethnic and multi-confessional in character.
Vilnius
' baroque sacred architecture is a unique phenomenon in the history of art and architecture in East Central Europe. In particular, it embodies the multi-ethnic and multi-denominational character of the city's urban development. Unlike in other East European countries, Vilnius embraced West European (particularly Italian) baroque at an early stage and also had its own school of architecture, making it one of the most vivid examples of cultural transfer in the early modern period. The Vilnius photographer Kêstutis Stoškus (born 1951) shows two different aspects in his images: the decay and renewal of sacred buildings. He is interested in the depths and the poetic aspects of these processes. At the same time, these photographs document an engagement with the cultural heritage of a country that has survived an extremely varied history. Intellectual history and culture are of central importance in the return of today's Republic of Lithuania to a shared European heritage, and the documentation and maintenance of architectural monuments are the visible expression of this.
Facade of St. Theresa's Church in Vilnius, 1937; Image archive, Inv. No. 4d7294. Jan Bułhak / Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, Free access - no reuse
Choir of the Missionary Church in Vilnius, 1937; Image archive, Inv. No. 4d7302. Jan Bułhak / Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, Free access - no reuse
High altar of St. John's Church in Vilnius, 1937; Image archive, Inv. No. 4d7275. Jan Bułhak / Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, Free access - no reuse
An exhibition by the Herder Institute Marburg in cooperation with the Humanities Center for History and Culture of East Central Europe Leipzig. A publication accompanying the exhibition features photographs and documentation of the churches, as well as essays by Lithuanian, Polish, and German experts.
One of the posters for the exhibition featuring a photograph by Kęstutis Stoškus showing the view from the prison of the former monastery of the missionaries to the missionary church of the Ascension in Vilnius. Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, Free access - no reuse
Facade of St. Theresa's Church in Vilnius, 1937; Image archive, Inv. No. 4d7294. Jan Bułhak / Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, Free access - no reuse
Choir of the Missionary Church in Vilnius, 1937; Image archive, Inv. No. 4d7302. Jan Bułhak / Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, Free access - no reuse
High altar of St. John's Church in Vilnius, 1937; Image archive, Inv. No. 4d7275. Jan Bułhak / Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, Free access - no reuse
One of the posters for the exhibition featuring a photograph by Kęstutis Stoškus showing the view from the prison of the former monastery of the missionaries to the missionary church of the Ascension in Vilnius. Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung – Institut der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, Free access - no reuse
View from the prison of the former monastery of the missionaries to the missionary church of the Ascension in Vilnius. Kęstutis Stoškus / Kęstutis Stoškus, Free access - no reuse
