Cathedral-Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Ladislaus is the biggest and most important catholic cathedral in Lithuania. Built in 1251 the cathedral is one of the oldest buildings in the city. It is contemporary to every historical turning point of the city and the country. The cathedral is one of the main symbols of the city.

The cathedral is not as famous as the neo-classical Vilnius Cathedral placed at the Cathedral Square, because it has a more traditional look, but every citizen will tell you that the Cathedral of St. Stanislaus and St. Ladislaus is the spiritual center of the lithuanian catholic community.

Lithuania is a country that adopted later the christian faith – in 1387. The paganism had strong support in the country and led to the so called Teutonic crusades. The knights of the Teutonic Order invaded Lithuania in the 13th century and forced christianity after serious struggles. The Cathedral-Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Ladislaus is the first catholic church in the country’s new capital – Trakai was the pagan center of Lithuania before that. The church became subject to violent disputes between the catholic and the orthodox communities in the country.

The present day building dates around 1419. It sustained lots of restorations during the ages. Nowadays the cathedral is a masterpiece of the lithuanian architecture. The famous lithuanian architect Laurynas Stuoka Gucevičius led major restoration in the 18th century. Its present look is almost the same.

On the roof of the cathedral there are three statues, representing Sts. Stanislaus, Helena and Casimir, or some say - Poland, Russia and Lithuania. They are copies of the original works placed there in the 18th century. The originals were set in 1997. The original were taken by the soviets in 1950, the year when the cathedral was confiscated from the catholics in the city. After that the building was turned into an art gallery until 1989, when the cathedral was reconsecrated. Its inconstant fate follows the history of the country and the lithuanian people themselves. That’s why you should visit the cathedral. You can get there via flight to Vilnius. For the best flight deals contact http://www.paylessflights.com