New at the Palace…

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The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania (Lietuvos Didžiosios Kunigaikštystės valdovų rūmai Vilniaus žemutinėje pilyje) is a famous place in Vilnius, Lithuania that you may know about or have visited. It was originally constructed in the 15th century for the rulers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the future Kings of Poland. The palace, located in the lower castle of Vilnius, prospered during the 16th and mid-17th centuries. For four centuries the palace was the political, administrative and cultural centre of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It was demolished in 1801. Work on a new palace started in 2002 on the site of the original building and it was completed in 2018. The palace was rebuilt in Renaissance style to match the Cathedral of Vilnius. A information in Lithuanian and English as well as a virtual tour are available at valdovurumai.lt.

The latest news from the Museum is that its publications are now available online, at the electronic bookstore. Earlier this month, it became available to shoppers both in Lithuania and abroad. Some e-books are also available to read free of charge. They include four volumes of  the chronicles of the Palace of the Grand Dukes, catalogues of donated and acquired artifacts and the year book published on the 10th anniversary of the reopening of the Palace (2009-2018). Discounted publications are also announced on the site, with five currently being offered at substantial discounts.

The Museum has published more than 90 publications from albums to catalogues to academic studies. See Eknygynas.valdovurumai.lt. For now the online bookstore is only in Lithuanian, as are the publications. These days, postal rates for books from Lithuania are astronomic but some of the books on offer (at only 6 or 8 euros) might be a thoughtful gift for a relative in Lithuania…