Vilnius Dungeons
Encyclopedia
The Vilnius Dungeons are medieval dungeon
s under parts of the downtown
of Vilnius
. Their real size and extent, as well as purpose and age, are arguable; there are some urban legend
s and various theories about these dungeons. In the dungeons, there are about 4000 dead bodies. Due to the dry climate inside, many of them have naturally mummified, others are just skeleton
s.
, it is believed though that there might be connections of the dungeons with cellars of other buildings, such as a former monastery not far away.
; there were even plans to create an inquisition museum in the dungeons. However such theories were most probably related to the general Soviet stance seeking to discredit religion and they were never proved; there is no evidence of major inquisition actions in Lithuania either. Also, previously it was thought sometimes that these were dead bodies of people who died of plague
in Vilnius
; that is one of reasons of the reluctance to investigate dungeons. One test however did not find plague in the dead bodies. There is also a theory that this might have been a dungeon built by a nearby hospital, which probably was in the monastery, to put the people who died there. One of the things that add to the mystery is finding the dead bodies in various unusual poses, such as mummified woman holding a mummified child. The exact number of bodies is also unknown, as many crypts are sealed and bricked off.
by students of the Vilnius University. Electricity was installed in parts of dungeons back then, too. The students, however, were working against all archeological practice and therefore made a lot of damage to the dungeons, also desecrated dead bodies. They destroyed some inner walls and unsealed some crypts by destroying walls to them. Other dubious practices included "sorting" of bones of dead bodies, such as putting all skulls on shelves, purposely built near walls. Students' investigations stopped however when a crypt was found in which certain evidence made people believe that in that crypt there were plague victims; then the dungeons were sealed off. There was limited research later without uncovering new crypts.
s. Once a year there is a procession from the Church of the Holy Spirit
, out of which there is the only entrance to the dungeons, led by the local priest. They go around the dungeons and bless all the dead buried there.
Dungeon
A dungeon is a room or cell in which prisoners are held, especially underground. Dungeons are generally associated with medieval castles, though their association with torture probably belongs more to the Renaissance period...
s under parts of the downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
of Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
. Their real size and extent, as well as purpose and age, are arguable; there are some urban legend
Urban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
s and various theories about these dungeons. In the dungeons, there are about 4000 dead bodies. Due to the dry climate inside, many of them have naturally mummified, others are just skeleton
Skeleton
The skeleton is the body part that forms the supporting structure of an organism. There are two different skeletal types: the exoskeleton, which is the stable outer shell of an organism, and the endoskeleton, which forms the support structure inside the body.In a figurative sense, skeleton can...
s.
Size
The true size of the dungeons is unknown. Some tend to believe that the known part of the dungeons is only a part of whole system, and that there is a second level of them, stairs to which are bricked off. Some claim that these dungeons are below whole of the downtown Vilnius. The known part of the dungeons is under the districts near Domininkonų and Vilniaus streets. The only known entrance to the dungeons is from Church of the Holy SpiritChurch of the Holy Spirit
Church of the Holy Spirit or Holy Spirit Church may refer to:* Church of the Holy Spirit * Church of the Holy Spirit * Church of the Holy Spirit * Church of the Holy Spirit...
, it is believed though that there might be connections of the dungeons with cellars of other buildings, such as a former monastery not far away.
Purpose
The purpose of the dungeons is also disputed. There are various claims, starting from romantic stories that they were used by certain legendary lovers of Great Duchy of Lithuania (Barbora Radvilaitė and Žygimantas Augustas) to meet each other secretly, through some horror stories to the more realistic ones. The origin of the dead bodies is also not known. During the Soviet times there was a version that those were dead bodies of the victims of inquisitionInquisition
The Inquisition, Inquisitio Haereticae Pravitatis , was the "fight against heretics" by several institutions within the justice-system of the Roman Catholic Church. It started in the 12th century, with the introduction of torture in the persecution of heresy...
; there were even plans to create an inquisition museum in the dungeons. However such theories were most probably related to the general Soviet stance seeking to discredit religion and they were never proved; there is no evidence of major inquisition actions in Lithuania either. Also, previously it was thought sometimes that these were dead bodies of people who died of plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
in Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
; that is one of reasons of the reluctance to investigate dungeons. One test however did not find plague in the dead bodies. There is also a theory that this might have been a dungeon built by a nearby hospital, which probably was in the monastery, to put the people who died there. One of the things that add to the mystery is finding the dead bodies in various unusual poses, such as mummified woman holding a mummified child. The exact number of bodies is also unknown, as many crypts are sealed and bricked off.
Uncovering
First uncovering and expeditions to the abandoned dungeons were organised in the interwar periodInterwar period
Interwar period can refer to any period between two wars. The Interbellum is understood to be the period between the end of the Great War or First World War and the beginning of the Second World War in Europe....
by students of the Vilnius University. Electricity was installed in parts of dungeons back then, too. The students, however, were working against all archeological practice and therefore made a lot of damage to the dungeons, also desecrated dead bodies. They destroyed some inner walls and unsealed some crypts by destroying walls to them. Other dubious practices included "sorting" of bones of dead bodies, such as putting all skulls on shelves, purposely built near walls. Students' investigations stopped however when a crypt was found in which certain evidence made people believe that in that crypt there were plague victims; then the dungeons were sealed off. There was limited research later without uncovering new crypts.
Current situation
The dungeons are sealed off for public mostly, although they are a dream for Lithuanian diggerDigger
Digger and Diggers may refer to:*Digger , a punk band*Digger , a Beanie Baby crab produced by Ty, Inc.*Digger , a comic book character owned by Marvel Comics*Digger , a classic computer game from 1983...
s. Once a year there is a procession from the Church of the Holy Spirit
Church of the Holy Spirit
Church of the Holy Spirit or Holy Spirit Church may refer to:* Church of the Holy Spirit * Church of the Holy Spirit * Church of the Holy Spirit * Church of the Holy Spirit...
, out of which there is the only entrance to the dungeons, led by the local priest. They go around the dungeons and bless all the dead buried there.