Antakalnis
14. INSTITUTE OF LITHUANIAN LITERATURE AND FOLKLORE (VILEISIS PALACE)
Antakalnis
Two of the façades that open onto the Town Hall Square are special owing to their long history. The Small Guild (Didžioji g. 26) is a Gothic building, and is one of the oldest buildings in the square (it is a contemporary of the first Gothic Town Hall); while the House of Masalskiai (Didžioji g. 24) is an example of the architecture of the Vilnius Renaissance. Both buildings were used to house Vilnius merchants, as well as their guild shops and warehouses. The cellars became inns; while the upper floors were residential quarters. The Small Guild features restored and vaulted Gothic rooms; while the House of Masalskiai displays the residential quarters of wealthy townspeople from the Renaissance. Many architectural details reveal the peculiarities of construction practices and household life from back in those days.
Since 2001, the buildings have exhibited the modern art of the 20th C. émigré artist K. Varnelis, as well as his collection of old art, historical furniture and maps. This one-man museum was established by K. Varnelis himself. The contrasting rhythms and spaces are the principles of this non-traditional exposition, and highlight the heritage of the old architecture.
