The Great Aula (Aula Magna) of Vilnius University

The building, which is historicist in style and restrained in its decoration, houses the richly decorated Great Hall. The history of the building dates back to the mid-19th century, when it was built by the Vilnius Junker Infantry School, the main motto of which was “Even a single Vilnius resident is a soldier on the field”.
The Great Hall – comprising the entrance, the staircase, the hall itself and the spaces behind it – is special because the staircase is in a part of the building that was built in 1874, while a much more ornate three-storey part with a hall, the Great Hall, was added to the Junker School at the beginning of the 20th century, The building was used for military purposes until 1915, when it was converted into a hospital and was also used for festivals.
The interiors of the lobby and staircase are in the secessionist style, while the Great Hall itself is in the historicist style, and the interior is richly decorated with plaster garlands, wreaths, antique ornaments, and sculptural compositions of armour and weapons. The Great Hall has a hall reminiscent of an earlier era and is suitable for various events. The magnificent spaces are still filled with the sounds of music, rehearsals and concerts, and the chairs in the hall even help to recall the history of the former Lietuva cinema, as they were moved to these spaces.