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What to know before visiting Vilnius

Vilnius is the capital and largest city located in Lithuania. As of July 2023, Vilnius's estimated population was 593,436. The Vilnius urban area extends beyond the city limits and has an estimated population of 718,507 in 2020. By November 2023, there were approximately 768,342 permanent residents in Vilnius city and Vilnius district municipalities combined.Vilnius, in southeastern Lithuania, is the second largest city in the Baltic states (or the largest, according to the municipal statistics and the center of registers of Lithuania). It is the seat of Lithuania's national government and Vilnius District Municipality. Vilnius is notable for the architecture of its Old Town, considered one of the largest and best-preserved old towns of Europe. Vilnius was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. The architectural style known as Vilnian Baroque is named after the city, which is the easternmost Baroque city and the largest north of the Alps.The city was noted for its multicultural population already in the time of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, with contemporary sources comparing it to Babylon. Before World War II and the Holocaust, Vilnius was one of the most important Jewish centers in Europe. Its Jewish influence has led to its nickname "the Jerusalem of Lithuania". Napoleon called it "the Jerusalem of the North" as he was passing through in 1812. In 2009, Vilnius was the European Capital of Culture, together with Linz in Austria. In 2021, Vilnius was named one of the 25 fDi's Global Cities of the Future. Vilnius is considered one of the major world financial centres, placing 76th globally and 29th in Europe, according to the Global Financial Centres Index. In 2023, Vilnius hosted the 2023 NATO Summit. Vilnius is a member of Eurocities and the Union of Capitals of the European Union (UCEU). -Wikipedia