Šventosios Dvasios bažnycia / Church of the Holy Spirit - Vilnius (Lithuania) - Baroque Architecture on Waymarking.com

The late Baroque Church of the Holy Spirit (Šventosios Dvasios bažnycia), also called the Dominican Church, is one of the most monumental and ornate churches of Vilnius.

The Gothic core of the church, constructed in place of the older wooden structure during 14th century, was enlarged and in 1501 and given by Aleksandras Jogailaitis to the oldest Dominican chapter in Lithuania. During 1753–1770 the Dominicans built a new Baroque church and enlarged the convent. The church stands with its side facing the street and lacks a clearly visible main façade. The top of its dome reaches 51 m. The exterior of the church contains both mature and late Baroque elements. The interior is in the Rococo style and is distinguished by playful and fantastic decorations - this is one of the most valuable church interiors in Lithuania. The church has sixteen altars. The church’s organ is the only almost entirely original instrument remaining from the 18th century in Lithuania. The three-tiered buildings of the monastery surround an almost square cloister garth, in which in the 18th century stood a pole-shrine to commemorate the victims of the plague. The corridors of the convent still contain frescoes from the 18th century.