Church of Archangel Raphael / Šv. arkangelo Rapolo bažnycia (Vilnius - Lithuania)
N 54° 41.549 E 025° 16.736
35U E 389070 N 6061931
The late-Baroque Church of Archangel Raphael (Šv. arkangelo Rapolo bažnycia), situated on the right bank of the river Nyaris, belongs among several active historic Roman Catholic churches in centre of Vilnius...
Waymark Code: WMF185
Location: Lithuania
Date Posted: 08/05/2012
Views: 8
The late-Baroque Church of Archangel Raphael (Šv. arkangelo Rapolo bažnycia), situated on the right bank of the river Nyaris, belongs among several active historic Roman Catholic churches in centre of Vilnius.
This Jesuit-style late-Baroque church was built in 1702-1709 thanks to donations of wealthy nobleman John Casimir Sapieha with the support of the hetman Michael Casimir Radziwill. The towers of the church, crowned by Rococo helmets and lanterns were built later - in the middle of the 18th century. The church and the adjacent monastery belonged to the Jesuits. When Jesuits were expelled from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1773, the church was given to the Piarist order, established in Rome in 1597 to teach children of poor families. Later the church was converted into the barracks and the army warehouse. The Church was returned to the Catholics in the year 1860.