Vilnius - panorama view towards the old town

Vilnius - Vilna in English, Wilna in German and Russian, Wilno in Polish and Wilné in Yiddish - is the capital of Lithuania. The impressive old town is part of the UNESCO world heritage list. Vilnius is a multinational city. Walking through the streets one can listen to Lithuanian, Russian and Polish. Before WW II Poles and Jews were the most important nationalities in Vilnius, communities which have been destroyed by the Nazi and Soviet occupation. Today Vilnius is a dynamic city and the political, cultural and economic centre of Lithuania since the country became an independent state in 1991 and later on a part of the European Community. In 2009 Vilnius will be Europe's culture capital.