Place · Cathedral & Gediminas Hill

St Anne's Church and the Bernardine complexŠv. Onos bažnyčia ir Bernardinų ansamblis

A Gothic brick church beside a large Bernardine church and a river garden: 20–30 minutes; free or donation; the walk in from Užupis is short and flat.

go · Late morning or golden houradmission: unknownNot field-verified

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Key facts

Time on site: 25–35 min; p95 50 min
Price: free or donation; adult, 2026 estimate
Hours: 09:00–?9:00 AM–?; typical, check
Best time: Late morning or golden hour; quietest window
28″ bags: No; Cathedral & Gediminas Hill: forbidden
Getting there: Maironio street, near the Vilnelė river

Gothic brick
Napoleon story
River garden
Free entry
Works with kids

Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.

Rules in force · 11Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…Treat the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian borders with R…Old Town streets are cobbled and uneven, and snow or ice …

Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
Baltic states ↗Treat the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian borders with Russia and Belarus as closed to your plans: crossings are restricted, change within hours, and sit under advisories on the far side.
Baltic states ↗Book open-jaw flights (into Tallinn or Vilnius, out of the other) so the line runs one way; Riga is the biggest airport if you need a single hub.
Baltic states ↗Midsummer (23–24 June) is the biggest holiday in all three countries: cities empty, many businesses close and island and coast transport sells out.
Lithuania ↗Lithuania is in the EU and the Schengen area; the EU Entry/Exit System applies to non-EU visitors. Check the official EU and Lithuanian sources for your passport.
Lithuania ↗Borders with Belarus and the Russian Kaliningrad region are not routes for casual travel; check your government's advice first.
Lithuania ↗The Curonian Spit is a protected national park: cars pay an entry fee, and the Russian half of the spit is a separate border.
Vilnius and the east ↗Dec–Feb is cold and dark in Vilnius and Trakai: plan outdoor sights for 10:00 to 15:00.
Vilnius ↗Old Town streets are cobbled and uneven, and snow or ice makes them slower: large suitcases go from the taxi to the door, never on a walk.
Vilnius ↗December and January have about seven hours of daylight: plan outdoor sights for 10:00 to 15:00.

Actions

Usually Opens 09:00

Map & directions

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Directions

From where I am

Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.

Plan

Open now, what it costs, what to know, how long it takes

Go now?

hours and prices: check on the day

Open: Usually Opens 09:00Usually Opens 9:00 AM
Crowds: Quietest around 09:00 or 17:00 · go Late morning or golden hour
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Quietest Mon–Thu · busiest Fri–Sun · desk estimate
Tickets: Adult: free or donation
Time to spend: 25–35 min · up to 50 min if you linger

Directions Add to a day →

Know before you go

St Anne’s is built of red brick in the late Gothic style, with about 33 kinds of brick (a local claim, check).
A well-known story says Napoleon wished he could carry it to Paris in his hand.
The neighbouring Bernardine church is larger, plainer and often closed (check).
The garden by the river is a good place to sit and eat a takeaway snack.
The area is quiet in the morning.
The churches are working places of worship.

Best time of day

Go Late morning or golden hour. Plan 25–35 min inside.

quietlightbusyheavypacked· desk estimate for an ordinary weekday; add one level at weekends and cruise-ship or festival days

Weather here, next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Time on site

minutes

Minimum

15min

Worthwhile

25min

Typical

35min

p95

50min

Opening hours and services change; not printed here until verified for your date.

Tickets & entry

2026 estimate · check the posted board

Where to buy: No ticket needed.
Donation boxes accept small coins.
Official site ↗
Dress code: Shoes: On.
What to wear: dress-code checker
Bags & lockers: Small bags only.
Cloakroom (no) None.
Photos: Outside allowed; inside without flash outside services.
Not allowed.
What's closed: ServicescheckMass times close the church to sightseeing.
WintercheckShort opening hours; check.
RenovationcheckParts of the complex may be closed for repair.
Inside: Bernardine churchcheckA large church next door (check access).
“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.

Ticket	Price	Where to buy	Skip-the-line reality
Church interior	free or donation	—	No ticket.
Bernardine church	free or donation (check)	—	—
Garden	free	—	No ticket.

Inside, in order

40 min without detours

St Anne’s façade
10 min
The Gothic brick façade with towers and pinnacles.
St Anne’s interior
10 min
A quiet nave with limited decoration.
Bernardine church
10 min
A large church next door (check access).
optionalcheck
Bernardine Garden
20 min
Paths and benches by the river.

Plan this visit

saved in this browser only

I reach the gate at

Time inside

Crowd on arrival: quiet
Worst while inside: quiet
Leave by: 09:359:35 AM
Closing buffer: 505′

Good window: go.

Closing buffer is measured against a planning close of 18:00. The churches close early in winter; the garden closes at dusk.
Crowd levels are a desk estimate by hour, not live data.

How to do it well

1Walk to the church from the Old Town or the Užupis side.
2Stand across the small square and look at the brickwork.
3Step into the Bernardine church next door; check whether it is open (check).
4Walk into the Bernardine Garden by the river for a rest.

On the ground

Getting in, crowds, and where to go if it does not work

Getting in

Stop: Maironio street, near the Vilnelė river
Exit: —
Ticket: free · official site
Stairs: unknown
Shoes: Shoes on.

Crowds and switching

Crowd clock: Quiet on weekday mornings; tour groups at 11:30; services on Sundays.Quiet on weekday mornings; tour groups at 11:30 AM; services on Sundays.
Sensory load: 2/5
Exposure: medium

Bailouts

heat
The garden shade
rain
Inside the churches
crowd
The garden path by the river

Nearest rescue anchor: B — Pilies street café row (field-verify)

Step-free check

wheelchair: ok

Step-free entrance: partly · partlyOne or two steps at the door.
Lifts: no · no
Accessible toilet: no · noNone.
Wheelchair: yes · yesThe garden paths are flat; the church has a threshold step (check).
Stroller: yes · yesFine on the paths.
Places to sit: yes · yesPews and garden benches.

A level route from the street; a step at the door (check).

Step-free route

1Take a taxi to Maironio street; the garden paths are flat.
2Ask at the church door about the threshold step (check).
3Avoid the cobbled lanes up to Užupis.

Combine with

nearest first

2 minBernardine Garden — A river garden with paths and benches.
5 minBernelių užeiga · eat — A traditional lunch.
8 minVilnius University — Courtyards and libraries.
10 minUžupis — The artists’ quarter.
15 minVilnius Cathedral — A large interior.

Walk the Cathedral & Gediminas Hill area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes

Best photo time today

Sun times for today load in your browser.

Spot	When	Rule on the spot
St Anne’s from across the small square	Morning, sun behind	Stay on the path.
Bernardine church behind the trees	Golden hour	Keep clear of the road.
Garden path by the river	Any time	Watch for cyclists.

Red lines

No photography during services; cover shoulders and knees.
Do not climb on the church walls or fences.

More on the groundFacilities · Seasons · Who it suits · Skip it if · Rules on site · With kids6 parts

Rules on site

enforced at the gate or by guards

food: Not inside.

With kids

kids: goodstroller: ok

with kids: The garden has open space and a playground; keep voices low in the church.
child price: free

Facilities on site

What	Status	Where / note
Toilets	no	Cafés nearby.
Accessible toilet	no	None.
Cloakroom	no	None.
Café or food	limited	A café near Maironio street.
Drinking water	no	Bring a bottle.
Seating	yes	Pews and benches.
Wi-Fi	no	None.
Card payment	no	Donations only.

Seasons, festivals and night openings

When	What happens	Effect on your visit
Jun–Aug	Garden in bloom	Shade and benches.
Dec–Feb	Snow	Icy paths; the churches are cold.
Sep–Oct	Autumn colour	Golden trees in the garden.

“Check” rows move every year; confirm dates on the official calendar before you plan around them.

Who it suits

Traveler	Fit	Why
Architecture fans	good	A Gothic brick church.
Photographers	good	Brickwork and garden.
Wheelchair users	ok	Flat garden paths.
Families	good	Open space.

Skip it if

You have seen enough churches.
The church is closed for services.

Deep dive

Questions, what is nearby, photos and sources

Questions and answers

answered by Voykit editors · dated

Is the Napoleon story true?

It is a well-known local legend and is not documented; treat it as folklore.

Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk

What is special about St Anne's?

A late Gothic church of red brick with elaborate details, known for a story about Napoleon.

Is it free?

Yes, donations are welcome.

Can I go inside?

Usually yes; check hours (check).

How long do I need?

About 20–30 minutes with the garden.

Is the garden open?

Yes, it is a public park by the river.

Where is it?

On Maironio street, near the river and Užupis.

Answers come from Voykit editors, not from other travellers.

Nearby

Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.

Sources

officialSt Anne's Church and the Bernardine complex (official)
secondaryWikivoyage — Vilnius