The Vilnius Cathedral stands at the foot of Gediminas Hill on Cathedral Square, and is the spiritual heart of the city. A church has stood on this site since the 13th century — built to mark Lithuania's conversion to Christianity in 1251 — and was rebuilt multiple times following wars, fires, and floods. The current building is a monumental neoclassical design completed in the late 18th century, with a tall bell tower alongside it that offers another elevated perspective over the old town.
Inside, the most remarkable space is the Chapel of St. Casimir, decorated with lavish Baroque marble and frescoes. St. Casimir is Lithuania's patron saint, and his silver reliquary is kept here. The crypt beneath the cathedral can be visited and holds the remains of Lithuanian rulers and bishops from medieval times. Cathedral Square outside is the symbolic centre of Vilnius — the marble tile marking where the Baltic Freedom Way human chain began is embedded in the paving just outside the cathedral.