The freshly cut door in the Vilnius Old Town building raised questions: is it possible?

Specialists from the Vilnius branch of the CRD assured that this is being done with their message, a project of this type was agreed with them: the door was really here. When you start to wonder when and how they were designed, another interesting story of the Vilnius Old Town building opens, forcing you to listen to all the details that help to understand the value and importance of this cultural heritage object and promote preservation. of authenticity.

Based on the analysis of historical material, research data and project documentation, historical photographs, it can be affirmed that the solutions provided in the maintenance works project will not damage the valuable properties of the building, and after the planned management works in the project they will be restored until 1982-1984. reconstruction of the previous situation. The old doors were broken this year, ”said architect Robertas Zilinskas, who carried out architectural research together with Ieva Blinstrubiene.

The architectural and historical investigation of the building revealed many interesting facts about this old town house.

The Oginskis did not remove the Nagurskis coat of arms

“We also investigated the coat of arms on the door and prepared a project for its management. It is also interesting that at the beginning (in the 17th century) the palace was built by the Bžostovskis nobles, in 1772. They were bought by Jacob Ignotas Nagurskis. His tribe’s coat of arms over the door and has survived to this day. Although after the Nagurskis palace passed to the Oginskis, they rented this palace and perhaps did not even take care of removing or replacing the Nagurskis coat of arms, so they abandoned it.

Only after the 1983 restoration, instead of nine ‘pearls’, only two remained on the upper crown, and instead of a feather, a second pointed point was placed on the lower part, “said R. Zilinskas. During the administration of the coat of arms, the original authentic image will be restored in the coat of arms, the crown will again have nine “gems” and the lower part of the arrow will acquire the previous image. Thanks to these investigations, for passers-by interested in history, the coat of arms will no longer be a silent detail of decoration.

Facade designed by Kiprijonas Maculevičius

R. Zilinskas said about the currently cut door opening on the left side of the door, that this decision will restore the famous 19th century. An image of the facade designed by the Vilnius architect Kiprijonas Maculevičius (1830-1906), the period when the palace had already been acquired by Oginskiai (1890). K. Maculevičius, who graduated from the Saint Petersburg Academy of Arts, has designed around 50 buildings. He is one of the most productive architects of the time. Probably the most famous palace designed by him is the residence of Klementina Potockytė-Tiškevičienė on the Neris embankment (current Wrublewalk Library of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, Žygimantų str. 1), as well as the nearby Jonas Juozapas Tiškevičius palace with conservatory ( Žygimantų str. 3)

“K. Maculevicius, who designed the buildings in a mostly pure Neo-Renaissance style, designed the house as if it were a showcase with two windows and a door. The staircase, which we investigated, was built differently from the one drawn by the architect: they made vaults instead of acherman-type constructions, which is already closer to the spirit of the author ”, said R. Zilinskas.

Built by Bžostovskiai, taken over by Nagurskiai, Oginskiai

This Bzostovsky Palace (unique code in the Register of Cultural Heritage 771), located in room 25 of Vilnius Old Town, near Vilnius University, was formed over several centuries, in the 17th-19th centuries. They have been rebuilt many times, changing not only the projected structure but also the architecture of the facades.

The first information about the plot in which the Bzhostovsky Palace complex is located dates back to the 16th century. The plot then belonged to the jurisdiction of the bishop (two sessions are mentioned in this area). 1595 Bishop Benediktas Vaina gave Jonas Dzienickis permission to build a house near the students. In the southern part there was already another house, which in 1640. known as brick.

The beginning of the construction of the Bzhostovsky Palace complex is considered to have been in 1669, the construction of the palace was started by Kiprijon Povilas Bžostovskis (1612-1688), who at that time was the secretary of the Grand Duke’s Palace. He joined the two houses that stood on the plot. Nineteen Eighty-Two The investigation concluded that the house bought by KP Bzhostovsky, which at that time had an almost square plan, was on the north side of the passage.

KP Bzhostovsky is a leading political figure of the time. 1645 he became secretary to the ruler Vladislav Vasa, from 1650. – Lithuanian speaking, from 1657. – Secretary of the Grand Duke’s Palace, 1672. resigned, became Trakai castelion, later Trakai voivode.

1748-1749 buildings were hit by fires. After them, it is believed, the facades were renovated, five arches were built in the courtyard: two on the first floor near the entrance to the courtyard and three on the second floor. 1760 The palace was handed over to Piprilas Ksaver Bžostovskis (1739-1827), grandson of Kiprijonas, canon of Vilnius and grand secretary of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. This grandson of the predecessor of the palace is also a famous public figure who played an important role in the life of the state, associated with the famous Republic of Paulava. Already managing the inherited palace in Vilnius old town, he also acquired the Merkinė mansion near Turgeliai, and named it Paulava. Here the drop was replaced by chinch, and a peasant self-governing community called the Republic of Paulava was established.

1761 According to the project of the famous architect, the pioneer of late baroque and classicism in Lithuania Martynas Knakfus (1740-1821), the Bžostovskis palace was rebuilt, the office courtyard was built (they are represented on the plan of the city of 1808 ). 1772 the palace was bought by Jacob Ignotas Nagurskis (1734-1796). In 1802 the palace was sold to Oginskis.

1890 In 2006, a project for the reconstruction of the doors and the internal staircase of the architect Kiprijonas Maculevičiaus Street was drawn up and implemented. The project mentions that there was a wooden staircase in this place. When forming the stairs, the existing partitions were placed. When rebuilding the vaults, with some slight changes in the configuration of the vaults, the walls were bricked in more than half the thickness of the brick. The new staircase itself has been installed deviating from the project: instead of the light metal construction stairs shown in the project, brick steps have been placed and a retaining wall has been built for the stair arches between the stairs.

During the Soviet era, the palace was adapted for apartments.

1957 No detailed historical, architectural and polychrome research has been carried out during the reconstruction of the Bzhostovsky Palace complex and its adaptation to the apartments (architect Albinas Purys). Then the palace was rebuilt, restored, the structures were reinforced, the main facade was redesigned, it was reduced in the 19th century. – XX a. pr. recessed window openings. As R. Zilinskas said, based on the 1957 project, it can be observed that in the premises of the investigated staircase several door openings were bricked up at that time and formed again in other places.

Historical (Teresė Dambrauskaitė) and architectural (Aldona Švabauskienė) research started in 1964, but no research files were prepared. 1971 The summary file of the palace complex prepared by A. Švabauskienė was included in the investigation file for the 25th quarter prepared by Elena Urbonienė. Complex measurement measurements prepared by A. Puris.

In 1982, the entire palace complex was rebuilt, the palace was partially restored, and part of the courtyard buildings were demolished. 1983 – 1986 Polychrome surveys were carried out in the buildings of the complex. Although the location of the stair itself did not change during this rebuild, the stairs were redesigned. After rebuilding the steps, a wide arched portal was opened, which was located on the steps of the lower staircase. During the reconstruction, 4 brick arches were discovered on the facade of the courtyard, one of the doors.

The first floor arch was partially revealed on the side of the courtyard, leaving the stair walls installed in 1890, upon which the structural stair arch was built at that time. An arch was exposed in the side of the hallway, partially leaving the masonry of the window sill. Also at that time, after the demolition of the basement vault, the basement stairs were moved to the current location, the floor level in the room was lowered over the previous basement stairs, the staircase to the shelter was removed, demolished the 2nd century on the 1982 research map. split.

During research conducted in 2020, the upper edge of the opening of the first arch of the high patio was revealed on the side of the room, extending beyond 1983. It formed the opening edge of the current window. According to R. Zilinskas, it can be seen in the old drawings that in 1820-1855. the formed window frames were below the current arched window frames.

Focus on the 1890s. Formed a staircase

As R. Zilinskas said, until 1890. the planned structure of the premises in question for the formation of the staircase was different. The 1823 inventory indicates the location of the stairs to the north of the current 1st century. stairs in the old hotel. Brick walls, two windows, plank floors and ceilings. From here, a double door led to the patio. The room on the ground floor of the current staircase is called the hallway, which mentions the presence of a double window, plank floors, vaulted ceilings, and walls painted dark with flowers. From this corridor there was a door to the door and a double door to the hall.

2020 Investigations on the vault of this place revealed the 18th century. pab. a fragment of a vault of different masonry and old plastered partitions painted in several layers (a small fragment of layers of paint remains). 1823 the arched window had already been partially masonry and reduced.

Studies have shown that in 1890. During the construction of the staircase, the planned structure of the investigated part of the building was changed and the vaults of the first floor were partially redesigned. Also in 1958, 1981. During repairs, the stairwell was redesigned, an additional upper step was added to the lower staircase, and two brick doors leading from the staircase to adjacent facilities. 1983 During reconstruction, the stair steps were transformed and the lower stair steps were completely demolished. Fully or partially exposed arched window openings and 1 a. Door opening, lowered floor of adjoining room, basement stairs formed after demolition of basement vault.

Researchers suggest restoring it in 1890. period stair stages, as the current planned structure of the stair facility was formed in this period, and to exhibit as much as possible the architectural elements of earlier stages of development.