Due to its greenness and coziness, Vilnius is still called a village in the woods.
When asked "where do you live?", the person jokingly says that "in the village of Karoliniškii". "Where are you?". "Fabijoniškės, street village".
Vilnius is called only Old town, well out of trouble yet New town. All the rest are suburbs or micro-districts, street villages built not so long ago, single-family houses, foreigners or estates. Maybe with the exception of Antakalnis or Žvērynas, which were built as palaces or villas, like today's "Laurų gatvė" quarter.
The Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas, who came to hunt from Trakai almost 700 years ago, also found such an urbanization of Vilnius in the villages.
The first and oldest "village - micro-district" was the former Crooked City and its castle, in the current territory of Kalnai Parks. He was so old that he had to remind Gedimin of the tribal era, when the duke was only the supreme commander, but not the ruler.
Apparently, due to its stubborn character, the Crooked City was simply burned down in 1390, and the Crooked Castle was never rebuilt. Although it was here, according to Bychovc's chronicle, that Gediminas hunted the cup. It was here that the Iron Wolf howled.
The second "village" was near the bridge to the present Užupis Republic, around the present Bokšto street. It is called the city of Rusėnai. It was built further away from Vilnius castles, like some kind of "China Town".
The third "village" was built between the current Pylimo and Vokiečiai streets. Today, we would probably call it some kind of Innovation Valley or Business Triangle. Invited emigrants from Latin-speaking Europe settled here. It is assumed that the location of "this valley" was originally near the current Palace of Lords, only later moved to the side of Vokiečių Street.
This is how Vilnius, in the 699th year, has preserved its character of being a cozy village in the middle of forests. In addition, Lizdeika's prophecy came true today, that the howling of a hundred wolves means that the sound of Vilnius will spread around the world, and the people of Kaunas even started to call Vilnius Portugal out of pride.
Vilnius Castles State Cultural Reserve Directorate https://www.vilniauspilys.lt
According to: Irma Kaplūnaitė, Rytis Jonaitis, "Similar or different?" Two Christian communities in pagan Vilnius", Lithuanian Institute of History.
