Vilnius TV Tower and Observation Platform

The Vilnius TV Tower  is a 326.5 m (1,071 ft) tower in the Karoliniškės microdistrict of Vilnius, Lithuania. It is the tallest structure in Lithuania, and is occupied by the SC Lithuanian Radio and Television Centre.

It was my birthday morning when by chance we made a visit to Vilnius TV tower. We simply get lost in Vilnius, as we tried to find city center (remember no tomtoms or what-so-ever devices here). Somehow we discovered that it's just here, well not the city center, but the tallest structure in Lithuania.

Vilnius TV tower

Vilnius TV tower

The TV tower played a major role in the events of 13 January 1991, when 14 unarmed civilians lost their lives and 700 were injured opposing the Soviet military seizure of the tower. A small museum dedicated to the January 1991 battle is housed on the ground floor, and various markers in the surrounding area indicate places where Lithuanian citizens died while trying to maintain the blockade against Soviet troops.

Observation platform and cafe at Vilnius TV tower

Observation platform and cafe at Vilnius TV tower

The observation deck 165 m (541 ft) from the ground houses the cafe "Paukščių takas" (English: Milky Way), offers a picturesque view of the city and its surroundings, and sports a rotating platform that revolves once every 45 minutes. High-speed elevators reach the cafe from ground level in 40 seconds. On clear days, visibility can extend as far as Elektrėnai, a city approximately 40 km (25 mi) west, where power plants produced much of the electricity for Vilnius in Soviet times.

View from Vilnus TV tower

View from Vilnus TV tower

Location
54.687222, 25.214722