Vilnius Dungeons
The Vilnius Dungeons (Lithuanian: Vilniaus požemiai) are medieval dungeons under parts of central Vilnius, Lithuania. Their real size and extent, as well as purpose and age, are arguable; there are some urban legends and various theories about these dungeons. In the dungeons, there are about 4000 dead bodies. Due to the dry climate inside, many of them have naturally mummified; others are just skeletons.
Size
The true size of the dungeons is unknown. Some tend to believe that the known part of the dungeons is only a part of the whole system, and that there is a second level of them, stairs to which are bricked off. Some claim that these dungeons are below the whole of central Vilnius. The known part of the dungeons is under the districts near Domininkonų and Vilniaus streets. The only known entrance to the dungeons is from the Church of the Holy Spirit, Vilnius; it is believed though that there might be connections between the dungeons and cellars of other buildings, such as a former monastery not far away.
Purpose
The purpose of the dungeons is also disputed. There are various claims, from romantic stories that they were used by certain legendary lovers of the Great Duchy of Lithuania (Barbora Radvilaitė and Žygimantas Augustas) to meet each other secretly, to some horror stories, to the more realistic explanations. The origin of the dead bodies is also not known. During Soviet times there was a version that those were bodies of the victims of the Inquisition; there were even plans to create an Inquisition museum in the dungeons. However such theories were most probably related to the general Soviet stance seeking to discredit religion and they were never substantiated; there is no evidence of major Inquisition activities in Lithuania either. Also, previously it was sometimes thought that these were bodies of people who died of plague in Vilnius; that is one of reasons for the reluctance of many to investigate the dungeons. One test however did not find plague in the bodies. There is also a theory that this might have been a dungeon built by a nearby hospital, which probably was in the monastery, to bury those who died there. One of the things that add to the mystery is finding the bodies in various unusual poses, such as a mummified woman holding a mummified child. The exact number of bodies is also unknown, as many crypts are sealed and bricked off.
Uncovering
The first uncovering of and expeditions into the abandoned dungeons were organised in the interwar period by students of Vilnius University. Electricity was installed in parts of the dungeons back then as well. The students, however, were working against all archeological practice and therefore did a lot of damage to the dungeons; they also desecrated bodies. They destroyed some inner walls and unsealed some crypts by destroying walls to them. Other dubious practices included the "sorting" of bones of dead bodies, such as putting all skulls on shelves, purposely built near walls. Students' investigations stopped however when a crypt was found in which certain evidence made people believe that in that crypt were plague victims; then the dungeons were sealed off. There was limited research later without uncovering new crypts.
Current situation
The dungeons are mostly sealed off to the public, although they are a dream for Lithuanian diggers. Once a year there is a procession from the Church of the Holy Spirit, Vilnius, which has the only known entrance to the dungeons, led by the local priest. They go around the dungeons and bless all the dead buried there.
External links
Coordinates: 54°40′52″N 25°17′4″E / 54.68111°N 25.28444°E