Arkangelo Conference and Art Center
A new conference and art center Arkangelo has been established in the former Bernardine Convent of St Michael the Archangel, in the very heart of Vilnius Old Town. The center, situated in front of the magnificent Gothic ensemble of St Anne and St Francis-St Bernard churches, offers 7 halls and boasts panoramic Old Town views. Arkangelo Conference & Art Center is an ideal venue for meetings, conferences, receptions, parties, weddings, corporate, cultural and other important events.
Nearby are stylish restaurants, cafés, wineries, boutiques and hotels, including the historic Domus Maria Hotel. The perfectly located Arkangelo is surrounded by the most beautiful park in Vilnius, the Bernardine Garden, the vibrant, bohemian Užupis area and the charming winding streets of the Old Town.
The Arkangelo Conference & Art Center is distinguished not only by its impressive Renaissance architecture having no analogues in Lithuania, but also by its unique history, which is closely related to the prominent magnate family of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Sapiehas. In its heyday the Vilnius Bernardine convent was the richest in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Halls
The Arkangelo Conference & Art Center is based on the ground floor of the former Bernardine convent. The rooms of the convent are a rare example of Renaissance architecture in Vilnius, whose structure and forms of décor bear traces of the influence of both the receding Gothic and advancing Mannerism styles of art. The largest and most sumptuous hall of Arkangelo is the Refectory (the former convent’s dining and meeting room), with ceiling decorated by the coat of arms of the Sapieha family. The highest stove chimney in Lithuania with the height of 17 metres has survived in the former monastery‘s kitchen – the Fireplace Hall. Other meeting rooms are called Salon and Abbot’s Cell according to their historic character. The convent’s original cellar has been transformed into halls with a romantic ambience that are perfect for exhibitions, meetings and events.
Treasury Church Heritage Museum
The church of St Michael the Archangel became home to the Church Heritage Museum in 2009. The museum exhibits most valuable pieces of sacred art from various churches of the Vilnius Archdiocese, including the earliest masterpieces by Lithuanian goldsmiths, textile artists painters and sculptors. The museum also featuresthe famous treasure of the Vilnius Cathedral that was bricked up in the wall on the eve of World War II and remained hidden for fifty years until its discovery in 1985. The museum offers many exciting activities – visitors of all ages can come together here to celebrate birthdays, learn new things, attend themed tours, go treasure hunting or participate in a brainstorm game session. The museum is an excellent venue for creative, unforgettable events.
