Walking along Gedimino pr. I looked up (always a good thing when you’re out taking photographs) and there was a statue of our Patron Saint St George slaying the dragon. It’s on the roof of Gedimino 20 where Marks and Spencer is now situated but that hardly seemed a reason for having this statue.
When I researched it the answer was straightforward. It’s the site of the former George Hotel built by architect Tadeušas Rostvorovskis between 1893 and 1895. In 1893 Gedimino pr. was called St George’s Avenue.
The hotel was renamed the Vilnius Hotel during the soviet period. I’m not sure when the avenue was named Gedimino pr. but it was reconstructed in 2003 to celebrate the 750th jubilee of King Mindaugas.
I remember that they were still completing the far end near the parliament buildings when I first visited in 2005.
