For the fourth time, Vilnius invites you to welcome the New Year at the Cathedral Bell Tower, which will be decorated in a modern light and video projection from 10 p.m. At midnight, the square around the Bell Tower will shine even brighter with a music and laser show to celebrate the anniversary year 2023.
“We are starting a spectacular year dedicated to the anniversary of Vilnius, which will once again remind us what an extraordinary city we live in and continue to build so that hundreds of years from now, our grandchildren would celebrate their holidays with that same sense of pride,” says Remigijus Šimašius, the Mayor of Vilnius.
The event of the “Christmas in the Capital” programme, which has become a tradition by now, was first held on the Bell Tower in 2018, and has been improved over the last few years to become a sustainable and modern alternative to fireworks.
According to Paulus Jurgutis, Director of Vilnius Culture Centre, more environmentally friendly solutions were chosen to create the celebration – the show lasts longer and has a wider range of visual effects. The synergy of music and modern technologies creates an exceptional and memorable spectacle every year.
A couple of hours before the New Year, the Bell Tower will change its shape and textures, replicating the elements of Vilnius’ Christmas decoration. The projection images will invite viewers to travel through the seasons, different historical periods and to welcome the 700th anniversary of Vilnius.
“Paris has a tradition of welcoming the New Year at the Arc de Triomphe with a breath-taking light and sound show. Unlike the 50-metre-high structure in the French capital, one of the symbols of Vilnius – the 57-metre-high bell tower of the Cathedral – has a narrow and curved façade. Working with this type of projection area requires skills, knowledge, non-standard solutions, and the right application of volumetric video, virtual reality and animation technologies. Every year we are challenged to create something new and unique,” says Linartas Urniežis, creator of the installation and Director of “Video Architects”.
After the city quit using fireworks for several years now, on 31 December, people are invited to respect their own safety and the safety of others around them at the Cathedral Square, and to refrain from bringing their own fireworks that pose a risk to human health or animal wellbeing, and from using firecrackers and other explosive materials.
On 31 December, the Christmas Town will be open from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on 1 January, – from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Residents and visitors of Vilnius will be able to enjoy the New Year’s Eve spectacle on the Bell Tower from 10 p.m. until 1 a.m. on 1 January.
On 1 January, from 1 a.m. to 7 a.m., the Vilnius Bell Tower will be symbolically illuminated with the tricolour of the Lithuanian flag on the occasion of the Lithuanian Flag Day.
Free public transport to the festival
Public transport taking to the Cathedral Square by the Bell Tower will be free for the 4 hours from 8 p.m. of 31 December till 1 January. This is a gift from the City Council to residents and guests of Vilnius. On New Year’s Eve, some routes will also change. JUDU recommends tracking information on timetables and route changes on the eve of the celebration on judu.lt, m.Ticket, Trafi and www.stops.lt.
Traffic around Cathedral Square will be restricted
From 31 December, 23:00 p.m. until 1 January 2023, 1:00 a.m., vehicle traffic (including public transport) will be closed on T. Vrublevskio, Šventaragio and Barboros Radvilaitė streets.