Vilnius District Municipality

Tumuli of Karmazinai

Vilnius district municipality is situated in the territory what was once Baltic East Lithuanian Barrow Culture (c. 3/4th–11/12th century AD) and numerous archaeological sites from this period are situated within its borders. During the formation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, major part of what is now Vilnius district municipality was the nucleus of Lietuva Duchy (the land – Lietuva), while the territory to the North of Maišiagala belonged to Neris land. There are some evidences, that Bukiškis just North of Vilnius, which historic name was Gedvydžiai could be associated with Duke Gedvydas and through this link – with Mindaugas.[3] According to Jan Długosz, the pagan ruler of Lithuania Algirdas was cremated in Kukaveitis sacred forest near Maišiagala, after his death in Maišiagala castle in 1377.[4] Nemenčinė (1338), Maišiagala (1254, 1365), Medininkai (1387) known from written sources from the 13th-14th centuries, were among the oldest settlements in Lithuania. These were trade and defense centers with castles as well as religious centers – after the Christianization of Lithuania, early churches were built here. As Vilnius was the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the territory around the city was forming the very center of the state, so called Lithuania proper. It was the major part of a much larger Vilnius Duchy and later – Vilnius Voivodeship. After the partitions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Vilna Governorate was formed and Vilensky Uyezd occupied all of what is now Vilnius district municipality. When Vilnius and its suburbs in 1923 were incorporated into Interwar Poland, what is now Vilnius district municipality was the core of Powiat wileńsko-trocki. After the World War II, Vilnius district municipality was formed. Initially small Vilnius district (938 km²) was soon significantly enlarged, absorbing Naujoji Vilnia district (in 1959) and Nemenčinė district (in 1962), parts of Ukmergė district, but transferring some smaller administrative territories to Molėtai district and Švenčionys district, including Pabradė (in 1962). After 1962 (then 2313 km²), there were only minor administrative reforms, attaching some territories from Vilnius district municipality (now 2129 km²) to Vilnius city. In March 1987 Pašilaičiai, Fabijoniškės, Kelmija, Raisteliai villages and parts of Pavilionys, Baltoji Vokė, Prašiškės, Bajorai, Buivydiškės, Grigaičiai, Vanaginė villages were attached to Vilnius city.[5] Almost all of the municipality belongs to Vilnius urban belt, forming suburban environs of the capital city.

The municipality is divided into 23 elderships:

#	Eldership	Coat of Arms	Administrative center	Area in km²[6]	Population (2019)[7]
1	Avižieniai Eldership	-	Avižieniai	52.08	11,598
2	Bezdonys Eldership	-	Bezdonys	121.42	2,886
3	Buivydžiai Eldership		Buivydžiai	98.03	908
4	Dūkštos Eldership	-	Dūkštos	89.66	1,930
5	Juodšiliai Eldership	-	Juodšiliai	23.63	4,671
6	Kalveliai Eldership	-	Kalveliai	119.91	4,170
7	Lavoriškės Eldership	-	Lavoriškės	121.62	2,277
8	Maišiagala Eldership		Maišiagala	99.9	2,872
9	Marijampolis Eldership	-	Marijampolis	121.88	3,553
10	Medininkai Eldership		Medininkai	64.24	1,068
11	Mickūnai Eldership		Mickūnai	93.56	5,583
12	Nemenčinė Eldership	-	Nemenčinė	147.23	3,728
13	Nemenčinė City Eldership		Nemenčinė	3.98	4,886
14	Nemėžis Eldership		Nemėžis	39.76	9,062
15	Paberžė Eldership		Paberžė	208.81	3,407
16	Pagiriai Eldership	-	Pagiriai	89.39	7,202
17	Riešė Eldership		Didžioji Riešė	103.76	6,498
18	Rudamina Eldership		Rudamina	52.49	5,886
19	Rukainiai Eldership	-	Rukainiai	141.21	2,648
20	Sudervė Eldership	-	Sudervė	71.29	2,871
21	Sužionys Eldership	-	Sužionys	164.42	1,791
22	Šatrininkai Eldership	-	Vėliučionys	35.40	2,966
23	Zujūnai Eldership	-	Zujūnai	65.44	7,467

New Klevinė settlement in Vilnius district municipality. Because of recent urban sprawl, such new fast-growing quarters surround Vilnius city

Riešė village in Vilnius district municipality. One of the fastest growing localities in the vicinity of the capital.

Neoclassical Maišiagala manor, Vilnius district municipality.

Baroque Liubavas manor buildings in Riešė elderate, Vilnius district municipality.

Interior of early XIX c. Sudervė church, which belongs to a rare in Lithuania rotonda type building

District structure.[8]

• 1 city – Nemenčinė;
• 4 towns – Bezdonys, Maišiagala, Mickūnai, Šumskas
• 1091 villages.

Largest residential areas by population (2011[9]):

• Nemenčinė – 5,054
• Skaidiškės – 4,133
• Rudamina (Vilnius) – 3,981
• Pagiriai (Vilnius) – 3,451
• Didžioji Riešė – 2,520
• Nemėžis – 2,498
• Avižieniai – 2,125
• Valčiūnai – 1,874
• Juodšiliai – 1,744
• Zujūnai – 1,660
• Maišiagala – 1,636
• Kalveliai – 1,592
• Galgiai – 1,426
• Mickūnai – 1,389
• Grigaičiai – 1,325
• Buivydiškės – 1,314
• Vaidotai – 1,287
• Riešė – 1,234
• Gineitiškės – 1,093
• Kalviškės – 974
• Bukiškis – 922
• Paberžė – 919
• Šumskas – 919
• Marijampolis – 870
• Rukainiai – 770
• Bendoriai – 764
• Bezdonys – 743
• Didžiosios Kabiškės – 716
• Mostiškės – 631
• Lavoriškės – 621
• Anavilis – 574
• Rastinėnai – 556
• Glitiškės – 549
• Sudervė – 523
• Vėliučionys – 516
• Medininkai – 493
• Keturiasdešimt Totorių – 451

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  Neris river outcrop near Airėnai village
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  Sacred Daubos Oak in Neris Regional Park
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  Swamp near Šilėnai
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  Buivydai hillfort
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  Ilgutis lake near Keturiasdešimt Totorių
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  Stones "Three Brothers" near Sudervė
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  Medininkai Castle
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  Catholic church in Paberžė
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  Wooden Old Believers church in Žemaitėliai
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  Orthodox church in Geisiškės village
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  Wooden mosque in Keturiasdešimt Totorių
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  Tower chapel in Sudervė
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  Road near Marijampolis
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  Geographical Center of Europe
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  Stone sculptures in Vilnoja lake near Sudervė
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  Liubavas mill-museum
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  Museum of Władysław Syrokomla in Bareikiškės
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  Road near Lavoriškės