Vilnius: History, Former Names & Timeline

Capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania; legend says Grand Duke Gediminas founded it after dreaming of an iron wolf.

Former names of Vilnius

From	Name	Note
1323	Vilnius / Wilno

Year	Event
1323	Vilnius is first named in Gediminas' letters
1386	Jogaila is baptised and marries into Poland; Lithuania becomes Catholic
1579	Vilnius University is founded
1990	Lithuania declares restored independence

Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.

Period	State
500 BC–199	Brushed Pottery culture
200–699	Unclaimed / no data
700–799	Balts
800–899	Slavonic tribes
900–999	Slavic tribes
1000–1099	Kievan Rus'
1100–1199	Kievan Rus'
1200–1299	Other Rus Principalities
1300–1399	Lithuania
1400–1649	Poland-Lithuania
1650–1782	Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
1783–1799	Poland
1800–1919	Russian Empire
1920–1929	Lithuania
1930–1944	Poland
1945–1993	USSR
1994–today	Lithuania