Vilniaus istorinių priemiesčių genezės, raidos ir vertybių ypatumai ; Peculiarities of genesis, development and values of Vilnius historic suburbs

The object of investigation is peculiarities of the genesis, development and values of Vilnius historic suburbs. Historic suburbs are the territories of a town which at one stage of their genesis were suburbs and their founding is interrelated with the founding of the town and which were in formation until the mid nineteenth century. The territory under study is the administrative boarders of Vilnius in 1939–1940. Most European towns no longer have such territories: they have lost their uniqueness, gradually disappeared or were destroyed during wars and have been replaced by modern urban structures and parks. In Lithuania the historic kernels of towns are still surrounded by historic suburbs. The investigation includes a chronological table presenting the development of Vilnius town, an analysis of the following urban structure elements of the suburbs: the network of streets; the structure of land holdings; the type of building-up of squares, streets and land holdings; complexes and ensembles of buildings; distinct features of the natural settings; panoramas and silhouettes; compositional links with the town’s kernel; distinctive urban and architectural features of the historic suburbs under study preserved up to date. The reasons of founding of the suburbs are defined and their types are distinguished. It is stated that historic suburbs have historic and cultural value. The values of historic suburbs play a role in the preservation of the town’s uniqueness and supplement the process of the town’s formation.