Location: The main building of the Vilnius University and the library are located at Universiteto Street 3. This is one of the oldest streets in the city, previously called Byskupu Street.
The University is one of the oldest universities in Central and Eastern Europe. It was founded to spread the ideas of the Renaissance and the Reformation. In 1570, on the initiative of the local bishop, the Jesuits founded the Vilnius Jesuit College. In 1579, by the privilege of King Stefan Batory the college was transformed into a university. The Partitions of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania led to a change in the status of the university to the Principal School of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1803, the status of the University was restored as the Imperial University of Vilnius. In 1832, the University was closed by the Russian authorities due to the freethought of students and teachers. The studies were resumed in 1919. The University then bore the name of Stefan Batory.
Nowadays, the ensemble of the University includes the Church of St. Johns, the oldest astronomical observatory in Europe and the oldest botanical garden in Lithuania. More than 20,000 students study and about 2,000 teachers and researchers work there. The University library is the largest in the Republic of Lithuania and contains more than 5.3 million copies, including original editions of works by Francysk Skaryna. One of the panels of the library’s front door is dedicated to Skaryna.