One of the oldest streets in Vilnius is Mėsinių (Butcher) street, in tsarist times also known as the Apsirijėliai (Glutton) Alley. The street separated the historical Jewish ghetto of Vilnius from the territory where Christians lived.
Mėsinių Street, like many other streets in Vilnius, changed names depending on the era and the government —Jatkovyj per, Zmudzka — I, Obžorny per, Jatkowa 2, Jadkowa until 1940.
Butcher Street got its’ name from meat merchants in markets and shops. The short street was bordered by Vokiečių Street, which was the main merchant district at the time. You can still find places to eat on this street, just like in the past.
Lithuania in old photography
The first Jewish residential quarter was established in 1663 by the King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania Vladislav II Vasa. The quarter bordered Mėsinių and Žydų streets and St. Nicholas Crossroads. Here, Jews engaged in trade, and the territory became the cradle of the history of Jewish culture in Vilnius that protected them from assaults and ensured an uninterrupted religious and cultural life.
Since 1742 Jews were allowed to trade almost all over Vilnius. The exceptions were streets from the Gates of Dawn to the Cathedral Square, and from the Gates of Trakai to St. John’s Church. From 1861 Jews were allowed to trade on all streets.
During interwar, Jews made up 36% of the total population in Vilnius. There were over 100 synagogues and houses of prayers in the city; a Jewish gymnasium, where the choirmaster, music teacher Jokūbas (Jakovas) Geršteinas worked. He led the choir in Vilnius ghetto during the Holocaust. The artist Jakov Sher also taught in the school. Unfortunately, his artworks were destroyed during World War II.
Places of interest in Mėsinių street:
Mėsinių str. 3 (on the wall of the “Cigar House”) – the work “The Merchant,” “The Walls Remember.”
A sculpture of Cemach Shabad, a prototype of Cornie Tchukovsky’s tale’s hero “Doctor Aybolit.” In 2007 May 16 his sculpture was unveiled in the former Jewish ghetto in Vilnius Old Town, the author of the sculpture — Romualdas Kvintas. The project was organized by the Litvak foundation.
Jewish Cultural and Information Centre collects, stores and provides information about Jewish cultural heritage, organizes cultural events and exhibitions.
Project partner Vilnius City Municipality
