^{This unit was developed by Vytautas Volungevičius   Bibliography   Didactic Comments}

Information Text   Source Sheet   Worksheet  

1. Having read the description of Vilnius presented by Herberstein answer the question:

What can we say about the economical status of Vilnius as the city, following the source of 16th c.?

2. In what way the status of capital of a large country has influenced the economical development of Vilnius city?

3. Compare the description of the city with the reflection in the Braun’s atlas. Pay attention to the wooden character of Vilnius, find the mostly brick streets and buildings.

See the digital view of the city here:

http://historic-cities.huji.ac.il/lithuania/vilnius/maps/braun_hogenberg_III_59_b.jpg

4. Compare the picture of Vilnius with the pictures of the other cities in the Braun’s atlas and identify if there was any city presented in the Braun’s atlas more wooden than Vilnius? 

The digital views of the city from the Braun’s atlas you’ll find here:

http://historic-cities.huji.ac.il/mapmakers/braun_hogenberg.html#maps 

Having activated the links to the view of each city, for a view of higher quality you need to choose a hyperlink High Resolution.

5. While performing a task, you can work in a team (team work). It means that a group of people distributes what certain views will be seen in the Braun’s atlas, then shares the results of observation and prepares a short report on a collective exploration. There a problem of proportion of wooden and brick buildings in the cities should be discussed.

6. What is the proportion of wooden and brick buildings in Your city or resident locality nowadays?

7. Distinguish the positive and the negative descriptions of Vilnius in the issue. The statements of what author’s of the issue should you consider to be the obvious fiction?

8. What impression of the city a traveller could have after reading of this description?

9. Compare XVI th. century and modern-day domestic life? What’s different between these two periods?

10. What can you tell about modern-day Vilnius and it’s trade life? What changed from XVI century?

11. How can you explain that many of city dwellers were on the booze?