Vilnius’ Monument for Lithuanian Hound Dogs. Photo by Ahoy
Vilnius is celebrating the holiday season by dressing its iconic monuments in hand-knitted Christmas attire–eleven sculptures are wrapped in festive red garments. This creative initiative highlights the city’s cultural spirit, contributing to its recent title of European Christmas Capital 2025. Visitors can locate and visit the decorated sculptures with the help of an interactive map.
December 5, 2024. While many are searching for the perfect Christmas sweater this season, Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, is dressing up the city’s monuments in hand-knitted holiday attire for the Christmas season.
The sculptures in the capital are dressed in scarves, socks, hats, capes, and various other festive accessories. The project aims to create a cozy feel by bringing warmth and festive cheer to the city. And in line with its motto “Unexpectedly Magical,” Vilnius channels a sense of wonder through these adorned sculptures, transforming them into symbols of festive magic.
Vilnius’ sculpture “Lithuanian Ballad”. Photo by Ahoy
According to Vilma Daubarienė, Head of the Tourism Department at Vilnius Tourism and Business Development Agency Go Vilnius, during the holiday season, we all want to believe in miracles, and Vilnius will help make that happen.
“Next year, Vilnius will become the European Green and Christmas Capital, and we are already preparing for this by combining sustainability with the holiday spirit and adding a touch of magic,” says Vilma Daubarienė.
By dressing historical figures–beloved national symbols–and quirky urban art in festive, handcrafted outfits, Vilnius celebrates its creative energy, cozy festive season, and also draws on a pagan belief that animals and inanimate objects can come to life on Christmas Eve, adding an extra layer of magic to this project.
The initiative to create cozy outfits for monuments quickly gained popularity among the local knitting community–out of 30 applicants, 10 talented knitters were selected to bring this vision to life, who then created decorations crafted from eco-friendly materials like wool and rope.
Jūratė Jaseliūnienė, one of the knitters involved in the project, expressed excitement about the idea and the opportunity to dress up the city’s sculptures.
“I had been thinking for a while about how fun it would be to decorate Vilnius’s sculptures with patterned scarves for Christmas, and this project gave me the chance to wrap one of my scarfs around Kristijonas Donelaitis himself—a very important Lithuanian writer whose monument is at the Vilnius University. The book he holds in his hands also connects to one of my favorite activities,” shared journalist and Knitted Lines founder Jūratė Jaseliūnienė.
Highlights of the initiative also include the Grand Duke Gediminas Monument in the Cathedral Square, now elegantly draped in a Christmas scarf.
The wings of the Vilnius Užupis Angel sculpture, often associated with the city’s image, have been dressed with a red sweater.
A famous Lithuanian woman writer Žemaitė is remembered not only for her distinctive writing style but also for embodying the image of a traditional Lithuanian grandmother. To honor her legacy, the initiative creators adorned her monument with a knitting basket and scarf.
The modern-day Lithuanian writer Jurga Ivanauskaitė, known for her love of cats and angels, inspired a sculpture of a cat, made in her honor. For the Christmas Knits project, the cat is playfully depicted caught in a checky mishap with a fallen Christmas tree and a bright red hat.
Vilnius’ Monument for Lithuanian Writer Jurga Ivanauskaitė. Photo by Ahoy
The monument featuring Lithuanian hound dogs reimagines them as Santa’s reindeers. This dog breed, native to Lithuania, dates back to the medieval Grand Duchy. Known for their energy, Lithuanian Hounds are perfectly suited to the role of Santa’s helpers.
In the newly developed Paupys district of Vilnius stands a striking sculpture of a gorilla, inspired by a motif from the painting of Čiurlionis, an internationally known Lithuanian painter and composer. Normally resting in a bath, for this Christmas, the massive gorilla has been playfully reimagined sitting in a festive sleigh.
To help visitors explore these and many other decorated sculptures, Go Vilnius has created an interactive Vilnius Christmas Map, guiding everyone to the key landmarks, activities, and photo spots throughout the city.
With its festive spirit, artistic flair, and cultural heritage, Vilnius offers a special holiday experience, where iconic sculptures and landmarks come to life in a way that celebrates both the season and the city’s vibrant community.
The city has been honored as European Christmas Capital 2025 by the Christmas Cities Network, which is supported by the European Parliament. This recognition celebrates the city’s embrace of sustainable and endearing holiday traditions that brings back the cozy, unifying feeling of community and connection.