An actual walk in the territory of the Vilna Big Ghetto of 1941-1943 and feeling of crowded narrow streets, where about 20 thousand Vilna Jews lived for about 2 years, open us up to the understanding historical reality of Vilna ghetto. Nowadays those are the streets of Ašmena, Dysna, Ligoninė, Mėsinių, Rūdninkų, Žemaitijos, Šiauliai and one part of Arkliai, Karmelitų, Lyda, and Pylimas streets. This web of small Oldtown streets was the only world for local Jews, who tried not only to survive, but also to save their history and culture. Through this mission, they aimed to resist inhuman Nazi regime – Paper Brigade, partisans in the ghetto, or Judenrat used different tactics but worked for the same cause.

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Now there are many objects reminding us about the tragic history of Vilna Jews in the current territory of the previous Big Ghetto. We suggest You start Your tour from the place, where main gates of the Big Ghetto once stood – on the crossroads of Rūdninkų and  Visų šventųjų (All Saints) streets. There is a memorial plaque on the building next to this place, and the plan of both ghettos, as well as some important buildings, are marked on this plaque. At the same Rūdninkų street, in a house no. 6, headquarters of Judenrat (Ghetto Council) were established. Until the Second World War, this building was home to the gymnasium of Vilna Jews. If You look down to the ground right before to the gate to this building You will see a Memorial
Stone to Icchokas Rudaševskis – a young boy, who lived and wrote his diary in the Big Ghetto. His diary is a unique document of daily life in Vilna Ghetto, it captures this trembling world from the child`s perspective.

The ghetto library and the Great ghetto theater in Yiddish were the most significant places for the cultural life raising the spirits of the distressed people. The great ghetto theater was on the Arkliai street, in the building of the current “Lėlė” (“Doll”) theater. Plays were performed in Yiddish and the halls were crowded by the audience, which aimed to forget the tragedy of their daily life. The ghetto library was also commonly visited and loved place – it was on M. Strashun street no. 6 (now – Žemaitijos street no. 4). Its red brick building is still extant and is in the process of restoration at the moment.