From a unicorn to the three kings: Gothic stove tiles from the Collections of the Palace of the Grand Dukes

This exhibition, presenting unique archaeological artefacts going back almost 600 years and the narratives and symbols they depict, is yet another opportunity to remind ourselves of the important period of flourishing of Vilnius, which is celebrating its 700th anniversary, as well as many other aspects relating to Lithuania’s and Europe’s history – the formation of heraldic symbols in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the founding of the voivodeships of Trakai and Vilnius, the Christianisation of Lithuania, the significance of the Union of Horodło, and of course, Jagiellonian Europe.

This exhibition presents just one artefact group from this rich collection – Gothic flat stove tiles. The stove tile collection dating to the mid-15th century consists of around 650 stove tiles and fragments thereof, decorated with at least 60 different narratives. Some of the stove tiles from the turn of the 15th–16th centuries are also included in our Gothic collection. The stove tiles are decorated with heraldic symbols, scenes from the lives of the saints, biblical scenes, mythological and everyday life narratives. A hypothetical mid-15th century stove was reconstructed based on this collection as part of the overall reconstruction of the Gothic period interiors at the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania.

The exhibition consists of nine thematic parts. The first relates the development of the Vilnius Lower Castle in the 15th century; the second and third feature stove tiles with the heraldic symbols of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland; the fourth presents bishops’ symbols and coats of arms; the fifth – the hallmarks of noble families; the sixth has biblical-themed stove tiles, the seventh – stove tiles depicting everyday life and mythological narratives; the eighth introduces visitors to the find sites of these Gothic stove tiles and a reconstruction of a stove. The final part of the exhibition features stove tiles dating to the late 15th – early 16th centuries.