The purpose of the article is to show how Vilnius stories and legends, collected by Władysław Zahorski, are alive today and are reflected in the physical, visual form of the city, including in monuments, memorial plaques, installations, but also in stories told to guests and residents of the Lithuanian capital.
The stories explain the appearance of specific historical and geographical objects in Vilnius, contain signs of the past, reflect old beliefs, customs, ethical and social principles, and clarify encrypted religious, historiographic and national meanings. They bring information about legendary rulers and important places.
Zahorski’s book is part of the city’s presentations characteristic of tourist guides addressed to the universal recipient. Stories and legends create a picture of a multicultural, multi-faith city with a complex past that is visible today through various physical signs. Zahorski combines various narratives about Lithuanian, Polish and Jewish Vilnius in the book.