Trakai - Švč. Mergelės Marijos Apsilankymo bazilika

The town surrounded by many lakes developed in the 13th century. According to a legend, Grand Duke Gediminas discovered a beautiful lake-surrounded place not far from Kernavė, then the capital of the Grand Duchy and decided to build a castle in the location. The name of Trakai was first mentioned in Teutonic Knights chronicles in 1337.

Later a castle was built on an island in Lake Galvė. This and a neighboring castle in the town suffered from attacks of the Teutonic Knights during which both wooden castles were raided by the Teutonic Knights several times in a row.

Despite this Trakai became a political and administrative centre of the Duchy. Construction of brick castles was finished and a church was built. In 1409, the town was granted city rights.

The Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary was founded in 1409 by the Lithuanian Grand Duke Vytautas the Great after the construction of the Trakai moated castle. During the Russian-Polish War of 1654-1667 the church was damaged and subsequently restored. Around 1719 it was baroqueized.

The first church was built on a rectangular ground plan in Gothic style. Unfortunately, the church was locked.