Scandinavian Vilnius: From Stockholm to Copenhagen
Scandinavian filmmakers seem to be quite fond of Vilnius: many Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Danish TV series and films have been shot in the Lithuanian capital. From detective stories to comedies and dramas, in various productions, Vilnius has been portrayed as Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, and other Scandinavian cities.
Vilnius Film Office invites you to stroll along Scandinavian filmmakers’ paths, discovering the Nordic Vilnius and the most popular shooting locations.
Pasažo Alley as the Futuristic Copenhagen
We suggest starting the route at Pasažo Alley, which has recently become one of the most popular shooting locations. Scenes for many TV series and films have been shot here and on nearby Arklių Street. These streets have also “played” Oslo and Copenhagen.
In 2023, in Vilnius, shooting began for a series based on the Danish writer Peter Höeg’s best-selling novel “Miss Smila’s Feeling for Snow”. The protagonist tries to find out the true causes of an Inuit immigrant child’s death, gradually getting entangled in a much broader, supernatural story. The show’s scenes were shot in various locations in Vilnius Old Town, and Pasažo Alley was turned into the Copenhagen of the future.
Vilnius Town Hall – both a Prison and a Luxurious Palace
The second stop on the route is quite nearby. We suggest taking a look at the Vilnius Town Hall, which today functions as an art gallery, exhibition hall, and the city’s main concert venue.
The building, last reconstructed in the neoclassical style at the end of the 18th century, also recalls much older times, from the stories of the magistrate who lived here to the former prison or pillory.
Today, the building’s entrance and interior often catch the filmmakers’ eye. For example, in the series about the Swedish gangster Clark Olofsson, Vilnius Town Hall became the courthouse where the main character was brought for trial before imprisonment.
The corridors, halls, and staircase of the Town Hall are also featured in the TV series “Hilma”, which tells the story of Hilma af Klint (1862–1944), the Swedish artist and mystic, one of the first abstract artists in the Western world, as well as the pioneer of feminism. Her mysterious, philosophical, and spiritualist-based paintings still raise many questions. About 1.300 of her artworks were virtually unknown to the world for decades. The series was directed by Lasse Hallström, who’s also made “The Cider House Rules”, “Chocolate”, “Hachiko: The Story of a Dog”, and many other critically acclaimed films.
Swedish Residents’ Protests on Vilnius Street
Next, we suggest you continue Vilniaus Street through the nearby Vokiečių Street.
If you like detective stories, you have probably watched the Netflix series “Young Wallander”, inspired by the hugely popular novels by Henning Mankell. Although the story occurs in modern Sweden, the series was shot exclusively in Lithuania. Having seen “Young Wallander”, you will undoubtedly recognize various corners of Vilnius Old Town. The series protagonist walked the city’s streets at night, and police cars zoomed along Gediminas Avenue. Several scenes were shot on Bernardinų, Stiklių, Aukštaičių, and Pilies Streets.
One of the most impressive scenes filmed in the city center was a public protest, shot on Vilniaus Street. The street was flooded with people carrying placards and chanting, and the main character, Kurt Wallander, found himself on the other side of the protest barricades.
The Famous Norrmalmstorg Square in Odminių Square
From Vilniaus Street, turn onto Liejyklos Street, and soon you’ll find yourself in L. Stuokas-Gucevičius Street. It leads to Odminių Square, which played the role of Stockholm’s central square.
“Clark” is a Swedish series based on the autobiography of Clark Olofsson, one of the most controversial figures in modern Swedish history. This is an incredible story about one of the first criminals considered a “celebrity gangster”.
Erik Olofsson and the main character, Clark, find themselves amid a robbery, attempting to rob Stockholm’s largest bank, Kreditbanken, in the central square of Norrmalmstorg. Historically, this robbery is known as the “Normalmstorg robbery”. In the series, Odminių Square played the role of the famous square where police crews watched the bank.
The robbery was quite unusual. The Swedish police listened and tried to guess what was happening in the bank vault where the criminals were hiding with the hostages. Interestingly, the kidnappers and the bank employees quickly bonded, and spent time sharing their experiences and stories, and playing various games.
One of the hostages even called the Swedish Prime Minister and asked him to let Clark Olofsson and Jan Erik Olsson leave, refrain from violence, and even offered to go with them, as a guarantee that both sides would adhere to the agreement. When the hostages were released, none of them testified against the kidnappers in court; instead, they decided to collect money for the defense. Clark managed to prove that he did not participate in the robbery and could not be treated as an accomplice; on the contrary, he tried to help the hostages. After this crime, the term Stockholm syndrome, now used worldwide, was coined.
A Huge Protest on Gediminas Avenue
After visiting Odminių Square, walk along Gediminas Avenue. Several squares around the avenue, as well as the street itself, were featured in Scandinavian film productions.
For example, in the previously mentioned series “Miss Smila’s Feeling for Snow”, Vincas Kudirka Square played a major role in some of the key scenes. A huge protest was staged in the square, where crowds gathered, and mock police cars were parked around. A team of about 160 professionals worked on the set, more than half of whom were Lithuanians.
Kaštonų Street as the Oslo Parliament House
After walking along Gediminas Avenue, turn onto the small but extremely cinematic Kaštonų Street. The largest Lithuanian biomedical and allied sciences library is located here; besides, this quiet street is also one of the most popular film shooting locations.
Several times Kaštonų Street was transformed into Swedish cities, including Stockholm and Malmö, at various periods. Most recently, during the shooting of the Lithuanian-Norwegian co-production “Agent Number 24”, the library building became the Oslo Parliament House, and a mock bomb went off right next to it.
According to Aivaras Šidla, a film location manager who has worked in this location on several projects, the street and the library have a unique architecture. There are just a few streets like this in Vilnius. According to Šidla, in films, the library often becomes a courtroom or another institutional building from the 1940s to the 1990s. Since the library has not been heavily renovated, it has preserved authentic details, which fascinate directors, cameramen, and film artists.
The interior of the Lithuanian Medical Library, with its surviving furniture and decorative details, reflects the 1950s and the spirit of socialist realism. Today, over 500,000 documents are stored here. The library collects and provides medical information, participates in the state health program, and preserves the written heritage of Lithuanian medical science.
The ever changing Lukiškių Prison
Esate visai netoli Lukiškių kalėjimo. Kirtę Lukiškių aikštę ir pasukę Lukiškių gatve, netrukus išvysite ir įspūdingą bei šiurpą keliantį pastatą. Neišsigąskite, nes sudėtingą istoriją menantis Lukiškių kalėjimas šiandien yra vienas lankomiausių miesto objektų. Renginių, kino seansų, ekskursijų ir koncertų erdvė traukia ne tik kultūros ieškančius vilniečius, bet ir kino kūrėjus. Ekrane Lukiškių kalėjimą galėjo išvysti įvairių filmų ir populiarių serialų žiūrovai visame pasaulyje.
Now you are very close to Lukiškių prison. After crossing Lukiškių square and turning onto the eponymous street, you will soon see the impressive and somewhat creepy building. Don’t be afraid, because today the prison with a very complex history, is one of the most visited architectural objects in the city. A popular venue for various events, film screenings, excursions, and concerts is equally appealing to Vilnius culture vultures as well as foreign filmmakers. Cinema and TV audiences around the world may have seen Lukiškės prison on screen.
More than a century old, Lukiškės prison was once one of the most modern buildings of this type in the entire Russian Empire. The facility, which operated during the world wars, the Soviet era, and the period of Lithuanian independence, has preserved its original interior and exterior elements. Perhaps this explains why Lukiškės prison gets so much attention from filmmakers today – its cells, porches, and offices are considered extremely cinematic.
It is believed that the main character of the previously described series, “Clark,” escaped from prison 17 times in total, although the exact number is unknown. During the shooting in Vilnius, Lukiškių prison was very important: it played not one, but 5 different prisons!
In 2025, the production company “Paprika Filmai”, in cooperation with a Swedish film studio, shot a full-length feature film for children called “Villain of Villains” in Lukiškių prison. The film tells the story of a girl and her dream of becoming a heroine.
The eerie building also caught the eye of the criminal detective “Wisting” team. The first season of one of the most expensive Norwegian TV productions debuted in 2019. The series was shown in several foreign countries, including Great Britain. The film’s main character is the police detective William Wisting, played by Norwegian actor Sven Nordin. The first seasons were based on the bestselling books by Jørn Lier Horst. In 2021, the second season was shot in Vilnius.
In the latest fifth season, also shot in the Lithuanian capital, Wisting, led by unexpectedly discovered clues, comes to Vilnius to sort out a mistake made by law enforcement. The show’s fans will see many well-known Vilnius locations, including Lukiškės prison, where investigators come to talk to the convict.
Žvėrynas as a Luxurious Quarter of Stockholm
Our suggested end of the route takes you Žvėrynas. Enjoy exploring this lovely neighborhood, one of the greenest in Vilnius. You will easily find cozy, enchanting Žvėrynas after returning to Gediminas Avenue and crossing the Žvėrynas Bridge. The neighbourhood’s impressive wooden villas, dating back to the 19th century, appeal to filmmakers worldwide.
In the Swedish series “Whiskey on the Rocks”, Žvėrynas’ wooden Nordic-style buildings served as a perfect backdrop for 1980s Sweden, to be precise, a residential area of Stockholm, where the film’s political characters settled. Several scenes were shot on Traidenio, Birutės, and A. Mickevičius streets. In the latter one, the Scandinavian-style Composers’ House, constructed in 1966 and reopened to the public in 2011, becomes the background for important political decisions: the building was transformed into a government officials’ work and recreation facility.
“Whiskey on the Rocks” is a political drama about the tense period of Ronald Reagan and Leonid Brezhnev’s leadership and the political crisis that arose at that time. Lithuanian actors also worked in the show; one of the main characters, Leonid Brezhnev, was played by Kęstutis Stasys Jakštas. Andrius Bialobžeskis played the role of Captain Vladimir Peskov, and Andrius Žiūrauskas got the part of a KGB agent.