Short answers, pulled from the story.
Grand Duke Gediminas established the city of Vilnius in 1323 after dreaming of an Iron Wolf. The name first appeared in Latin-edited letters from that year, with another form Wilno appearing in a letter from 1325.
Napoleon dubbed Vilnius the Jerusalem of the North when he passed through the city in 1812. Before World War II and the Holocaust, it served as one of Europe's most important Jewish centres.
Historic buildings in the Old Town feature Gothic Renaissance Baroque and classical architecture. Disasters resulted in building reconstructions in Vilnian Baroque style which later influenced the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
The Old Town of Vilnius was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. It maintains its medieval street pattern with no significant gaps despite damage during occupations and wars.
On the 11th of March 1990 the Supreme Council of the Lithuanian SSR announced its secession from the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union recognised Lithuanian independence in September 1991 following attacks on the State Radio and Television Building and Vilnius TV Tower.