Geographic Centre of Europe, Vilnius, Lithuania
Geographic Center of Europe is a monument that seeks to represent the exact midpoint of the European continent in the Belarusian city of Polotsk. The position of the midpoint depends on the definition of the boundaries of Europe, primarily as to whether remote islands should be included to determine the region's extreme points and how the result is measured. This interestingly unique landmark led to several places that claim to host the hypothetical center. However, based on the research conducted by Jean-George Affholder of the French National Geographic Institute, Europe's geographic core is more widely recognized as being slightly farther east of Vilnius, Lithuania. To date, the claim in identifying the exact location of the center of Europe remains a mystery.
The monument that depicts the Geographic Centre of Europe is drawing the attraction of a lot of tourists from Des Moines. The uniqueness of its story is what made the city a popular tourist destination as people become curious about the interesting history of the monument. Many hotels surround the city of Vilnius, particularly near the Geographic Center, where several shops and restaurants can be found. The Grand Hotel Kempinski Vilnius is a high-end luxury hotel featuring elegant rooms with game consoles, which guests traveling with children will love. Another high-rise hotel is the Radisson Blu Hotel Lietuva that is conveniently close to Vilnius International Airport and is a popular hotel among business travelers. While in the area, check-out the Gediminas Castle Tower, a 15th-century brick tower that is one of the country's historical landmarks. Gate of Dawn is a notable prominent landmark that was built in the 1500s with the icon of the Virgin Mary.
