The centrepiece of the old Lithuanian capital of Trakai is its picture-postcard Island Castle. The painstakingly restored red-brick Gothic castle is perched atop an island on Lake Galvė. It probably dates from around 1400, when Vytautas, Lithuania's Grand Duke of the time, needed stronger defences than the nearby peninsula castle afforded.

A footbridge links it to the shore and a moat separates the triangular outer courtyard moat from the main tower with its cavernous central court and a range of galleries, halls and rooms. Some house the Trakai History Museum (Trakų istorijos muziejus) which charts the history of the castle. The castle's prominence as a holy site is reflected in its collection of religious art on display in a seperate gallery. In summer the castle courtyard is a magical stage for concerts and plays.