Vilnius - Katedros aikštė

One of the ordinary paving stones, about halfway between the cathedral and the bell tower, has been replaced with a not-so-ordinary paving stone. It’s the ‘miracle stone’, and it’s tucked under a piece of glass that has recently been replaced so that you can actually see through it (a miracle in itself round here). Embedded into the miracle stone, in coloured letters, is the Lithuanian word for miracle – STEBUKLAS. It’s written in a circle with a single S forming both the start and the end of the word. The stone marks the point where in 1989 two million hand-holding Balts joined together and formed a human chain that spanned the 650km between Vilnius and Tallinn. The tile has become a symbol of freedom and hope and, supposedly, can make your dreams come true. Stand on the tile, make a wish, and turn full-circle clockwise.