Trakai

Trakai (; Polish: Troki Polish: [ˈtrɔki]; see names section for alternative and historic names) is a city and lake resort in Lithuania. It lies 28 kilometres (17 miles) west of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania or just 7 kilometres (4 miles) from the administrative limits of the Lithuanian capital city. Because of its proximity to Vilnius, Trakai is a popular tourist destination. Trakai is the administrative centre of Trakai district municipality. The city is inhabited by 5,357 people, according to 2007 estimates. A notable feature of Trakai is that the city was built and preserved by people of different nationalities. Historically, communities of Karaims, Tatars, Lithuanians, Russians, Jews and Poles lived here. Trakai was the medieval capital city of Lithuania. Historically, the Trakai Island Castle, whose construction was finished by Grand Duke Vytautas, served as a residence of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania.