Amber is the only one produced in Lithuania, a gem. Baltic amber is also called Lithuanian gold. It is widely known and appreciated throughout the world, not to mention Lithuania itself. The country has several galleries and museums devoted to amber. In 1995, in the city of Vilnius was opened a museum dedicated to the beautiful creation of nature, the sun stone Lithuanian land. Lithuanian soil has no minerals, and nature has given the people of Lithuania amber.

There are two versions of the appearance of amber. First, the scientific version suggests that amber was formed from the resin of pine trees that grew in Europe and fifty million years ago. As a result of exposure to the water and some other unknown chemical compounds, a reaction occurred, favoring the appearance of the stone.

The second version - it is a beautiful, romantic legend. It says that a long time ago at the bottom of the sea goddess Jurate lived. She was a beautiful underwater amber palace. One day she met a beautiful fisherman named Kastytis, and they fell in love. When this was learned Perkuns god, he was furious and drowned fishermen, who dared to fall in love with the goddess. After that, he sent a lightning underwater amber palace, destroyed it, and breaking into small pieces. They say that large pieces of amber stones is a former palace and small stones that people find on the beach - it is the tears of the goddess by her lover.

Amber has long been known, even in the Stone Age of it produced jewelry, amulets plate. During archaeological excavations in Paleolithic burials found these charms and ornaments, from raw amber.

It is believed that amber has magical healing properties. Therefore, in the old days of it often did amulets designed to protect their owners from disease and from misfortunes. There are countries where the amber is considered, almost a panacea for all ills. For example, for the treatment of thyroid gland using a necklace from raw amber. They say that the treated amber loses its healing and miraculous properties.

This solar stone can be found everywhere in Lithuania. But in order to become better acquainted with this wonderful creation of nature, it is necessary to visit the home of a precious stone - Amber Museum in Vilnius.

The museum building is relatively new, built in Baroque style, it deserves attention itself. The fact is that during the construction, during archaeological excavations in the basement areas were found two kilns and many ceramic fragments. All of these findings are exhibited in the museum in a single exposure.

The ground floor of the museum is built on the street level of the 17th century, which were located about seventy-cm. Below the current street. The foundation course laid even lower-level buildings of 14-15 centuries.

The museum presents a rich collection of natural amber. Here you can see stones of various colors, sizes and shapes. Separately exposed a rare collection of stones, with the inclusion of plants and animals that are still in the transparent body of the stone. The most common stones with small insects. But there is in the museum a rare stone that he had made in his eternal embrace of the shell. It remains a mystery how it got into the stone prisoner.

A special place in the exhibition hall of the museum occupies, which displays archaeological collection of amber - the treasure of Juodkrantė. It is the largest such collection in the world. It includes 434 artifacts from raw amber amber of various colors and different shapes. A separate stand is devoted to other fields of amber in the world. A special exhibition features jewelry amber jewelry by local artisans. They are works of art and can satisfy the most sophisticated tastes of connoisseurs. These masterpieces are made, both traditional and modern methods of processing stones.

Visit Lithuania and not visit this museum, it's like not to visit the country in general, because this stone is identified with the country itself.