Vilnius Its Jewish influence has led to it being described as the "Jerusalem of Lithuania" and Napoleon named it "the Jerusalem of the North" as he was passing through in 1812. In 2009, Vilnius was the European Capital of Culture, together with the Austrian city of Linz. The name of the city originates from the Vilnia River. The city has also been known by many derivate spellings in various languages throughout its history: "Vilna" was once common in English. The most notable non-Lithuanian names for the city include: , , , , , , ("Vilne"). A Russian name from the time
Emblem of Jerusalem Emblem of Jerusalem The municipal emblem of Jerusalem is the official symbol of the city of Jerusalem since 1950. The emblem's main figure is a Lion, shown rampant, which represents the "lion of Judah", the symbol of the Tribe of Judah and later on the Kingdom of Judah, whose capital was Jerusalem. The emblem background represents the Walls of Jerusalem and the Western Wall, and the olive branch represents the quest for peace. The inscription above the crest is the Hebrew word for Jerusalem ("yerushalayim"). Shortly after the founding of the state of Israel, the City's mayor Gershon Agron created