Born in Kaunas on 18 October 1932, into a family of architect Vytautas Landsbergis-Žemkalnis and an oculist Ona Jablonskytė-Landsbergienė.

Graduated from the high school in Kaunas.

1955 - graduated from the Lithuanian Conservatoire.

1952 - 1990 - worked as a teacher, taught the piano at Vilnius Čiurlionis Music school, the State Conservatoire, at affiliated Conservatoire departments in Klaipėda and Vilnius Pedagogic Institute.

1969 - defended thesis on "Creative work of composer M.K. Čiurlionis."

1978-1990 was a professor at the Lithuanian Academy of Music. Author of books on musicology, art and music history, monographs on composers M.K. Čiurlionis and Č.Sasnauskas.In 1994 defended his thesis of doctor habilis. During the period of the rebirth wrote books on the issues of Lithuanian and international politics. Published 15 books in total. Was member of the Executive Board and Secretariat of the Lithuanian Union of Composers for a long time,and President of M.K. Čiurlionis Society till the present day.

1975 - awarded the Lithuanian State Prize for the monograph "Creative Work of Čiurlionis" and in 1988 for the monograph "Česlovas Sasnauskas Life and Works."

Since 1995 - Chairman of the Organisational Committee of the International M.K Čiurlionis Contest of Organists and Pianists.

On 3 June 1988 was elected to the Lithuanian Sąjūdis Initiative Group and at the Constituent Congress of Sąjūdis held on 22-23 October - to the Sąjūdis Seimas and Sąjūdis Seimas Council.

1988-1990 - Chairman of the Sąjūdis Seimas Council.

1991 - Honorary Chairman of Sąjūdis.

On 1 May 1993, when the Homeland Union (Lithuanian Conservatives) was founded, was elected its Chairman.

1995, 1998 - elected its Chairman for the second and third time.

1989 - elected USSR People's deputy in the city of Panevėžys.

In March 1990, after Sąjūdis won the elections to the Supreme Council, was elected Chairman of the Supreme Council - the Reconstituent Seimas.

1990-1991 - Chairman of the Commission on Drawing up the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, Chairman of the State Delegation for negotiations with the USSR.

1990-1992 - was one of the heads of the Baltic States Council.

1992-1996 - Head of the Seimas Opposition. Worked in the Lithuanian Delegations to the Parliamentary Assembly of the European Council and the Baltic Assembly.

1996 - elected Chairman of the Seimas.

1991 - awarded the Norwegian People's Peace Prize, the Award of Foundation du Future (France), the International Freedom Foundation's (UK) 1991 Freedom Award.

1992 - awarded Hermann Ehlers Prize of Germany.

1994- the 9th International Ramon Llull Prize of the Catalonian Culture Congress Foundation.

1997 - awarded the French Legion of Honour Order, second class.

1998 - awarded Vibo Valentia Testimony prize (Italy), Order of Grand Duke Vytautas, first class (Lithuania), Royal Norwegian Order of Merit (Grand Cross).

1999 – awarded the Grand Cross Order of the Republic of Poland, Order of Merit (Grand Cross) of the Order of Malta, Grand Croix de l’Ordre de l’Honneur of Greece, Truman-Reagan Freedom Award (USA).

On the basis of the Norwegian People's Peace Prize Vytautas Landsbergis established the Vytautas Landsbergis' Foundation, a non-profit charitable organisation dealing with the care and education of handicapped children and young performing artists.

Vytautas Landsbergis holds Honorary Doctor of Laws from Loyola University in Chicago (USA) (1991), Doctor of Humanities from Weber State University in Ogden (USA) (1992), Doctor of Philosophy from Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas (Lithuania) (1992).

1992 - was awarded honorary degree of Doctor of Law of Yale University (USA).

1997 - became Honorary Doctor of Philosophy of Klaipėda University (Lithuania) and was elected academician of the Lithuanian Catholic Academy.

1998 – became Honorary Member from Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (Lithuania).

2000 – became Honorary Doctor of Laws from Lithuanian Academy of Law, Honorary Doctor of Political Sciences from Helsinki University (Finland) and Honorary Fellow of Cardiff University (UK).

Speaks English, Polish and Russian languages.

Wife Gražina works at the Lithuanian Academy of Music.

Has two daughters and a son.