EXHIBIT 24


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         We, the  undersigned  Directors and Officers of First  Virginia  Banks,
  Inc.  ("First  Virginia"),  hereby  constitute and appoint on this 12th day of
  March,  1997,  Thomas P. Jennings and  Christopher  M. Cole, and each of them,
  with power of substitution,  our true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact  with full
  power to sign for us, in our names and in the  capacities  indicated  below, a
  Registration  Statement  on Form  S-4 and all  amendments  thereto  (including
  Post-Effective   Amendments),   for  the  purpose  of  registering  under  the
  Securities Act of 1933, as amended,  up to 3,624,295  shares of First Virginia
  Common Stock to be issued in connection with the merger of Premier  Bankshares
  Corporation into First Virginia.

         Name                                Title
         ----                                -----


  /s/ Barry J. Fitzpatrick             Chairman of the Board, President
  ------------------------------       and Chief Executive Officer
  Barry J. Fitzpatrick                 


  ------------------------------       Director
  E. Cabell Brand


  /s/ Edward L. Breeden, III           Director
  ------------------------------
  Edward L. Breeden, III


  /s/ Paul H. Geithner, Jr.            Director
  ------------------------------
  Paul H. Geithner, Jr.


  /s/ L.H. Ginn, III                   Director
  ------------------------------
  L. H. Ginn, III


  ------------------------------       Director
  Gilbert R. Giordano


  ------------------------------       Director
  T. Keister Greer


  /s/ Elsie C. Gruver                  Director
  ------------------------------
  Elsie C. Gruver


  /s/ Edward M. Holland                Director
  ------------------------------
  Edward M. Holland


  ------------------------------       Director
  Eric C. Kendrick


  ------------------------------       Director
  John B. Melvin


  ------------------------------       Director
  W. Lee Phillips, Jr.


  ------------------------------       Director
  Josiah P. Rowe, III


  /s/ Robert H. Zalakar                Director
  ------------------------------
  Robert H. Zalokar


  /s/ Albert F. Zettlemoyer            Director
  ------------------------------
  Albert F. Zettlemoyer


  /s/ Richard F. Bowman                Senior Vice President and
  ------------------------------       Chief Financial Officer
  Richard F. Bowman