Hill of Crosses

Just north of the town Šiauliai, a strange sight can be seen. A small hill is filled to the brim with a hundred thousand crosses. This is the infamous Kryžiu Kalnas, or simply Hill of Crosses.

Hill of crosses.

It is said that the first crosses were placed here in 1831. Generations of Catholic pilgrims brought stuff to the location as a way of honoring the graveless casualties of military uprisings. Later during the Soviet occupation, the hill became a beacon of national pride and identity. The Soviet responded by completely leveling the site three separate times, the last one in 1975.

But the spirit is relentless and today, 40 years later, the hill is once more filled with crosses.