Hill of Crosses

 

The Hill of Crosses (Krziu Kalnas) is located in the small town of Siauliai in Lithuania.  Hundreds of thousands of crosses have been placed on this hill representing Christian devotion and a memorial to Lithuanian national idendity.  The hill as an amazingly rich and interesting history.  The town was founded in 1236 and shortly after that,  occupied by Teutonic Knights during the 14th century.  The crosses were initially placed on the hill during this time as a symbol of defiance to the foreign invaders.  Since the medieval period, the Hill of Crosses has represented a peaceful defiance of Lithuanian Catholicism to oppression.   During the period of 1944 until 1991, the town was part of the Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR).  The Hill was used as a site of pilgrimage and served as a vital expression of Lithuanian nationalism.  The USSR repeatedly removed the crosses placed on the Hill by Lithuanians. The Hill was leveled by the USSR in 1961, 1973 and 1975 and the crosses were burned and turned to scrap metal.  The area was covered with sewage and waste material, however that didn't stop the Lithuanians from restoring there Hill of Crosses.  It wasn't until 1985 that their Hill was finally left in peace.

The reputation of the Hill's long history remains and Christians continue to pilgrimage to the site from all over the world. Even Pope John Paul II visited in 1993.  The size, the number and the variety of the crosses is amazing.  Apparently, on windy days, the rosaries and crosses make beautiful music on the hillside. Christian or not,  the Hill of Crosses is definitely an amazing display of the perseverance of the Lithuanian people.