About the the Hill
The Hill of Crosses, also known as “Kryžių kalnas” in Lithuanian, is, as the name implies, a hill full of crosses. I was really surprised by the amount of crosses. Pilgrims and other people from all over the world visit the Hill of Crosses to leave a cross or other religious objects such as amulets, necklaces, religious paintings and drawings, and more. I personally expected it would be known mostly by Lithuanians. Little did I know that it is actually more international than I had expected. The hill is one of the most famous attractions in Lithuania and it’s of large historical and architectural importance. If you are visiting the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, you should definitely go on a daytrip to the Hill of Crosses.
History
It seems that the Hill’s crosses were mentioned for the first in written chronicles in 1850. However, some believe that the first crosses were placed at the hill by the relatives of the victims of the November Uprising in 1831, also known as Cadet Revolution or as Polish-Russian War 1830-1831.
The Hill of Crosses was already considered a sacred place in the beginning of the 1900s and it was also a place where people went for the Mass and devotion. We can say that during Soviet times the hill became even more important as it was a site where people could show their persistence to the regime anonymously and secretly. The Soviet government didn’t like this place and find it a bad and harmful site, which lead to them destroying the crosses. The Hill of Crosses was damaged multiple times but, despite all these incidents, people kept placing their crosses there. It is amazing how, no matter how many times the government tried to level it, this unique pilgrimage site survived. It’s a statement of devotion.
In 1988 the attraction became famous worldwide and was even visited by the Pope John Paul II on September 7th 1993. Currently, the Hill of Crosses is in the hands of Šiauliai diocese.
How to get there
In order to get to the Hill of Crosses, first, you have to get the bus or the train from Vilnius to Šiauliai. Once you arrive to Šiauliai town, you should take a local bus from Šiauliai’s bus station which goes to ‘Domantai’ which is the real name of the hill. Domantai is a bus stop pretty much in the middle of nowhere, in the fields. Then, from Domantai bus stop it takes about 25 minutes to walk to the Hill of Crosses.
Bus in Šiauliai 
The way towards the Hill of Crosses after hopping off the bus in Domantai bus stop
I don’t consider this attraction a very tourist-friendly option; it is not very easy to arrive at the Hill if you are alone and not a local; the people in Šiauliai generally don’t speak English as you can find more English-speaking people in Vilnius, and you have to commute to Šiauliai first and then to a remote bus stop and walk 25 minutes to the Hill of Crosses. It would be easier for someone to visit the attraction while on a guided tour but it is considerably more expensive that way. Such a popular sight should be easier to reach.
I believe that this attraction must be truly magical for pilgrims. It’s a sacred and special place where believers can feel at peace.
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