Lithuania’s Kryziu Kalnas Hill of Crosses is one of Earth’s most unique symbols of faith and sacrifice.
In the Lithuanian countryside sits a hill covered in more than 100,000 crosses placed there by those who have lost loved ones. Kryžių Kalnas, translated as “Hill of Crosses,” has become somewhat of a holy mecca for the country’s Lutherans and Catholics who make the pilgrimage to bring new crosses to the hill.
While it no doubt attracts its share of visitors who come to marvel and photograph the Hill of Crosses, Kryžių Kalnas stands as a testament of faith and sacrifice for many Lithuanians.
The site’s exact origins remain a mystery, despite its immense popularity. And though today it is a cultural landmark, and a popular pilgrimage location for religious devotees across the world, there was a time when placing a cross at Kryžių Kalnas was viewed as a rebellious act.
The History Of The Hill Of Crosses
Situated just 16 kilometers outside of the northern city of Šiauliai, the hill’s first crosses began to appear all the way back in the 1830s.
The Tsarist autocracy that controlled Lithuania at the time had strict orders for how relatives could honor their dead, and many believe the first crosses were placed on the hill to honor those who had lost their lives rebelling against the Russians in 1831.
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1 of 28A virtual forest of crucifixes on the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania. Craig Pershouse/Getty Images 2 of 28An aerial view of the Hill of Crosses in Šiauliai, Lithuania at sunset in autumn. Gediminas Medziausis/Getty Images 3 of 28Lithuania’s Kryžių Kalnas (Hill of Crosses) has been a mecca for the country’s Catholics for more than 100 years.Steven Hannek/Flickr 4 of 28A local man praying in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary, surrounded by crosses on the “Hill of Crosses” in Northern Lithuania. The exact number of crosses is unknown, but 2006 estimates put the number at around 100,000. JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images 5 of 28The hill is littered with not only crosses, but statues of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.Thomas Stegh/Wikimedia Commons 6 of 28For decades, the crosses have served as a reminder of persecution during which half of the Lutheran clergy in Lithuania was executed under Communist rule in the 20th century. Replikatorius/Flickr
7 of 28Close-up of a cross on the Hill of Crosses, a famous place of pilgrimage in Lithuania. Domingo Leiva/Getty Images 8 of 28A man painting a statue of the Virgin Mary at the Hill of Crosses.Jeremy Horner/Getty Images 9 of 28A woman prays after making the pilgrimage to Kryziu Kalnas. Chip HIRES/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images 10 of 28A group of people on pilgrimage to the Hill of Crosses. Giedrius Pocius/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images 11 of 28Crosses have begun appearing in the flatter areas around the now very crowded hill itself.Wikimedia Commons 12 of 28Those who don’t have a cross to bring to the hill will often leave other tokens to remember those who have perished. Jeanpierre/Flickr 13 of 28Less than a mile from the Hill of Crosses resides a Franciscan monastery.Dezidor/Wikimedia Commons 14 of 28Many of the smaller crosses on the hill represent babies and children who have died. Ublaslg/Flickr 15 of 28The first crosses began to appear on the hill following Lithuanian uprisings against Russian authorities in 1831.Valery/Flickr 16 of 28Sunrise on Cross Hill.Alvydas Kucas/Getty Images 17 of 28The Hill of Crosses lies about 16 kilometers outside the city of Šiauliai that was once a fort where Lithuanian pagans held out against German knights-cum-missionaries.PETRAS MALUKAS/AFP/Getty Images 18 of 28The number of crosses on the hill crossed the 100,000 threshold in 2006. Alassandra/Flickr 19 of 28This drone photo shows the hill’s 60-meter long and 40-50-meter wide size from an aerial view. Fotografija/YouTube 20 of 28While under communist rule, the crosses were regularly torn down and destroyed by authorities who attempted to discourage the practice.RaquelQ/Flickr 21 of 28The hill was considered a place of “peaceful resistance” during Lithuania’s years in the Soviet Union.Wikimedia Commons 22 of 28The hill is now under no particular jurisdiction, so people are free to place crosses as they wish. Italas/Wikimedia Commons 23 of 28The crosses were first counted in 1900, totaling 130, but that number swelled considerably in the decades following. Wikimedia Commons 24 of 28In 1961, the Soviet government demolished more than 5,000 crosses. Dezidor/Wikimedia Commons 25 of 28The Hill of Crosses was declared a place of peace, hope, love and sacrifice by Pope John Paul II on September 7, 1993. DarellH/Flickr 26 of 28A statue of the Virgin Mary looks down upon the sea of metal and wooden crosses. Jorge Dardon/Flickr 27 of 28A couple makes their way into the sea of wooden, stone, and metal crosses.Chip HIRES/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images 28 of 28Like this gallery?Share it:
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27 Haunting Photos Of Kryžių Kalnas, The Mysterious Hill Of Crosses In Lithuania View Gallery
According to National Geographic, the first official written mention of the Hill of Crosses appeared in 1850, but the actual origins have been muddied by fables and legends.
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1 of 28A virtual forest of crucifixes on the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania. Craig Pershouse/Getty Images 2 of 28An aerial view of the Hill of Crosses in Šiauliai, Lithuania at sunset in autumn. Gediminas Medziausis/Getty Images 3 of 28Lithuania’s Kryžių Kalnas (Hill of Crosses) has been a mecca for the country’s Catholics for more than 100 years.Steven Hannek/Flickr 4 of 28A local man praying in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary, surrounded by crosses on the “Hill of Crosses” in Northern Lithuania. The exact number of crosses is unknown, but 2006 estimates put the number at around 100,000. JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images 5 of 28The hill is littered with not only crosses, but statues of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.Thomas Stegh/Wikimedia Commons 6 of 28For decades, the crosses have served as a reminder of persecution during which half of the Lutheran clergy in Lithuania was executed under Communist rule in the 20th century. Replikatorius/Flickr
7 of 28Close-up of a cross on the Hill of Crosses, a famous place of pilgrimage in Lithuania. Domingo Leiva/Getty Images 8 of 28A man painting a statue of the Virgin Mary at the Hill of Crosses.Jeremy Horner/Getty Images 9 of 28A woman prays after making the pilgrimage to Kryziu Kalnas. Chip HIRES/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images 10 of 28A group of people on pilgrimage to the Hill of Crosses. Giedrius Pocius/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images 11 of 28Crosses have begun appearing in the flatter areas around the now very crowded hill itself.Wikimedia Commons 12 of 28Those who don’t have a cross to bring to the hill will often leave other tokens to remember those who have perished. Jeanpierre/Flickr 13 of 28Less than a mile from the Hill of Crosses resides a Franciscan monastery.Dezidor/Wikimedia Commons 14 of 28Many of the smaller crosses on the hill represent babies and children who have died. Ublaslg/Flickr 15 of 28The first crosses began to appear on the hill following Lithuanian uprisings against Russian authorities in 1831.Valery/Flickr 16 of 28Sunrise on Cross Hill.Alvydas Kucas/Getty Images 17 of 28The Hill of Crosses lies about 16 kilometers outside the city of Šiauliai that was once a fort where Lithuanian pagans held out against German knights-cum-missionaries.PETRAS MALUKAS/AFP/Getty Images 18 of 28The number of crosses on the hill crossed the 100,000 threshold in 2006. Alassandra/Flickr 19 of 28This drone photo shows the hill’s 60-meter long and 40-50-meter wide size from an aerial view. Fotografija/YouTube 20 of 28While under communist rule, the crosses were regularly torn down and destroyed by authorities who attempted to discourage the practice.RaquelQ/Flickr 21 of 28The hill was considered a place of “peaceful resistance” during Lithuania’s years in the Soviet Union.Wikimedia Commons 22 of 28The hill is now under no particular jurisdiction, so people are free to place crosses as they wish. Italas/Wikimedia Commons 23 of 28The crosses were first counted in 1900, totaling 130, but that number swelled considerably in the decades following. Wikimedia Commons 24 of 28In 1961, the Soviet government demolished more than 5,000 crosses. Dezidor/Wikimedia Commons 25 of 28The Hill of Crosses was declared a place of peace, hope, love and sacrifice by Pope John Paul II on September 7, 1993. DarellH/Flickr 26 of 28A statue of the Virgin Mary looks down upon the sea of metal and wooden crosses. Jorge Dardon/Flickr 27 of 28A couple makes their way into the sea of wooden, stone, and metal crosses.Chip HIRES/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images 28 of 28Like this gallery?Share it:
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And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:
The Haunting Of Montpelier Hill
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1 of 28A virtual forest of crucifixes on the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania. Craig Pershouse/Getty Images 2 of 28An aerial view of the Hill of Crosses in Šiauliai, Lithuania at sunset in autumn. Gediminas Medziausis/Getty Images 3 of 28Lithuania’s Kryžių Kalnas (Hill of Crosses) has been a mecca for the country’s Catholics for more than 100 years.Steven Hannek/Flickr 4 of 28A local man praying in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary, surrounded by crosses on the “Hill of Crosses” in Northern Lithuania. The exact number of crosses is unknown, but 2006 estimates put the number at around 100,000. JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images 5 of 28The hill is littered with not only crosses, but statues of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.Thomas Stegh/Wikimedia Commons 6 of 28For decades, the crosses have served as a reminder of persecution during which half of the Lutheran clergy in Lithuania was executed under Communist rule in the 20th century. Replikatorius/Flickr
7 of 28Close-up of a cross on the Hill of Crosses, a famous place of pilgrimage in Lithuania. Domingo Leiva/Getty Images 8 of 28A man painting a statue of the Virgin Mary at the Hill of Crosses.Jeremy Horner/Getty Images 9 of 28A woman prays after making the pilgrimage to Kryziu Kalnas. Chip HIRES/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images 10 of 28A group of people on pilgrimage to the Hill of Crosses. Giedrius Pocius/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images 11 of 28Crosses have begun appearing in the flatter areas around the now very crowded hill itself.Wikimedia Commons 12 of 28Those who don’t have a cross to bring to the hill will often leave other tokens to remember those who have perished. Jeanpierre/Flickr 13 of 28Less than a mile from the Hill of Crosses resides a Franciscan monastery.Dezidor/Wikimedia Commons 14 of 28Many of the smaller crosses on the hill represent babies and children who have died. Ublaslg/Flickr 15 of 28The first crosses began to appear on the hill following Lithuanian uprisings against Russian authorities in 1831.Valery/Flickr 16 of 28Sunrise on Cross Hill.Alvydas Kucas/Getty Images 17 of 28The Hill of Crosses lies about 16 kilometers outside the city of Šiauliai that was once a fort where Lithuanian pagans held out against German knights-cum-missionaries.PETRAS MALUKAS/AFP/Getty Images 18 of 28The number of crosses on the hill crossed the 100,000 threshold in 2006. Alassandra/Flickr 19 of 28This drone photo shows the hill’s 60-meter long and 40-50-meter wide size from an aerial view. Fotografija/YouTube 20 of 28While under communist rule, the crosses were regularly torn down and destroyed by authorities who attempted to discourage the practice.RaquelQ/Flickr 21 of 28The hill was considered a place of “peaceful resistance” during Lithuania’s years in the Soviet Union.Wikimedia Commons 22 of 28The hill is now under no particular jurisdiction, so people are free to place crosses as they wish. Italas/Wikimedia Commons 23 of 28The crosses were first counted in 1900, totaling 130, but that number swelled considerably in the decades following. Wikimedia Commons 24 of 28In 1961, the Soviet government demolished more than 5,000 crosses. Dezidor/Wikimedia Commons 25 of 28The Hill of Crosses was declared a place of peace, hope, love and sacrifice by Pope John Paul II on September 7, 1993. DarellH/Flickr 26 of 28A statue of the Virgin Mary looks down upon the sea of metal and wooden crosses. Jorge Dardon/Flickr 27 of 28A couple makes their way into the sea of wooden, stone, and metal crosses.Chip HIRES/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images 28 of 28Like this gallery?Share it:
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And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:
The Haunting Of Montpelier Hill
Photos That Reveal The Haunting Secrets Of England’s Medieval Mermaid Inn
‘A Harvest Of Death’: 33 Haunting Photos Of The Battle Of Gettysburg
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1 of 28A virtual forest of crucifixes on the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania. Craig Pershouse/Getty Images 2 of 28An aerial view of the Hill of Crosses in Šiauliai, Lithuania at sunset in autumn. Gediminas Medziausis/Getty Images 3 of 28Lithuania’s Kryžių Kalnas (Hill of Crosses) has been a mecca for the country’s Catholics for more than 100 years.Steven Hannek/Flickr 4 of 28A local man praying in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary, surrounded by crosses on the “Hill of Crosses” in Northern Lithuania. The exact number of crosses is unknown, but 2006 estimates put the number at around 100,000. JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images 5 of 28The hill is littered with not only crosses, but statues of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.Thomas Stegh/Wikimedia Commons 6 of 28For decades, the crosses have served as a reminder of persecution during which half of the Lutheran clergy in Lithuania was executed under Communist rule in the 20th century. Replikatorius/Flickr
7 of 28Close-up of a cross on the Hill of Crosses, a famous place of pilgrimage in Lithuania. Domingo Leiva/Getty Images 8 of 28A man painting a statue of the Virgin Mary at the Hill of Crosses.Jeremy Horner/Getty Images 9 of 28A woman prays after making the pilgrimage to Kryziu Kalnas. Chip HIRES/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images 10 of 28A group of people on pilgrimage to the Hill of Crosses. Giedrius Pocius/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images 11 of 28Crosses have begun appearing in the flatter areas around the now very crowded hill itself.Wikimedia Commons 12 of 28Those who don’t have a cross to bring to the hill will often leave other tokens to remember those who have perished. Jeanpierre/Flickr 13 of 28Less than a mile from the Hill of Crosses resides a Franciscan monastery.Dezidor/Wikimedia Commons 14 of 28Many of the smaller crosses on the hill represent babies and children who have died. Ublaslg/Flickr 15 of 28The first crosses began to appear on the hill following Lithuanian uprisings against Russian authorities in 1831.Valery/Flickr 16 of 28Sunrise on Cross Hill.Alvydas Kucas/Getty Images 17 of 28The Hill of Crosses lies about 16 kilometers outside the city of Šiauliai that was once a fort where Lithuanian pagans held out against German knights-cum-missionaries.PETRAS MALUKAS/AFP/Getty Images 18 of 28The number of crosses on the hill crossed the 100,000 threshold in 2006. Alassandra/Flickr 19 of 28This drone photo shows the hill’s 60-meter long and 40-50-meter wide size from an aerial view. Fotografija/YouTube 20 of 28While under communist rule, the crosses were regularly torn down and destroyed by authorities who attempted to discourage the practice.RaquelQ/Flickr 21 of 28The hill was considered a place of “peaceful resistance” during Lithuania’s years in the Soviet Union.Wikimedia Commons 22 of 28The hill is now under no particular jurisdiction, so people are free to place crosses as they wish. Italas/Wikimedia Commons 23 of 28The crosses were first counted in 1900, totaling 130, but that number swelled considerably in the decades following. Wikimedia Commons 24 of 28In 1961, the Soviet government demolished more than 5,000 crosses. Dezidor/Wikimedia Commons 25 of 28The Hill of Crosses was declared a place of peace, hope, love and sacrifice by Pope John Paul II on September 7, 1993. DarellH/Flickr 26 of 28A statue of the Virgin Mary looks down upon the sea of metal and wooden crosses. Jorge Dardon/Flickr 27 of 28A couple makes their way into the sea of wooden, stone, and metal crosses.Chip HIRES/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images 28 of 28Like this gallery?Share it:
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1 of 28A virtual forest of crucifixes on the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania. Craig Pershouse/Getty Images
2 of 28An aerial view of the Hill of Crosses in Šiauliai, Lithuania at sunset in autumn. Gediminas Medziausis/Getty Images
3 of 28Lithuania’s Kryžių Kalnas (Hill of Crosses) has been a mecca for the country’s Catholics for more than 100 years.Steven Hannek/Flickr
4 of 28A local man praying in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary, surrounded by crosses on the “Hill of Crosses” in Northern Lithuania. The exact number of crosses is unknown, but 2006 estimates put the number at around 100,000. JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images
5 of 28The hill is littered with not only crosses, but statues of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.Thomas Stegh/Wikimedia Commons
6 of 28For decades, the crosses have served as a reminder of persecution during which half of the Lutheran clergy in Lithuania was executed under Communist rule in the 20th century. Replikatorius/Flickr
7 of 28Close-up of a cross on the Hill of Crosses, a famous place of pilgrimage in Lithuania. Domingo Leiva/Getty Images
8 of 28A man painting a statue of the Virgin Mary at the Hill of Crosses.Jeremy Horner/Getty Images
9 of 28A woman prays after making the pilgrimage to Kryziu Kalnas. Chip HIRES/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
10 of 28A group of people on pilgrimage to the Hill of Crosses. Giedrius Pocius/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images
11 of 28Crosses have begun appearing in the flatter areas around the now very crowded hill itself.Wikimedia Commons
12 of 28Those who don’t have a cross to bring to the hill will often leave other tokens to remember those who have perished. Jeanpierre/Flickr
13 of 28Less than a mile from the Hill of Crosses resides a Franciscan monastery.Dezidor/Wikimedia Commons
14 of 28Many of the smaller crosses on the hill represent babies and children who have died. Ublaslg/Flickr
15 of 28The first crosses began to appear on the hill following Lithuanian uprisings against Russian authorities in 1831.Valery/Flickr
16 of 28Sunrise on Cross Hill.Alvydas Kucas/Getty Images
17 of 28The Hill of Crosses lies about 16 kilometers outside the city of Šiauliai that was once a fort where Lithuanian pagans held out against German knights-cum-missionaries.PETRAS MALUKAS/AFP/Getty Images
18 of 28The number of crosses on the hill crossed the 100,000 threshold in 2006. Alassandra/Flickr
19 of 28This drone photo shows the hill’s 60-meter long and 40-50-meter wide size from an aerial view. Fotografija/YouTube
20 of 28While under communist rule, the crosses were regularly torn down and destroyed by authorities who attempted to discourage the practice.RaquelQ/Flickr
21 of 28The hill was considered a place of “peaceful resistance” during Lithuania’s years in the Soviet Union.Wikimedia Commons
22 of 28The hill is now under no particular jurisdiction, so people are free to place crosses as they wish. Italas/Wikimedia Commons
23 of 28The crosses were first counted in 1900, totaling 130, but that number swelled considerably in the decades following. Wikimedia Commons
24 of 28In 1961, the Soviet government demolished more than 5,000 crosses. Dezidor/Wikimedia Commons
25 of 28The Hill of Crosses was declared a place of peace, hope, love and sacrifice by Pope John Paul II on September 7, 1993. DarellH/Flickr
26 of 28A statue of the Virgin Mary looks down upon the sea of metal and wooden crosses. Jorge Dardon/Flickr
27 of 28A couple makes their way into the sea of wooden, stone, and metal crosses.Chip HIRES/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
28 of 28Like this gallery?Share it:
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27 Haunting Photos Of Kryžių Kalnas, The Mysterious Hill Of Crosses In Lithuania View Gallery
27 Haunting Photos Of Kryžių Kalnas, The Mysterious Hill Of Crosses In Lithuania View Gallery
27 Haunting Photos Of Kryžių Kalnas, The Mysterious Hill Of Crosses In Lithuania View Gallery
27 Haunting Photos Of Kryžių Kalnas, The Mysterious Hill Of Crosses In Lithuania View Gallery
27 Haunting Photos Of Kryžių Kalnas, The Mysterious Hill Of Crosses In Lithuania
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One popular legend for the Hill of Cross’s origins says that an apparition of the Virgin Mary, the baby Jesus cradled in her arms, appeared to the faithful and asked them to decorate the site with holy symbols.
Then, at the beginning of the 20th century, the number of the crosses on the hill began to significantly grow — particularly following World War I. By the time the Soviet Union had entered World War II, the number of crosses at Kryžių Kalnas had swelled to more than 400.
In the decades following World War II, the Soviet government came to view the hill as a nuisance — and eventually, a hostile symbol of rebellion.
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the Soviet occupation of Lithuania was, naturally, a turbulent time.
Right from the start, the Soviets began to dramatically change the political, social, economic, and cultural makeup of Lithuania.
Thierry Tronnel/Corbis via Getty ImagesTwo women walking along a trail through the Hill of Crosses.
There were moments of weakness in the Soviet rule — once following an attack from Germany in 1941, for example — but they maintained a strong control over the country, essentially, up until the collapse of the Soviet Union.
And during Lithuania’s Soviet occupation, the Hill of Crosses became a representative place of peaceful resistance for the people of Lithuania.
So, in retaliation to this perceived slight, the Soviets bulldozed and burned the holy site, turning the wooden crosses into firewood and sending the metal ones off to the scrapyard.
This happened a total of five times, but locals continued to rebelliously sneak into the site at night to erect more crosses, even as it was under guard by the KGB.
Then, in 1991, Lithuania finally gained its independence after the fall of the Soviet Union.
The State Of The Hill Of Crosses Today
Finally, after years of occupation and oppression, Lithuania was an independent country, and religion could be practiced openly. This was a stark contrast to the preceding centuries, during which religious expressions were suppressed or outright band.
For the people of Lithuania, however, cross-making and the carving of religious icons had been an important part of their cultural heritage. Today, UNESCO recognizes the act of cross-making as a “symbol of national and religious identity” to the Lithuanian people, but the Hill of Crosses represents something more: a place of unity in the face of adversity.
MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP via Getty ImagesPope John Paul II walking past the Hill of Crosses on September 7, 1993.
In 1993, only a mere two years after the people of Lithuania became able to openly practice their religion, Pope John Paul II visited the Hill of Crosses. While taking in the sight, the Pontiff declared the Hill of Crosses a place of “hope, peace, love and sacrifice.”
And Kryžių Kalnas came to represent a place of significant meaning not just for the people of Lithuania, but for religious devotees and pilgrims across the world.
“It doesn’t matter who you are, what religious confession you follow, or at what time you come, since the canonical rituals of the Church are not so important here,” said Rūta Stankuvienė, the director of the Šiauliai Tourism Information Center. “The doors of this place are always open because there are no doors at all. Here, nature mingles with culture, including any person in the completely unique experience.”
Officially, no single entity holds jurisdiction of the Hill of Crosses. The site is instead maintained by a handful of volunteers and a collection of organizations working to preserve the cultural and spiritual landmark.
After learning about Kryžių Kalnas, the Hill of Crosses, discover Semana Santa, the Christian celebration whose trappings look bizarre and scary to most outsiders at first.
