The Hill of Crosses is one of the attractions of Siauliai. Approximately 12 kilometers from the city center near the village Yurgyaychyay is this famous place in Lithuania and historical monument. The first mention of this unusual place there in the 16th century, although the settlement near it existed as early as the 13th century. By giving here in the 11-14 centuries, a castle, which burned down in 1348 and was not rebuilt.

About how there appeared the first cross, there are many legends. According to one legend, a father who lost his daughter and heartbroken, made with his own hands the cross of wood and carried it up the mountain. When he returned home, he saw his beloved daughter alive. Having learned about this miracle, the people of the neighboring villages began to bear their crosses on the Mount. According to another legend in 1831 there was an uprising and after the families of the victims brought here crosses. The third legend says that in the 19th century in the 70s there appeared the Blessed Virgin Mary with baby Jesus and is prompted to install the crosses. By the end of the 19th century formed the tradition of visiting and establishing cross on the mountain. Cross on the mountain was more and more, according to historical sources, in 1895 there were one hundred and eighty, in the early 20th century - more than 400, and in the middle of the 20th century more than 3,000.

By the early 20th century, this place was already known outside Lithuania, many people visited the Hill of Crosses, bringing and keeping his cross with the inscription. By 1961, it was on the Hill for more than 5,000 crosses, at this time decided to demolish the Hill of Crosses. Here come the bulldozers, metal crosses were scrapped, burnt wood and stone were thrown into the river. Because plague ads in the region, the road to the Hill of Crosses were closed, and the territory was not allowed to call. But no matter what crosses began to reappear on the Mountain, the inhabitants bring them at night. In 1988, it was a wonderful place to recover.

In our time on the Hill over a hundred thousand crosses of different sizes and from different materials. Some crosses more than one meter in height and covered with melenkimi pectoral cross. There are crosses made of wood, ceramic, clay, glass, there is even related patchwork and thread and so on. Together with crosses people leave photos, a rosary, a note asking. In 1993 he visited the Hill of Crosses and the Pope celebrated a solemn mass on it. Back in Italy, the Pope traveled to the Franciscan monastery and told about his trip. After that, the ministers of the monastery went to the mountain and offered to help the Lithuanians at the base of the monastery. In 2000, near the mountain was built a Franciscan monastery. Opposite the mountain cross stands a small chapel, and every summer in late July is held here the celebration of the Hill of Crosses.

While in Lithuania, be sure to dedicate time to visit the Hill of Crosses, this day will remain in your memory for a long time. Do not forget to take a cross to leave it on the Hill.