{"id":1210,"date":"2026-07-05T21:08:13","date_gmt":"2026-07-05T21:08:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/?p=1210"},"modified":"2026-07-05T21:08:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T21:08:22","slug":"mount-of-crosses-kryziu-kalnas-in-lithuania-where-it-is-located-history-how-many-crosses-how-to-get-there-and-what-to-see","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/?p=1210","title":{"rendered":"Mount of Crosses (Kry\u017ei\u016b kalnas) in Lithuania \u2014 where it is located, history, how many crosses, how to get there and what to see"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mountain of Crosses (Kry\u017ei\u016b kalnas)<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are places that cannot be assessed as ordinary tourist attractions. People don’t come here for beautiful photos or bright entertainment. This is exactly what the Mountain of Crosses (Kry\u017ei\u016b kalnas) in Lithuania has become for me. This place evokes completely different emotions \u2014 calmness, respect and a desire to stay a little longer just to be in silence.<\/strong><\/p>\n

At first glance, it seems that there is a small hill in front of you, but the closer you get, the more you understand the scale of what you saw. Thousands of crosses of different sizes are literally everywhere. Some are very small, others are taller than a man, wooden, metal, stone, old and brand new. Together they create an unusual picture that is difficult to compare with anything else.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Mount<\/p>\n

Mountain of Crosses (Kry\u017ei\u016b kalnas) Photo.1<\/p>\n

Where is the Mountain of Crosses<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Krestov Mountain is located in the north of Lithuania, about 12 kilometers from the city of Siauliai. Despite the name, this is not a real mountain, but a small hill, which eventually became completely covered with crosses.<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are several ways to get here. The most convenient option is a car. Buses from Siauliai also travel here, although you will have to walk a little from the stop. In summer, some travelers even come by bike, as the road is quite convenient.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What is a Mountain of Crosses<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The main feature of this place is the huge number of crosses erected by people from all over the world.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Everyone brings something of their own here. Someone leaves a cross in memory of a loved one, someone thanks for a fulfilled wish, others come with a prayer for the health, peace or well-being of the family. For many, this is not just a monument or landmark, but a place of deep spiritual significance.<\/strong><\/p>\n

When you walk between the rows of crosses, you involuntarily begin to notice the details. Some have small wooden crucifixes, while others have photographs, ribbons, or rosaries. Many crosses are signed with names or dates, and each of them hides someone’s personal story.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Mount<\/p>\n

Mountain of Crosses (Kry\u017ei\u016b kalnas)Photo.20<\/p>\n

The history of the Mountain of Crosses<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The exact origin of this place is still controversial, but most historians associate the appearance of the first crosses with the events of the 1831 uprising.<\/strong><\/p>\n

After the uprising was suppressed, many families did not know where their relatives were buried. People began to erect crosses in memory of the dead, gradually turning the hill into a symbol of sorrow and hope.<\/strong><\/p>\n

During the Soviet Union, the story got a new sequel. The authorities have repeatedly destroyed crosses, trying to completely remove this place. The hill was being bulldozed, crosses were being removed, and attempts were being made to close the area to the public.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But the same thing happened every time. After a few days or weeks, people brought new crosses again. This was often done at night to avoid harassment. Gradually, the Mountain of Crosses became a symbol of peaceful resistance, faith and the desire to preserve its history despite all prohibitions.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Today, this part of the story makes almost the strongest impression on me. Realizing how many times they tried to destroy this place, you begin to look at it in a completely different way.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Mount<\/p>\n

Mountain of Crosses (Kry\u017ei\u016b kalnas)Photo.3<\/p>\n

Visit of Pope John Paul II<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Mountain of Crosses gained new fame in 1993, when Pope John Paul II visited it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

During his visit, he held mass here and blessed this place. After that, the Mountain of Crosses became known far beyond the borders of Lithuania, and the flow of pilgrims and tourists increased significantly.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Today, people of different nationalities and faiths come here. Some \u2014 for religious reasons, others \u2014 to see one of the most unusual sights of Europe with their own eyes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Mount<\/p>\n

Mountain of Crosses (Kry\u017ei\u016b kalnas)Photo.4<\/p>\n

How many crosses are there on the Mountain of Crosses<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It is impossible to answer for sure.<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to various estimates, more than 100,000 crosses have been installed here today, and their number is constantly growing. Every year, visitors bring new ones.<\/strong><\/p>\n

You can see very small metal crosses the size of a palm, neat handmade wooden crucifixes and huge crosses several meters high. Despite such a variety, everything looks surprisingly harmonious.<\/strong><\/p>\n

As the wind picks up, hundreds of suspended crosses and metal crucifixes begin to ring softly. This barely audible sound creates a special atmosphere that cannot be conveyed by photographs.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The atmosphere of this place<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It’s probably the atmosphere that I remember the most.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It’s rarely noisy here. Even if there are a lot of people around, most of them talk in low voices. There is almost always a wind that passes between the crosses and makes this place even more unusual.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Everyone perceives the Mountain of Crosses in their own way. For some it is a religious shrine, for others a historical monument, and for others it comes just out of curiosity. But, as it seemed to me, almost no one leaves here indifferent.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Mount<\/p>\n

Mountain of Crosses (Kry\u017ei\u016b kalnas)Photo.5<\/p>\n

\"Mount<\/p>\n

Mountain of Crosses (Kry\u017ei\u016b kalnas)Photo.6<\/p>\n

\"Mount<\/p>\n

Mountain of Crosses (Kry\u017ei\u016b kalnas)Photo.7<\/p>\n

\"Mount<\/p>\n

Mountain of Crosses (Kry\u017ei\u016b kalnas)Photo.8<\/p>\n

\"Mount<\/p>\n

Mountain of Crosses (Kry\u017ei\u016b kalnas)Photo.9<\/p>\n

Useful information before visiting<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Visiting the Mountain of Crosses is completely free, and the territory itself is open around the clock.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Near the entrance there is a convenient parking, a small cafe and souvenir shops. If you want to leave your own cross here, you can bring it with you or purchase it on the spot. Many do so, continuing a tradition that has existed for almost two centuries.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A walk usually takes one or two hours, but a lot depends on how closely you like to look at such places. I wanted to walk slowly, stop and notice the details, which are really a lot here.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Is it worth going?<\/strong><\/p>\n

For me personally, the Mountain of Crosses has become one of the most unusual places in the Baltic States. There are no luxurious palaces, colorful attractions, or bustling tourist streets. Instead, it’s a story that you can literally see with your own eyes, and the atmosphere that people from all over the world come here for.<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you travel to Lithuania, be sure to set aside time for a trip here. Even if you are far from religion, this place helps to take your mind off the usual hustle and bustle for a while and reminds you of how strong human memory, faith and the desire to preserve your history can be.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mountain of Crosses (Kry\u017ei\u016b kalnas) There are places that cannot be assessed as ordinary tourist attractions. People don’t come here for beautiful photos or bright entertainment. This is exactly what the Mountain of Crosses (Kry\u017ei\u016b kalnas) in Lithuania has become for me. This place evokes completely different emotions \u2014 calmness, respect and a desire to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1211,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1210"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1210"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1210\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1210"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1210"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1210"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}