Vilnius & Siauliai, Lithuania

As my route was to go south towards Krakow, Poland, my next stop after Riga was Vilnius, Lithuania. However, before arriving in Vilnius, I stopped off in Šiauliai, Lithuania. I departed Riga at 6:00 am by bus ($17 CAD), and arrived in Šiauliai at approximately 8:25 am. I stopped off in Šiauliai because I read about a really neat spot called the Hill of Crosses. From the Šiauliai bus station I took a taxi, and asked the man how much it would be to take me there, wait, and bring me back to the same bus station. I only really wanted to see the spot, and walk around for a few minutes. I think I paid around 20-30 euros, but I am sure you can bargain if you know Lithuanian. Regardless, I thought this was a good price and jumped in. It was located 12 km away from the small town of Šiauliai and took about 15-20 minutes by car.

Standing on a small hill are thousands of crosses that represent Christian devotion, and a memorial to Lithuanian national identity. The tradition of placing crosses dates back to 1236, due to foreign invaders. Since the medieval period, it has represented a peaceful resistance of Lithuanian Catholicism to oppression and a story of faith and healing.

Unfortunately the city of Šiauliai was captured by Germany in WWII, and suffered heavy damage when Soviet Russia retook it at the war’s end. From 1944 until Lithuania’s independence in 1991, Šiauliai was a part of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic of the USSR. This hill served as a vital expression of Lithuanian nationalism and healing for those whose lives were lost. As such, the Soviets constantly removed Christian crosses placed on the hill by Lithuanians as a way to “remove” their religion and nationalism. The hill was burned/destroyed three times, and the area was covered with waste and sewage. Following these events, inhabitants and pilgrims from all over Lithuania rapidly replaced crosses upon the sacred hill. Not until 1985 was the Hill of Crosses finally left in peace. Every year it is visited by many thousands of pilgrims from all over the world, while Pope John Paul II also visited the hill in 1993. Today, it remains to serve the same function, however it is also said that the hill is a miracle. By placing a cross on the hill, it can cure loved ones that are sick.

Visiting this site was one of the most humbling, surreal experiences that I have ever done. I am not that religious, but the presence of so many thousands of crosses placed by people from all over the world in hope and sorrow was extremely powerful. It was a little creepy (also due to the weather, and amount of snails on the ground), but it was truly a remarkable experience. In a world being ripped apart by religion, it’s sometimes hard to take a beat and appreciate its uplifting powers. It is more than just a hill, with crosses spread out around it in all directions. I found the sheer volume of crosses, and religious figures overwhelming as they came in all shapes, sizes, materials, etc. There was rosary dangling, along with wind chimes, and different inscriptions all to commemorate the need for hope. While it is certainly an original and fascinating cultural site, the Hill of Crosses was just one of a number of memorable experiences that made Lithuania a highlight of my trip to the Baltic’s.

After placing my own cross on the hill, and spending about an hour and 15 minutes at the Hill of Crosses (again my taxi driver literally drove me right in front of the hill), I boarded a bus to Vilnius at 12:22 pm ($13 CAD). I arrived in Vilnius at 2:27 pm and had the whole day to explore as I had booked an overnight bus to Warsaw, Poland.

During my day in Vilnius, I realized that the city had so much to offer. I regret not spending more time, as there was so much to do and see. Amber was huge, a long with beetroot. Since I was carrying my backpack, I didn’t want to go into too many ‘touristy’ areas as security would have been annoying and difficult, along with the added amount on my back.

Vilnius is a multi-ethnic city – Lithuanians, Polish, and of course, a big community of Jews. Vilnius has such a large thriving population of Jews, it is dubbed the Jerusalem of the North by Napoleon. Like all too many cities across Europe, its Jewish population was largely wiped out under Nazi occupation.

In 2004, Lithuania joined the EU and its relations with European neighbors have been positive. It is yet another one of Europe’s best kept secrets. Vilnius is a cute, quirky capital, with a strong multicultural vibe to experience and explore. It is very inexpensive compared to Western standards, and found that it was the least expensive capital city on my trip through the Baltics. Aside from gorgeous architecture, there are also a number of interesting museums such as the Museum of Genocide Victims, along with the Jewish State Museum. There was honestly so much to do, see and experience that I will definitely be coming back.