Most creepy places in the world to travel
The Hill of Crosses, Kryzių Kalnas, located 12 kilometers north of the tiny industrial city of Siauliai (pronounced shoo-lay) is that the Lithuanian national pilgrimage center. Standing upon a little hill are many many thousands of crosses that represent Christian devotion and a memorial to Lithuanian national identity.
The city of Siauliai was founded in 1236 and occupied by Teutonic Knights during the 14th century. The tradition of placing crosses dates from this era and doubtless first arose as a logo of Lithuanian defiance of foreign invaders. Since the medieval period, Capitol Hill of Crosses has represented the peaceful resistance of Lithuanian Catholicism to oppression. Many crosses were erected upon Capitol Hill after the peasant uprising of 1831-63. By 1895, there has been a minimum of 150 large crosses, in 1914 200, and by 1940 there have been 400 large crosses surrounded by thousands of smaller ones
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Captured by Germany in war II, the town suffered heavy damage when Soviet Russia retook it at the war's end. From 1944 until Lithuania's independence in 1991, Siauliai was a neighborhood of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic of the USSR. During the Soviet era, the pilgrimage to Capitol Hill of Crosses served as an important expression of Lithuanian nationalism. The Soviets repeatedly removed Christian crosses placed on Capitol Hill by Lithuanians. 3 times, during 1961, 1973 and 1975, Capitol Hill was leveled, the crosses were burned or became rubbish, and therefore the area was covered with waste and sewage. Following each of those desecrations local inhabitants and pilgrims from everywhere, Lithuania rapidly replaced crosses upon the sacred hill. In 1985, Capitol Hill of Crosses was finally left in peace. The reputation of the sacred hill has since spread everywhere the planet and each year it's visited by many thousands of pilgrims. Pope John Paul II visited Capitol Hill of Crosses in September of 1993.
The size and sort of crosses are as amazing as their number. An hour spent upon the sacred hill will reveal crosses brought by Christian pilgrims from all around the world. Rosaries, pictures of Jesus and therefore the saints, and pictures of Lithuanian patriots also decorate the larger crosses.
The city of Siauliai was founded in 1236 and occupied by Teutonic Knights during the 14th century. The tradition of placing crosses dates from this era and doubtless first arose as a logo of Lithuanian defiance of foreign invaders. Since the medieval period, Capitol Hill of Crosses has represented the peaceful resistance of Lithuanian Catholicism to oppression. Many crosses were erected upon Capitol Hill after the peasant uprising of 1831-63. By 1895, there has been a minimum of 150 large crosses, in 1914 200, and by 1940 there have been 400 large crosses surrounded by thousands of smaller ones
.
Captured by Germany in war II, the town suffered heavy damage when Soviet Russia retook it at the war's end. From 1944 until Lithuania's independence in 1991, Siauliai was a neighborhood of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic of the USSR. During the Soviet era, the pilgrimage to Capitol Hill of Crosses served as an important expression of Lithuanian nationalism. The Soviets repeatedly removed Christian crosses placed on Capitol Hill by Lithuanians. 3 times, during 1961, 1973 and 1975, Capitol Hill was leveled, the crosses were burned or became rubbish, and therefore the area was covered with waste and sewage. Following each of those desecrations local inhabitants and pilgrims from everywhere, Lithuania rapidly replaced crosses upon the sacred hill. In 1985, Capitol Hill of Crosses was finally left in peace. The reputation of the sacred hill has since spread everywhere the planet and each year it's visited by many thousands of pilgrims. Pope John Paul II visited Capitol Hill of Crosses in September of 1993.
The size and sort of crosses are as amazing as their number. An hour spent upon the sacred hill will reveal crosses brought by Christian pilgrims from all around the world. Rosaries, pictures of Jesus and therefore the saints, and pictures of Lithuanian patriots also decorate the larger crosses.
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