*WS29 - the Hill of Crosses at Siauliai, Lithuania*
Siauliai is a small town in north-west Lithuania and 12 km north of the town is the famous "Hill of Crosses". Yes, a forest of crosses, and crucifixes. We were here in 2011.
They were first planted some 150 years ago as a site to remember the fallen heroes in fighting the invaders, and later victims of the Nazis and the Soviet communists. There were many cleaning operations to get rid of them by the communist regime. But people keep coming back to plant them.
And how many crosses? Over 200,000 according to some estimates. The increase since 1990 (when Lithuania gained her independence) is exponential.
The tallest may be 6 or 7 meters. Many are tinny ones. Pope John Paul II planted one in 1993. Only the bigger ones are planted into the ground. Most of the smaller ones were hang onto the bigger ones. Mostly wooden. A very unique site.
Siauliai is a small town in north-west Lithuania and 12 km north of the town is the famous "Hill of Crosses". Yes, a forest of crosses, and crucifixes. We were here in 2011.
They were first planted some 150 years ago as a site to remember the fallen heroes in fighting the invaders, and later victims of the Nazis and the Soviet communists. There were many cleaning operations to get rid of them by the communist regime. But people keep coming back to plant them.
And how many crosses? Over 200,000 according to some estimates. The increase since 1990 (when Lithuania gained her independence) is exponential.
The tallest may be 6 or 7 meters. Many are tinny ones. Pope John Paul II planted one in 1993. Only the bigger ones are planted into the ground. Most of the smaller ones were hang onto the bigger ones. Mostly wooden. A very unique site.
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