The 10 most beautiful Lithuanian mounds, which will reward you with an extraordinary landscape

There are more than 900 man-made hills throughout Lithuania, on which castles were once erected, according to a press release. Virginija Krunglevičienė, who visited up to 500 mounds, says that visiting them is a great activity for those who are bored, love Lithuanian nature, or just want to stay with them. When asked how she embarked on that adventure, the woman who works as an EU project coordinator and public procurement specialist says it all started with the challenge of visiting as many of these facilities as possible, which was launched in 2017 by the Directorate of the Kaunas Lagoon Regional Park. That year, together with his life partner Dalia Konstantinavičius, he visited 375 mounds by car and motorcycle.

“At that time, Dali and I had a lot of free time, we had just moved into an apartment, the nights were long and gloomy. It made us think that we both love to travel and we decided to go. At first it was a distraction, a game for us and then a gamble. As we have already visited so much, we really want to finish it ”, the interviewee laughs about the goal of visiting all Lithuanian mounds in the next two or three years.

Virginia says that during the game’s first year, the pair visited the mounds every weekend, sometimes even traversing 15-20 objects, but now they travel for pleasure, choose other routes, and, as she says, they always have something to do. do.

“When we travel two mounds to visit the mounds, we feel separated from the people. While traveling people are always fun to meet, visiting there really manages to stay for two, with your thoughts, enjoying nature, escaping from meetings. So this way of traveling can be perfectly adapted during quarantine, ”says the woman.

When asked which places it is simply impossible to miss, Virginia offers to visit her beloved Merkinė and the discovery of the Kačėniškės mound: “My favorite is the Merkinė mound. I used to work in Dzūkija National Park, so I would visit the mound almost every day, come for a walk and a walk. He’s really very cute with me, so I’m also very happy that he’s being manipulated. It will be very interesting to see it resolved. “

Travel through Lithuania and the tourist information centers around the country, in turn, recommend some more wonderful places, surrounded by legends and making you cry for the extraordinary landscapes that surround you.

1. The Secret of the Invisible Dogs – Vieškūnai Mound, Kaunas

The Vieškūnai mound in Palemonas, also called the Amaliai mound or Šuneliškės hill, was discovered only in 1992. Probably precisely because it has been unknown for a long time, it is one of the best-preserved mounds in Lithuania. It dates from the 14th century. On the other hand. It is believed that the barking of dogs is played here, which is why it is called Šuneliškės Hill. At all times of the year, the mound offers a magnificent view of the lagoon, the sandy slopes and the Lithuanian baroque pearl – the Pažaislis monastery.

2. Where was Mindaugas Castle: Šeimyniškėliai mound, Anykščiai

The Šeimyniškėliai mound is surrounded by two deep valleys with streams Varelis and Volupis. On this mound in the 13th century. In the mid-19th century, a wooden state castle guarded the northern border of the Lithuanian state. It was the largest castle in eastern Lithuania, presumably the site of the Mindaugas Voruta castle. Since 1990 even the mound of the 19 stations was systematically excavated by the archaeologist dr. Gintautas Zabiela with assistants, making Šeimyniškėliai now the most studied mound in Lithuania.

3. Cursed love: mound of Imbarė, district of Kretinga.

Imbarė mound with a fortress and a settlement built on the first mill. pr. Kr. 2 and lasted until the 13th century. in the middle. A legend tells that the daughter of the ruler of the castle fell in love and released the crucifix imprisoned in the tower. His mother charmed the virgin. Only a violinist who swears to love could become the girl’s savior. Such a young man appeared, but he got tired of playing only the chosen one. As soon as he played for passersby, the castle collapsed and there was only a deep well left to scream on the hill. Since then, people have started calling the castle and its surroundings Imbar. From the Imbarė mound to the village of Klanalis, there is a hiking and cycling route with a length of about 2 km.

4. Undiscovered treasure: Burbaičiai mound, Kelmė district.

The Burbaičiai Mound is located on the lands of the Samogitian tribes, on a hill on the north shore of Lake Bridvaišis, an ancient lake island. Dated I Pig. Legend has it that there are masonry cellars and a treasure hidden in the mound, and that a rock leads from the shore to the island of the lake. Others agree that the mound communicates with the dungeons of the church through secret paths.

5. Radvilų Trail – Šeimyniškės Mound, Utena District.

Šeimyniškės Mound is one of the most beautiful and largest mounds in Lithuania, surrounded by the Pilius and Pilupis streams. The site of the castle dates back to the first millennium – 15th century. Užpaliai Castle, which was the most important border fortress in eastern Lithuania, was on the mound. His alternate was Astikas, the pioneer of the Radvila family. The castle, together with the ten surrounding mounds (within a radius of 8 kilometers) formed a powerful defensive system.

6. Where Barbora Radvilaitė – Dubingiai mound, Molėtai district, wrote love letters.

Dubingiai Castle was important in the 14th and 18th centuries. Lithuanian Culture, Industry and Defense Center, reminiscent of the war with the Teutonic Order, the Reformation. Dubies are inseparable from the history of the rise and prosperity of the Radvila family. Fragments of the Radvila Palace, where Barbora Radvilaitė corresponded with Sigismund Augustus, and the site of the former Evangelical Reformed Church with the Funerary Pantheon of Radvila have survived on the site of the longest lakeside castle in Lithuania: Asveja. There is also a nature trail with 6 observation stops.

7. For fans of active leisure: Budeliai mound, Kaišiadorys district.

The famous geographer Česlovas Kudaba considered the Budeliai mound to be one of the most beautiful mounds in the Neris. Suitable for active nature lovers – no stairs yet, the slopes of the mound are steep, but worth the climb. The Budeliai mound is one of the most visual in the Kaišiadorys district with a beautiful view of the Neris, its curve and its surroundings. People said that a fire had burned in the mound before midnight, that an atrocious treasure was hidden in it. There are opinions that the mound was probably inhabited as early as the end of the first millennium BC.

8. Where Mindaugas was injured – Lopaičiai Mound, Rietavas d.

One of the most mystical places in Lithuania is the entire historical complex: the Lopaičiai mound, which consists of a mound, an ancient Samogitian strewn shrine, mythological stones and a spring considered a miracle. It is believed that there were once priestly properties here. The Lopaičiai mound, connected, is the site of the Tvarmenė (12th century) of the castle of Duke Vykintas of Samogitian, near which Mindaugas was wounded.

9. Dzūkai seaside hill: Prelomčiškės mound, Lazdijai district.

The Prelomčiškės mound is the legacy of the Jotvingians who lived here in the 13th century. It is one of the largest and most impressive mounds in the Meteliai Regional Park, located on the western shore of Lake Dusia. There was a large Jotvingian settlement at the foot of the mound, and a well-fortified wooden castle stood on the mound. The Prelomčiškės mound offers a breathtaking panorama of Lake Dusia.

10. Between swamps and lakes: Kačėniškės mound

The Kačėniškės mound was once built on a ridge on the shore of the Mergežeris, 222 meters above sea level. The mound was inhabited in two stages: in the late striped pottery period (end of the 1st millennium BC) and in the early rough pottery period (early 1st millennium – mid 1st millennium). On the one hand, its slope flows into the lake, and on the west there is a marsh, through which a hiking route of astonishing beauty leads up to the hill. Its length is 800 meters to one side.

The full list of mounds and their map can be found here.

The National Agency for Tourism Promotion “Travel in Lithuania” encourages you to travel responsibly and follow the government’s recommendations: wear protective masks, observe hygiene etiquette and safe social distance.