TOP are the most beautiful mounds in Lithuania – they offer breathtaking views

There are more than 900 artificial hills throughout Lithuania, on which castles once stood. Virginija Krunglevičienė, who visited more than 500 mounds and was interviewed by “Travel in Lithuania”, 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 such an 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 objects 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, Dalí 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, and then a gamble. As we have already visited so many things, we really want to finish it ”, the interviewee laughs about the goal of visiting all the Lithuanian mounds in the next two or three years.

Virginia says that in 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.

“When we go two mounds to visit the mounds, we feel separated from the people. While people who travel are always fun to meet, visiting there really manages to stay in pairs, with their thoughts, enjoy nature, escape 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 Merkin the 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. It is really very cute with me, so I am very happy that they are manipulating it. . It will be very interesting to see it resolved. “

Travel in Lithuania and the tourist information centers around the country, in turn, recommend some more wonderful places, surrounded by legends and lost in the extraordinary landscapes of the surroundings, and the official Lithuanian tourism website www.lithuania. travel offers an interactive mound map.

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. More information here.

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, so now Šeimyniškėliai is the most studied mound in Lithuania. More information here.

Cursed love: mound of Imbarė, district of Kretinga.

The mound of Imbarė with a fortress and a settlement was built on the first mill. pr. Kr. 2 and lasted until the 13th century. in the middle. Legend has it that the daughter of the lord 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. More information here.

Undiscovered treasure: Burbaičiai mound, Kelmė district.

The Burbaičiai Mound is located in 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. More information here.

Radvilas Footprint – 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. More information here.

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

Dubingiai Castle was important between the 14th and 18th centuries. Lithuanian Culture, Industry and Defense Center, reminiscent of the war with the Teutonic Order, the Reformation. The dubbing is inseparable from the story 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 Radvila Burial Pantheon have survived on the site of the longest lakeside castle in Lithuania: Asveja. There is also a nature trail with 6 observation stops. More information here.

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 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 on the mound before midnight, that there was atrocious treasure hidden in it. There are opinions that the mound was probably inhabited as early as the end of the first millennium BC. More information here.

Where Mindaugas – 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 sanctuary strewn with mythological stones and a spring considered a magical spring. 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, where Mindaugas was wounded. More information here.

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. At the foot of the mound was a large settlement of the Jotvingians, and a well-fortified wooden castle stood on the mound. The Prelomčiškės mound offers a breathtaking panorama of Lake Dusia. More information here.

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 marvelous beauty leads to the hill. Its length is 800 meters to one side. More information here.

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.