How to Visit the Hill of Crosses in Siauliai, Lithuania

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I think it’s fair to say that Lithuania doesn’t have too many attractions that are immediately iconic and well-known. However, the Hill of Crosses outside the city of Siauliai has to be one of the few. It is after all a sight like no other – thousands and thousands of crosses sprawling over a hill. Despite it being one of the first places I heard of in Lithuania, it wasn’t until my second Lithuania trip that I had the chance to visit Siauliai and the Hill of Crosses.

Many people often stop at the Hill of Crosses as they pass through from Vilnius to Riga by car or on a tour. Since I was travelling by bus to see this impressive attraction meant first visiting Siauliai. So, if you want to do a Hill of Crosses day trip from Siauliai, this is how it’s done.

How to Get There

It’s really important to realise that the Hill of Crosses isn’t in the city of Šiauliai itself. The site is actually found a little over 10km north of the city near the village of Domantai. This means that visiting the Hill of Crosses isn’t just a quick thing, but more like a half-day trip.

Without a car, the easiest the way to get to the Hill of Crosses is by local bus. At the Siauliai Bus Station, take the bus to Joniskis and get off at the Domantai stop. Timetables can be found here and the bus tickets bought from the driver only cost 0.90€ which is super cheap!

You’ll be let out on the side of this major road and then have to walk about 20-25 minutes along a country road to reach the site. If you’re not sure, tell the driver in advance where you want to go, but they may have guessed as mine did, and if it’s during summer you may not be the only tourist on the bus. Also worth knowing is that the site’s name in Lithuanian is “Kryžių kalna”.

If all that sounds too hard, a tour is the way to go and you have plenty of choices. Not only are there full day tours from Vilnius, there are also tours from Riga. But perhaps the most useful are the transit tours in either direction that let you see the Hill of Crosses as you travel between the two capitals.

Visiting the Hill of Crosses

You’ll know you’ve arrived when you find a big car park by the side of the road. Upon reaching the visitors centre, you’ll pay your entry fee, pass some information boards and cross under the road.

In front of you will look like a pretty basic field and you might wonder how far a walk it is. But it’s actually right in front of you, it’s just hard to make out. The Hill of Crosses is one of those sights that doesn’t look too impressive from afar. Once you’re up close though, wow it’s a different story.

Experiencing the Hill of Crosses

One of the great things about this incredible place is that no one really knows why the practice first started. It’s agreed the tradition has been going since 1831 during the Uprising against the Russian Tsars. Slowly more crosses and crucifixes were left on the hill over the years and now there are as many as 200,000 crosses on this small hill.

While it makes sense that it would become a regional pilgrimage site, it has long been a symbol of rebellion and defiance. During the Soviet Era where religious freedom was quashed, locals would sneak up to the hill under the cover of darkness and add more crosses to the site. In response, the Soviets bulldozed the hill several times to suppress this religious expression. And yet, not long after there were new crosses, crucifixes and rosaries on the site.

Even if you’re not Christian or religious it’s hard to not be impressed with a Hill of Crosses day trip. Walking around the hill is such a visual overload and its story is incredibly compelling and telling of Lithuania’s culture and history. It’s not going to fill a day of your travels all on its own, but I wouldn’t miss it given the opportunity.

Visiting Siauliai in Lithuania

Even though most people only see it as being the home to the Hill of Crosses, the city of Siauliai is certainly more than that. If you have the time, it’s worth at least spending a little time looking around to see the other sights of Siauliai. Even though there were some significant urban renewal projects going on during my visit, I’m sure they’re long done now.

For starters there’s the nice long pedestrian Vilniaus Street, which features sculptures and nice leafy trees. It’s also where you’ll find loads of cafes, bars and restaurants for in the evening once you’re back from the Hill of Crosses.

One of the big landmarks of the city is the gleaming white Šiauliai Cathedral seen above. Right across the street from here you’ll also find a pleasant city park sitting out the front of City Hall. Don’t expect Siauliai to quite match the depth and charm of Vilnius or Kaunas, but it’s still a place worth exploring.

Had you ever heard of the Hill of Crosses before? Are you now interested in visiting Siauliai to see it? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.