What is Hill of Crosses?
[[File:Kryžių kalnas (Góra Krzyży).JPG|thumb|400px|Hill of Crosses]] The '''Hill of Crosses''' ({{lang-lt|Kryžių kalnas}}) is a [[Lithuania]]n site of [[pilgrimage]]. It is about {{convert|12| km|abbr=off}} north of [[Šiauliai]], in northern [[Lithuania]]. No one knows when or why people started leaving crosses on the hill. It is believed that the first crosses were put up after the [[November Uprising|1831 Uprising]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1045549|accessdate=2014-03-23|title=The Hill of Crosses|publisher=[[CNN|CNN iReport]]}}{{Dead link|date=January 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> It was estimated that there were 55,000 crosses in 1990<ref>{{cite web|url=http://goista.com/the-hill-of-crosses-a-pilgrimage-tour-to-the-peaceful-endurance-of-catholicism/|accessdate=2014-03-23|title=The Hill of Crosses: A Pilgrimage Tour To the Peaceful Endurance of Catholicism|publisher=Goista|archive-date=2014-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140713220609/http://goista.com/the-hill-of-crosses-a-pilgrimage-tour-to-the-peaceful-endurance-of-catholicism/|url-status=dead}}</ref> and 100,000 in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://photoblog.nbcnews.com/_news/2011/09/04/7600231-hill-of-crosses-built-by-catholic-pilgrims-over-two-centuries-draws-in-many|accessdate=2014-03-23|title='Hill of Crosses' built by Catholic pilgrims over two centuries draws in many|publisher=[[NBC News]]}}</ref> On September 7, 1993, [[Pope John Paul II]] visited the site and declared it a place for hope, peace, love and sacrifice.<ref>{{cite book|author=Olsen, Brad|title=Sacred Places Europe: 108 Destinations|page=150}}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} ==Other websites== {{Commons category|Hill of Crosses}} *[http://kryziukalnas.lt/ Kryžių kalnas website] {{in lang|lt}} {{coord|56|00|55|N|23|25|00|E|region:LT_type:landmark|display=title}} [[Category:Buildings and structures in Lithuania]] {{multistub|Europe|religion}}