Three Crosses

Vilnius, Lithuania

Three Crosses is a monument designed by Polish–Lithuanian architect and sculptor Antoni Wiwulski in 1916. It was torn down in 1950 by order of the Soviet Union authorities. A new monument designed by Henrikas Šilgalis was erected in its place in 1989.

There has been three wooden crosses on the hill at least since 1636. The origins of the monument are explained in a fictitious legend, written in the Bychowiec Chronicle among others, according to which seven Franciscan monks, who were invited to Vilnius from Podolia by Petras Goštautas, were tortured to death (crucified and thrown into the Vilnia River, according to some sources) on 4 March 1333 by local pagan inhabitants. The chapel was erected on the spot where they died and the crosses were added later on.

A spectacular panorama of the Vilnius Old Town can be observed from top of the hill.

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Founded: 1636
Category: Statues in Lithuania

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Cirrus Sanofi (2 years ago)
Great lookout point, easy to get there, there is an asphalt road. However, it was currently closed and fenced, but it was possible to get there, and there were still quite a few people. I was there in the evening, so I had the opportunity to see Vilnius at night from that place. I definitely recommend. However, it would be better if they wrote down below the hill that it is closed and it is not possible to officially get there.
F. Stewart (2 years ago)
Well worth the climb up the 300 stairs to get to the three crosses monument and view over Vilnius. Not wheelchair friendly. Stop any time going up and enjoy the forrest.
Don Abeysekera (2 years ago)
Bit of incline to get to the top but really worth climbing. There are multiple routes which you can go up from and most of them have stairs so you don’t need special shoes to go up. It’s only a little shorter than the Vilnius University tower but you get a panoramic view of the Vilnius city and it’s very pretty at night as well.
Chandra Kanth Reddy (2 years ago)
This is another place to get good views of city. Its a short hike but worth the view. From here you will also Gediminas tower
ShawnCZek (2 years ago)
This is a must to visit! Up to the monument, there is a marked and paved trail with wooden stairs across the forest, too. It is a lovely place to just walk around, and the views from up here are breathtaking! I definitely recommend going here in the morning as otherwise, you will be taking pictures into the sun. And I would have imagined it is much less busy during the morning, too; I practically met no one during my walk.
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