Jurgaičiai is a village near Šiauliai where the famous Lithuanian Hill of Crosses is located.
The village has existed since the Middle Ages. In its vicinity, Samogitia were baptized. In memory of this event, a chapel and a cross were built here in 1430. The revival of the pilgrimage movement took place after 1831, after the fall of the November Uprising. Numerous Lithuanians began to come to Jurgaičiai, bringing with them more crosses. In this way, the Hill of Crosses was created in the following years, an extraordinary monument of faith and patriotism.
The Hill of Crosses, the biggest attraction of Jurgaičiai and Šiauliai, is still a place visited by crowds of tourists and pilgrims. As calculated, there are currently approx. 50 thousand. crosses, and with each passing year there are more and more of them.
