Birutė’s Hill
During a walk in one of the most beautiful places in Palanga – Birutė Park – you should visit Birutė Hill. Here, on the former land of the Tiškevičius estate, the centuries-old Birutė pine forest, considered sacred, has been preserved intact and surrounds the legendary Birutė Hill, which rises 21 metres above sea level and offers a beautiful view of the sparkling sea.
Surrounded by nature, you will not only have a great time, but your mind will also be transported back to ancient times – people have lived here for a very long time, as evidenced by the fact that pottery from the 1st millennium BC has been found on the hill. A Curonian settlement complex usually consisted of a castle, one or more settlements and a cave. The castle and cave on Birutė Hill date from the 10th and 13th centuries, and there was a village at the foot of the hill. At the end of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th centuries, a defensive wall was built on the hill, which was probably burnt down during the battles with the Crusaders.
Later, a pagan sanctuary with a palaeoastronomical observatory was built here. The shrine is associated with the name of Vaidilutė Birutė, wife of Duke Kęstutis and mother of Vytautas. It is said that she lived here, lit the sacred fire and was buried here after her death.
In 1869, a neo-Gothic chapel designed by the architect K. Majeris was built on the top of Birutė Hill. In 1976 the chapel was decorated with stained glass windows by the artist L. Pocius.
Vytauto g. 21, Palanga
