The Hill of Crosses

The Hill of Crosses is in Lithuania.  The precise origin of the practice of leaving crosses on the hill is uncertain, but it is believed that the first crosses were placed on or around the Spring of 1831.

Poles and Lithuanians unsuccessfully rebelled against Russian authorities in 1831-1863. These two uprisings are connected with the beginnings of the hill: as families could not locate bodies of perished rebels, they started putting up symbolic crosses in place of a former hill fort. When the old political structure of Eastern Europe fell apart in 1918, Lithuania once again fought for it's own independence. Throughout this time, the Hill of Crosses was used as a place for Lithuanians to pray for peace, for their country 

The Hill of Crosses took on a special significance during the years 1944–1990, when  the Soviet Union invaded.  Continuing to travel to the Hill and leave their tributes, Lithuanians used it to demonstrate their allegiance to their original identity, religion and heritage. It was a venue of peaceful resistance, although the Soviets worked hard to remove new crosses, and bulldozed the site at least three times (including attempts in 1963 and 1973).  There were even rumors that the authorities planned to build a dam on the nearby Kulvė River, a tributary to the river Musa so that the hill would end up under water. On September 7, 1993, Pope John Paul II visited the Hill of Crosses, declaring it a place for hope, peace, love and sacrifice.