The Hill of Crosses
Project developed with Marco Gehlhar
In northern Lithuania, just outside the city of Siauliai, surrounded by the characteristic Lithuanian flatland and little creeks, stands the Kryžių Kalnas or The Hill of Crosses. This small hill is mantled with more than 100.000 crosses in various shapes, sizes and materials. It stands not only as a pilgrimage site for Catholics who come from all over the world to place a cross there, but also as an anthropological site. It provides a mirror of the country's recent history and it represents a true symbol of faith and a monument to freedom.
Today the hill stands for Lithuanian spiritual culture. With its ever-increasing number of crosses it represents an “autogenerative” folk creation. Artistic crosses by famous Lithuanian sculptors stand out alongside modest and simple crosses as well as more kitsch ones. In the face of their spiritual and votive essence, however, all the different crosses are rendered equal.