Lithuania · Hill of Crosses

Issue date4 Nov 2020

Total mintage500,000

EU maximum500,000

Editions2

Edge letteringLAISVĖ ★ VIENYBĖ ★ GEROVĖ ★

InscriptionLIETUVA / 2020 / KRYŽIŲ KALNAS / RJL

DesignerRytas Jonas Belevičius

mintUAB Lietuvos monetų kalykla, Vilnius (Lithuania)

Issue occasion

The commemorative coin is dedicated to the UNESCO cultural heritage site Kryžių kalnas (Hill of Crosses). The design depicts fragments of wooden crosses and forged crosses as symbols of Lithuanian cross-making and Lithuanian folk culture. Lithuania’s cross-making and cross symbolism are included on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The design

The coin’s design depicts the Hill of Crosses: fragments of wooden crosses and forged crosses symbolizing Lithuanian cross-crafting and Lithuanian folk culture. Lithuanian cross-crafting and cross symbolism were inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The inscription “LIETUVA” (Lithuania) and the year of issue “2020” appear in the upper part of the coin’s inner section; the inscription “KRYŽIŲ KALNAS” (Hill of Crosses) and the mark of the Lithuanian Mint appear in the lower part. The coin was designed by Rytas Jonas Belevičius.

The outer ring of the coin bears the twelve stars of the European flag.

Background on the topic

The Hill of Crosses (Berg der Kreuze) is located near Šiauliai in northern Lithuania. It is not a natural mountain, but a small hill on which believers have placed crosses, crucifixes, rosaries and other devotional objects over generations. The exact beginning of this tradition has not been clearly established. It is often associated with commemorating those who died or went missing in the uprisings against Russian rule in the 19th century. Later, crosses were added as thanks for answered prayers, in memory of relatives or as expressions of personal petitions.

During Soviet rule, the site became a symbol of religious and national self-assertion. State authorities had the crosses removed and the grounds cleared several times. Nevertheless, people repeatedly erected new crosses there. This practice combined the Catholic faith, which is deeply rooted in Lithuania, with resistance to state-imposed hostility towards religion and to the restriction of Lithuanian identity.

After the restoration of Lithuanian independence, the hill once again developed into a freely accessible pilgrimage site. Pope Johannes Paul II visited it in 1993 and celebrated a service there. Since then, pilgrims and visitors from other countries have also brought crosses, meaning that the collection is constantly changing.

Strictly speaking, UNESCO recognition does not concern the hill as a built World Heritage site, but rather the tradition of cross-making practised in Lithuania. In addition to crosses, this includes wayside shrines, small chapels and richly decorated wooden posts. Their design combines Christian symbols with traditional plant, sun and geometric motifs. The knowledge is passed on by woodcarvers and blacksmiths.

The choice of the coin thus combines a specific commemorative site with a living craft and religious practice. At the same time, it refers to experiences of foreign rule, persecution and renewed state independence.