Šiauliai County

Šiauliai County in northern Lithuania is best known for one place: the Hill of Crosses, where hundreds of thousands of crosses stand packed side by side. But a trip to Šiauliai also takes you to the country's fourth-largest city, which calls itself the "City of the Sun," as well as to manor houses and churches set in a wide agricultural landscape.

Landscape and Location

The county stretches across the flat plains of central and northern Lithuania, between Samogitia (Žemaitija) in the west and Aukštaitija in the east. Fields, small forests, and rivers such as the Venta and the Mūša shape the landscape. Besides Šiauliai, the main towns are Radviliškis, Kelmė, Joniškis, Akmenė, and Pakruojis. The region is considered one of the most fertile in Lithuania.

Sights in Šiauliai County

The Hill of Crosses, Kryžių kalnas, lies about twelve kilometers north of Šiauliai on an old castle mound. Since the 19th century, pilgrims have been placing crosses, rosaries, and statues of saints here; during the Soviet era the hill was bulldozed several times, but the crosses always came back. Pope John Paul II visited the site in 1993. In Šiauliai, the golden statue of the archer on a column and a sundial commemorate the Battle of 1236, in which Lithuanians and Semigallians defeated the Livonian Brothers of the Sword. The city has unusual museums, including a bicycle museum and a cat museum, as well as the Rūta chocolate factory, which offers tastings. Pakruojis Manor is one of the largest manor complexes in Lithuania, and Kelmė has a manor house with a museum. The pedestrian zone on Vilniaus gatvė is lined with sculptures and cafés, and a lakeside path runs along Lake Talša. In Joniškis in the north, the Red and White Synagogues recall the region's Jewish heritage.

Food, Getting There, and Best Time to Visit

The cuisine is rustic: potato dishes, smoked meats, rye bread, and dairy products. Šiauliai is a rail hub with connections to Vilnius, Klaipėda, and Riga; the trip to Vilnius takes about two and a half hours. The best time to visit is May through September, when the city festival in September and summer events at Lake Talša take place.