Betygalos II piliakalnis, also known as Alkos or Aukos kalnas, is a hillfort located in the Raseiniai district. It is a cultural heritage site situated about 300 metres south of the area's first hillfort. The site sits in a bend of the Dubysa river, characterized by a steep slope rising 18 to 25 metres high from the valley floor.
Archaeologists identify this second hillfort as likely being the fortified outer bailey of the first fort. The site features a nearly triangular courtyard measuring 107x73 m. Along the slope, there is a semi-oval ditch that is 90 metres long, 16 metres wide, and 3 metres deep. In the cemetery area of the slope stands the pentagonal Jankovskių chapel, built between 1860 and 1866.
Historical records provide specific context for the location. In 1203, the Chronicles of the Order of the Cross first mentioned Alkakalnis (Aukos kalnas) during the movements of the Crusaders. Written sources from the 13th and 14th centuries also mention a castle called Aukaimis. Archaeological excavations dating back to 1909 have been conducted on the site, with the resulting finds preserved in the Lithuanian National Museum.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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