A Journey Through Ancient Gargždai: An Aikštele Hillfort

Known as Kalniškės piliakalnis or Gargždų piliakalnis, this ancient hillfort lies in the Anielina region, about two miles southwest of Gargždai. Its northern compartment, about 30 by 13 meters, is the smaller of the two, while the southern compartment, about 70 by 30 meters, is more expansive. Built in the 13th century, the site is home to the 13th-century Gargždai castle. Archaeological findings suggest that the site was inhabited before the Middle Ages.

These discoveries include Roman coins, a medieval pottery workshop, an iron smithy, and evidence of habitation from pre-Middle Age times. The hillfort was excavated in 1998 and 1999 and has been listed in the Cultural Heritage Inventory of the Lithuanian SSR, published in 1973, and the Cultural Heritage Inventory of the Lithuanian Republic, published in 1993. Restoration work was carried out in 2019 to address eroding walls. The hillfort is covered with vegetation and is named Raganine, signifying an ancient Lithuanian settlement.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons