Hidden within the Lithuanian countryside, the worn remnants of Old Betygalos - or simply Betygalos piliakalnis - beckon with an air of mystery and intrigue. Its entrance, known as Krivio akis (The Twisted Maw), resembles the jaws of some deceased titan more than a regular gate. Brave past this carved-stone jaw, and what hidden secrets await within this Iron Age-Medieval relic?
A 1.5-meter-tall, 15-meter-wide ditch cleaves a circle through the land, while a 1-meter-wide, 1-meter-deep trench paves the way to the inner sanctum. Standing tall above this trench, the mounds rise 20 to 25 meters, hewn from earth and stone, silent sentinels to the craftsmen's inventiveness.
First unearthed in 1955, this square-shaped hillfort, oriented towards south and east, initially served agricultural functions. Abandoned to nature's slow conquest, it wasn't until 2017-2018 that renovations brought light once more to its dark corners. Now open to the public, Betygalos has earned a place on the Cultural Heritage Register (registration number 5566), enticing even the most curious wanderers along the path of history.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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