Pagėgiai's hillfort, Šventkalnis, lies hidden 4 km west of Vilkyška. You reach it via a path through Greižėnai Barzūnuose. This monument, spanning from the 1st millennium BC to the 13th century, is steeped in archaeological history. Mapped as a hillfort in 1963, it rises with a square base oriented to the south. The base stands approximately 1.5 meters high and 11 meters wide. At its northern tip, a 1.5-meter high and 21-meter wide wall dominates. The fort's most striking feature is the 6.5-meter high tower at its northeastern corner, reaching a height of 18 meters. A 5-meter wide and 36-meter long terrace resides at the fort's western edge, separated from the hill's edge by a 17-meter wide and 1.2-meter high ditch. Anglo-Saxon pottery shards have been found at the site, hinting at a captivating tale yet to be fully uncovered, as the fort's second wall remains buried beneath the earth.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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