imported>Respublik at 22:33, 31 December 2024

2024-12-31T22:33:27Z

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{{Short description|Park in Vilniius, Lithuania}}

{{Infobox park
| name = Kalnų Park
| photo = 318 vilnius Old Town (21019708031).jpg
| photo_width = 300
| photo_caption = View of [[Gediminas Hill]] and Kalnai Park
| type = Public park
| location = Vilnius, Lithuania
| map = Lithuania Vilnius
| map_width =
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Location near central Vilnius
| coords = {{Coord|54|41|13|N|25|18|4|E|display=title}}
| area = {{convert|61|acre|ha}}
| created =
| operator = Directorate of the State Cultural Reserve of Vilnius Castles
| visitation_num =
| status = Open year round
| website =
}}

[[File:Kalnų_park_estrada,_June_2019.jpg|thumb|Stage in Kalnų Park]]
[[File:Vilnius Three Crosses.jpg|thumb|Three Crosses on the Crooked Hill]]
'''Kalnai Park''' ({{langx|lt|Kalnų parkas}}, literally: ''Park of Hills'') is a {{convert|24.5|ha|adj=on}} park between the left bank of the [[Neris River]] and right bank of the [[Vilnia River]] in [[Vilnius]], [[Lithuania]]. It lies within the [[Vilnius Old Town]] [[elderate]] near [[Gediminas Hill]] and [[Gediminas Tower]], and is part of the {{ill|lt=State Cultural Reserve of Vilnius Castles|Vilniaus pilių kultūrinis rezervatas|lt}}, established in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vilniauspilys.lt/index.php?cid=550|publisher=State Cultural Reserve of Vilnius Castles|title=The State Cultural Reserve of Vilnius Castles|accessdate=2009-01-26}}</ref> The park hosts various events, including concerts, political rallies, and sporting competitions. Its name reflects the presence of four prominent hills (''kalnai''): Crooked Hill, Table Hill, Bekes Hill, and the Hill of [[Gediminas]]'s Grave.

==History==
[[File:Bekesh Hill.jpg|thumb|Remains of Bekes Hill (on the right) before it was washed away entirely]]
Archeologists have hypothesized that the {{convert|162|m|adj=on}} Crooked Hill (also known as Bleak Hill and Three Crosses Hill) housed the wooden [[Crooked Castle]], which was destroyed during the [[Lithuanian Civil War (1389–1392)]] and never rebuilt.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vilniauspilys.lt/triju14|title=Trijų kryžių kalnas|publisher=Directorate of the State Cultural Reserve of Vilnius Castles|accessdate=2009-01-25|quote=Tyrinėtojai R. Batūra, A. Tautavičius, [[Kazys Napoleonas Kitkauskas|N. Kitkauskas]], S. Lasavickas, V. Daugutis ir kiti kėlė hipotezę, kad čia galėjo būti trečioji Vilniaus gynybinė pilis, vadinama Kreivąja. Ji buvo sudeginta per Vytauto ir Jogailos tarpusavio kovas 1390 m. ir nebeatstatyta.|language=lt|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011023118/http://www.vilniauspilys.lt/triju14|archive-date=2007-10-11|url-status=dead}}</ref> This [[hill fort]] was damaged by erosion and by construction of fortifications during the 17th and 18th centuries. According to a legend, seven [[Franciscan]] friars attempting to [[Christianization of Lithuania|convert Lithuania to Christianity]] were murdered there during the reign of Duke [[Algirdas]]. In some versions of the legend, three of the monks were crucified.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://europa.eu/newsletter/archives2004/issue31/index_en.htm|title=Latest News - Enlargement Special - Lithuania|publisher=EUROPA, Newsletter of the [[European Union]]|accessdate=2009-01-26}}</ref> Wooden memorial crosses and a chapel were erected at the site; the concrete [[Three Crosses]] were built in 1916. The crosses were torn down in 1950 by order of the [[Lithuanian SSR|Soviet government]] and replaced by the current monument in 1989.<ref>{{cite web|title=Visiting Vilnius|publisher=Directors General of the National Statistical Institutes|url=http://db.stat.gov.lt/dnn/dgins/HOME/VISITINGVILNIUS/tabid/76/Default.aspx|accessdate=2009-01-26|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227144156/http://db.stat.gov.lt/dnn/dgins/HOME/VISITINGVILNIUS/tabid/76/Default.aspx|archivedate=2009-02-27}}</ref>

Table Hill is not well researched; in 1955 its top was bulldozed to make it perfectly flat.<ref name=pil/> Bekes Hill was destroyed by erosion and was washed away by the Vilnia in 1838 and 1843. It was named after [[Gáspár Bekes]] from Hungary (1520–1579), a military commander under [[Stephen Báthory of Poland]], who was buried on the hill (he was of [[Arianism]] faith and therefore refused admittance to other city's cemeteries). His grave was marked by an octagonal tower, {{convert|20|m}} in height and {{convert|6|m}} in diameter.<ref name=pil>{{cite web| url=http://www.piliakalniai.lt/piliakalnis.php?piliakalnis_id=851 |title=Vilnius II |work=Lietuvos piliakalniai |publisher=Society of the Lithuanian Archaeology |accessdate=2009-01-25|language=lt}}</ref> Lithuanians plan to cooperate with the Embassy of Hungary to restore his memory in the park.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.vilnius.lt/newvilniusweb/index.php/101/?itemID=88340 |title=Savivaldybė remia Bekešo kalno sutvarkymo iniciatyvą |date=2009-01-23 |first=Daiva |last=Savickienė |accessdate=2009-01-26|language=lt}}</ref> The Hill of Gediminas' Grave is used by the reconstructionist-pagan [[Romuva (religion)|Romuva]] church as a ritual site.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.religija.lt/content/view/545/47/ |title=J. Trinkūnas: Katalikų Bažnyčia bijo savo aukos |date=2005-10-27 |first=Tomas |last=Vaiseta |publisher=religija.lt |accessdate=2009-01-25 |language=lt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090126023348/http://www.religija.lt/content/view/545/47/ |archive-date=2009-01-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref> According to legend, [[Gediminas]], [[Grand Duke of Lithuania]], was buried on the hill.

While the territory may hold the key to the earliest history of Vilnius, no comprehensive archaeological research has been undertaken. Several small and isolated studies were conducted during various construction works in the park.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.vilniauspilys.lt/?cid=1310 |title=Žvalgomieji archeologiniai tyrimai Dainų slėnyje |first=Gediminas |last=Gendrėnas|publisher= Directorate of the State Cultural Reserve of Vilnius Castles|accessdate=2009-01-25|language=lt}}</ref> In summer 2008, archeological excavations began in the so-called Valley of Songs, where a small settlement existed in the 13th and 14th centuries and where the Soviets built a stage for concerts in 1955–1956. The scientists uncovered the bodies of several German [[World War II]] prisoners.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrytas.lt/-12180874431216772835-p1-kult%C5%ABra-linksmyb%C4%97ms-kaln%C5%B3-parke-i%C5%A1kilo-gr%C4%97sm%C4%97.htm|first=Viktorija|last=Vitkauskaitė|title=Linksmybėms Kalnų parke iškilo grėsmė|date=2008-08-07|publisher=[[Lietuvos rytas]]|accessdate=2009-01-25|language=lt|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080819171118/http://www.lrytas.lt/-12180874431216772835-p1-kult%C5%ABra-linksmyb%C4%97ms-kaln%C5%B3-parke-i%C5%A1kilo-gr%C4%97sm%C4%97.htm|archive-date=2008-08-19|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.govilnius.lt/visit-vilnius/places/kalnu-park Kalnų Park]
* [http://www.vilniauspilys.lt/map_lt.html Interactive map] {{in lang|lt}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090206041634/http://www.vilnius-tourism.lt/mediabank/2vln%20pilys.pdf Tourist brochure in four languages] (PDF)

[[Category:Parks in Vilnius]]

Kalnai Park - Revision history

imported>Respublik at 22:33, 31 December 2024