Hill of Witches: Lithuanian’s Woodland Sculpture Garden

You won’t need a broomstick to fly to the Hill of Witches in Lithuania. You buy a ferry ticket to transport yourself across the lagoon to the Curonian Spit. This UNESCO World Heritage site is between the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea. 

I hiked the Hill of Witches in the morning while it was still cool. Imagine entering a leafy forest world where hand-carved wooden sculptures line the paths. They loom over you as you stare up at the blue patch of sky through the tree canopies.

Wooden Sculptures

These are witches straight out of Grimms Fairy Tales with bulging eyes, hooked noses, and long (hairy) chins. 

But you’ll also see many characters from Lithuanian folktales, including fair maidens, crow-monsters, and devils.

The sculptors found their inspiration in the mystical grove of ancient trees and the steep dunes.

Origin of Hill of Witches

Hill of Witches seems miles away from the long beachfront and wave-tossed Baltic Sea. Decaying trees stand sentry on the cliff, like soldiers watching for attack. There are long patches of grass and sea weeds nestled between the sand.

But the Curonian Spit is also home to many ancient forests. During the Soviet occupation of Lithuania, this outdoor sculpture gallery was created. It was the brainstorm of Steponas Šarapovas and Algimantas Nasvytis.

“During three folk-artists’s camps from 1979 through 1981, 50 wood carvers and blacksmiths created 71 sculptures for the Juodkrantė Hill of Witches walking path exposition,” according to the park’s website.

The artists placed the sculptures on the site where the pagans organized their celebrations for the Midsummer’s Eve Festival in June.

The Hiking Path

You can walk the primary trails on the Hill of Witches in less than 90 minutes if you resist the urge to stop at each sculpture. (Take a virtual walk with me on my Instagram reel.)

But this only gives you one minute to stroke the smooth wooden surface, gaze at the intricate carvings, and walk around the object. Believe me, you will fail! (One of my favorite sculptures is the young maiden holding a bird in the palm of her hand.)

Our guide Andrius stopped to explain the story of the grass snake, which is an origin story. You can listen to the full story on my YouTube page link here.)

Throne Sculpture

Kings (or queens) can also be crowned in this royal forest realm. I discovered an intricately carved throne that you might find in a Lithuanian palace.

I can picture the little girl running through the woods, climbing onto the throne, closing her eyes, and picturing herself wearing a jeweled crown.

Lucifer and the Gates of Hell

The most frightening sculpture is Lucifer and the Gates of Hell. Raimundas and Anicentas Puškorius sculpted this piece, which sends shivers down your spine (if you dare walk through the entrance). Even in daylight, this grove feels dark and menacing.

Lucifer is a monster. He glares at anyone who dares to enter through the wooden gates. His bulging eyes look like cannons ready to fire. 

Devil or Human

Our guide Andrius stopped to tell us about the sculpture of men. Dances were a popular way for young women to meet eligible men. But the threat was devils who masqueraded as humans. 

So the women needed to step on their feet (to see if they were cloven hooves. They’d look for pointed ears hidden until a jaunty hat. And the seat of a man’s pants might hide a tail! 

Expansion of Park

The humid sea air is corrosive, so the wooden sculptures have decayed. In 1999, renovation started on the untouched old sculptures. In 2002, some of the sculptures had to be replaced with new ones.

In addition, the outdoor sculpture gallery has been renewed. New works were added, including 12 new play sculptures in 1988. 

The Experience 

The hiking exposition begins at a stone staircase. It leads through two historic landscapes: the Hill of Eve and the Wilhelm Heights. You can follow the curving woodland paths leading you into Lithuania’s folk past. 

This is more than just a woodland hike. The sculptors wanted visitors to the Hill of Witches to ponder Lithuania’s ancient culture and history. 

“The oak trees, turned into artwork, stand on the Hill of Witches letting us to admire keen wits of folk artists; they invite us to play, to inhabit the world of Neringa’s legends and tales, to reflect on persistence and determination of human nature due to which it became possible to reclaim this land from the sand and wind,” according to the park website.

My tour of the Hill of Witches was unforgettable, as the trees came alive as folklore stories. My only regret is that I didn’t prepare in advance by reading a book about Lithuanian folk tales.

(If you like reading about outdoor sculpture gardens in forests, read my posts on the AnnMarie Sculpture Garden and Forest Wild.)