Defensive Hillfort
Merkinė Hillfort
A strategically important hillfort at the confluence of the Merkys and Nemunas rivers, a former ducal hunting residence.
Merkinė Hillfort stands on a high bluff at the confluence of the Merkys and Nemunas rivers – one of the most strategically important locations in southern Lithuania. In the 14th–15th centuries, a hunting castle of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania stood here. Grand Duke Algirdas died here in 1377. Merkinė was an important border defense point in the fight against the Teutonic Order. The hilltop offers a wide panoramic view of the Nemunas and Merkys valleys. Near the hillfort lies Merkinė's old town with its historic square.