Merkinė Hillfort

About this place

Merkinė is a small town in southern Lithuania at the confluence of the Nemunas and Merkys rivers, part of Varėna District, about 26 km west of Varėna and 28 km south of Alytus. It has about a thousand residents and lies entirely within Dzūkija National Park. Merkinė is one of the oldest settlements in Lithuania, with people living at the confluence for thousands of years. Its castle was first mentioned in writing in 1359, and one of the most important Lithuanian castles stood on its hill in the 13th century. The town centre is a protected urban monument, and its name comes from the Merkys river, meaning «to soak». The steep green grassy hillfort rises above the meeting of the two rivers, reached by a stairway. From the top a wide view opens over the Nemunas and Merkys as they meet, and over the forests, the bridge and the little town. Visitors climb the hill by the stairs for the view, especially at sunset, and wander the small town square. Merkinė makes a stop on the road between Alytus and Druskininkai; the climb is short but steep.