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| WITCHES' HILL |
Witches' (also called St. John's or Eve's) Hill is reminicent
of the Midsummer celebrations from ancient times. The hill was used to roll the
burning pitch barrels down to the lagoon on this night.
The major attraction of the hill today is the park of wooden sculptures. It was
set up in 1979 according to the project developed by the sculptor S. Sarapovas
and architect A.Nasvytis. Forty nine artists carved sixty five sculptures, which
embodied the heroes and characters of Lithuanian fairy-tails and legends. Witches
and devils are especially abundant here. For the joy of little visitors, swing
and climbing facilities were constructed at the foot of the hill.
Each year some sculptures are restored or replaced with others. |
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| EXPOSITION OF STONE SCULPTURES
IN JUODKRANTE |
| In 1995, while constructing the embankment in Juodkrante, the
idea came to life to set up an outdoor exposition of sculptures. It was named
"Zeme ir vanduo" (Ground and Water). The first sculptures were placed
in a section 800 m long in 1997. These are "Gaudykles" (Snares) by A.
Alisanka, "Debesys-krantas" (Clouds-Coast) by A.Danilevicius, "Katamaranas"
(Catamaran) and "Keliunas" (A Wanderer) by T.Gilhespy, "Trys vandens
formos" (Three States of Water) by S.Juraska, "Savaite" (A Week)
by K.Musteikis and some more. This composition will grow richer every year. |
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| URBAS HILL |
The Urbas Hill ("urbinti" means to make
holes)
The construction of the first Nida's lighthouse was as important as forest planting
on the Urbas Hill. It was started by the efforts of S.Bjorn's student P.Gerchard
and local citizens. The 27 m high lighthouse started to operate on October 24th
in 1874. The cobble-stone path of 200 stairs led to the lighthouse. Its light
was seen in 20 miles around.
Before the end of World War II, German soldiers blasted the lighthouse, but in
1945 it was restored and reconstructed in 1953.
Nida's present lighthouse is made of ferro-concrete and painted in red-white horizontal
lines. The tower is 29.3 m high. It sends flashlight signals, which are seen 41
km to the sea (22 sea miles). This lighthouse, as well as the lighthouse in Klaipeda,
is included in the world book of light signals, marked on the sea navigation maps
and described in pilot books. The crystal lens was made in Iziumi factory in Charkov
district (Ukraine). Before it was installed in the lighthouse, the lens won an
award on the exhibition in France. There are 6 bulbs on the tower, but only one
is used at a time. If the bulb burns out, another one turns on automatically.
Flesh signals are sent only during the night. The light turns on and off automatically
by natural daylight. Radio signals are send all the time. The lighthouse has an
autonomic power station. The goal of the Nida Lighthouse is to help sailors orienteering
in the Baltic Sea. The flash signs (two short and one long) tell them that there
is no seaport here. |
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