Kernavė Archaeological Site (Cultural Reserve of Kernavė)
The Kernavė Archaeological site, about 35 km
north-west of Vilnius in eastern Lithuania, represents an exceptional
testimony to some 10 millennia of human settlements in this region.
Situated in the valley of the River Neris, the site is a complex
ensemble of archaeological properties, encompassing the town of Kernavė,
forts, some unfortified settlements, burial sites and other
archaeological, historical and cultural monuments from the late
Palaeolithic Period to the Middle Ages. The site of 194,4 ha has
preserved the traces of ancient land-use, as well as remains of five
impressive hill forts, part of an exceptionally large defence system.
Kernavė was an important feudal town in the Middle Ages. The town was
destroyed by the Teutonic Order in the late 14th century, however the
site remained in use until modern times.