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Šilalė Boulder

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The Šilalė Boulder is the fifth largest stone in Lithuania. Its length is 7.48 meters, width is 5.48 meters, height is 3.66 meters, and circumference is 18.33 meters. The boulder is unique for its "rapakivi" granite, characterized by rounded crystals formed under specific climatic conditions. Nearby stones, known as the bowl stone and the altar stone, are remnants of a pagan temple. Archaeological research in this area has uncovered a sacred site with a hearth where ancient rituals were performed. It is a monument of nature and archaeology, preserving ancient traditions.

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The Šilalė Boulder is an impressive natural monument, the fifth largest boulder in Lithuania, known for its distinctive "rapakivi" granite properties. This giant measures 7.48 meters in length, 5.48 meters in width, 3.66 meters in height, and has a circumference of 18.33 meters. The surface of the boulder is uneven and coarse, composed of unique rounded crystals that arise from the effects of time and environmental conditions. This is "rapakivi" granite—a special structure recognized for its red orthoclase surrounding smaller white plagioclase crystals. Near the Šilalė Boulder, other stones commemorating historical past are found: a bowl stone and an altar stone. The latter is an archaeological monument located on an islet where pagan rituals were performed. Archaeologists

who studied this site in 1959 determined that the impressive stone with a bowl, reminiscent of a millstone shape, was likely used for religious rituals. The area revealed an ancient hearth—a pit with a ring of stones where ashes, resins, and amber found indicate that fire was maintained continuously. Local legend has it that beneath this massive boulder slumbers the son of the wind. It is believed that around the 16th to 17th century, a pagan temple with a stone altar operated here. Until the 18th to 19th century, this sacred site was accessible from the west side via a stone path—a causeway. Today, the Šilalė Boulder, along with the bowl and altar stones, attracts visitors as monuments of nature and archaeology, commemorating ancient traditions and pagan beliefs.

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