Some people feel that the Hill of Crosses has an eerie haunted atmosphere. I however feel that it is a proud monument to the strength and resilience of the Lithuanian people. The Hill of Crosses is not a graveyard but a memorial to Lithuanian national identity and Christian devotion.

The hill was leveled three times during the Soviet era, the crosses were burned or turned into scrap metal. Following each of these desecrations, it was quickly re-built at night as a type of silent protest.