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Piliakalnių Hillfort is one of the most impressive archaeological monuments in the Marijampolė district, commemorating a settlement and a castle with a forecourt that existed here from the 5th to the 12th centuries. According to legends, this was possibly the site of Duke Margiris’s castle – a theory supported by the nearby villages of Margai and Peleniai.
The hillfort is located south of the village of Piliakalnia, on the left bank of the Aista stream. At its foot, the remains of a fortified settlement dating from the 5th to the 14th centuries have been discovered. Archaeological research revealed a thick cultural layer with traces of buildings, stone pavements, and numerous finds including bronze fibulae, rings, spirals, clay spindle whorls, and fragments of both wheel-thrown and hand-built pottery. Locals also recount that Jonas Basanavičius conducted excavations in several places on the hillfort, where he found decorated pottery shards. A particularly interesting story concerns the rampart – locals say it was once paved with stones, which were later used by a landowner to build a barn.
In 2003, the hillfort was developed with stairs, a path, a resting area, and a fire pit, making it an attractive site for tourists.
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