Naujoji Rėva Hillfort: the Russian Church above the Neris

Naujoji Rėva Hillfort: a wooded defensive promontory and viewpoint above a bend of the Neris

Naujoji Rėva Hillfort, also known as the Russian Church, is hidden among pines on a high terrace above the right bank of the Neris. A rampart and deep ditch separate its 40 by 15 metre platform from higher ground, while a woodland viewpoint overlooks a river bend. Excavations in 2018 identified an assemblage of third- to eighth-century coarse-surfaced pottery at its foot, revealing a more complex chronology than the once-standard early-second-millennium date.

Pine woodland viewpoint at Naujoji Rėva Hillfort, with curved timber benches above a bend of the Neris

Place: Naujoji Rėva, Zujūnai Eldership, Vilnius District Municipality
Region: Neris Regional Park
Type: hillfort with an associated settlement at its foot in Sviliškės Landscape Reserve
Address: Naujoji Rėva village, Zujūnai Eldership, Vilnius district
Coordinates: 54.73951, 25.02267
Visit duration: 45-75 minutes; about 3 hours for the full Šilėnai-Naujoji Rėva trail
Best time: a dry spring or autumn day, when the Neris valley is more visible through the trees and the earthworks are easier to read

Names and variants

Russian Church, Russian Church Hillfort, Cultural Heritage Register 5674

A high promontory above the Neris

The hillfort occupies a promontory on the upper terrace of the right bank of the Neris, at the edge of Naujoji Rėva village. The river valley encloses it from the south, while spring-fed gullies cut into the land on either side. This natural protection explains why the wooded hill was chosen as a defensive site.

Today the hillfort forms part of Sviliškės Landscape Reserve. The reserve protects a wooded reach of the Neris valley, its loops and rapids, meadow and forest habitats, and the archaeological complex itself. A viewpoint with curved timber benches stands near the top, although summer foliage can partly screen the river panorama.

A rampart and six-metre ditch guard the 40 by 15 metre platform

The roughly rectangular platform runs from northeast to southwest and measures about 40 metres by 15 metres. At its northeastern edge is a bank about 10 metres long, 2 metres high, and 11 metres wide. Beyond it lies a ditch approximately 14 metres long, 21 metres wide, and 6 metres deep.

The natural slopes rise between 12 and 35 metres. Do not look only toward the Neris: the bank, ditch, lower southwestern end of the platform, and steep sides let you read the complete defensive layout on the ground. This is fragile archaeological relief, so visitors should remain on the stairs and established paths.

The 2018 excavation revealed an earlier layer of activity

Before visitor infrastructure was improved, archaeologists excavated one trench and five test pits in 2018, covering 30.25 sq. m across the hillfort and its foot. No cultural layer survived in the test pit on the platform, probably because of erosion, while thin layers measuring 3-24 cm were recorded in the settlement at its foot. From the terrain, the researchers estimated that the settlement may have extended over about 11,000 sq. m. This is a proposed extent, not an area that has all been excavated.

The trench produced 143 sherds of hand-built and partly wheel-turned pottery. The clearest group comprised 49 sherds of coarse-surfaced pottery dated to the third to eighth centuries; brushed, smooth, and partly wheel-turned wares, clay daub, slag, animal bones, and cattle and horse teeth were also present. Fifteen flint flakes and a possible scraper leave open the possibility of earlier Stone Age activity, but do not prove a campsite.

Older summaries commonly dated the hillfort to the beginning of the second millennium. The 2018 finds show that people were active at its foot much earlier, but they do not demonstrate continuous occupation or date the construction of the rampart precisely. Nor can the site be securely linked to a specific castle or ruler named in chronicles.

The Russian Church is a place-name and legend, not an excavated building

The Register of Cultural Property records the monument as Naujoji Rėva Hillfort with Settlement, also called the Russian Church. The hillfort component has unique code 5674 and the associated settlement code 24177; both have monument status.

A local story published by Vilnius District Municipality says that a Russian church sank into the hill and that people supposedly heard bells below ground or saw the tracks of processions. This is folklore. The municipality's account suggests that, in a Catholic setting, the image of a church of another faith may have preserved a memory of an older Baltic sacred place, but archaeology has confirmed neither a sanctuary nor a church here.

How to visit without confusing the site and the full trail

The exact site pin lies by Naujoji Rėva village. Saugoma.lt identifies parking by the hillfort as one of the two starting points for the Šilėnai-Naujoji Rėva Nature Trail. A forest path and timber stairs lead upward; steep sections can be slippery after rain or during a thaw and are unsuitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs.

Allow roughly 45-75 minutes for the hillfort alone. The complete nature trail is about 6 km and takes around 3 hours. Near Naujoji Rėva, cyclists may need to push or carry their bicycles along a steep, narrow section.

As of 29 July 2026, the official object pages published neither an admission charge nor fixed opening hours for the hillfort. At that time VSTT offered a voluntary EUR 1 state-park visitor ticket, which is not an entrance fee; check the official page for the current price and purchase arrangements. Also review park notices before travelling for information about the path, stairs, and forest conditions.

Naujoji Rėva Hillfort: frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Naujoji Rėva Hillfort?

It is in Naujoji Rėva village, Zujūnai Eldership, Vilnius District, on a terrace above the right bank of the Neris. Its verified site pin is 54.7395078, 25.0226685.

Are Naujoji Rėva Hillfort and Rėva Hillfort the same place?

No. Naujoji Rėva Hillfort lies in Zujūnai Eldership and is also called the Russian Church. The Cultural Heritage Register separately records Rėva Hillfort in Buivydžiai Eldership.

Why is the hillfort called the Russian Church?

A local legend tells of a Russian church sinking into the hill and bells sounding below ground. This is folklore, not a building confirmed by archaeological finds.

When was Naujoji Rėva Hillfort occupied?

Older descriptions dated it to the early second millennium, but the 2018 excavation identified an assemblage of third- to eighth-century coarse-surfaced pottery at its foot. The precise construction and full span of use remain unresolved.

What are the dimensions of Naujoji Rėva Hillfort?

It measures about 40 by 15 metres. A bank about 2 metres high survives at the northeastern end, followed by a ditch around 6 metres deep, while the natural slopes rise 12-35 metres.

What did archaeologists find in 2018?

The excavation covered 30.25 sq. m and produced 143 pottery sherds, including 49 coarse-surfaced sherds dated to the third to eighth centuries, as well as clay daub, slag, animal remains, 15 flint flakes, and a possible scraper.

What can you see from Naujoji Rėva Hillfort?

The woodland viewpoint looks toward the Neris valley and a river bend. Views are usually more open outside the leafy season because pines and other trees cover the hillfort.

How do you climb the hillfort, and is there parking?

Saugoma.lt identifies parking by the hillfort, from which a woodland path and timber stairs lead upward. Check the official trail page before travelling for current access and parking conditions.

Does the hillfort have opening hours or an admission fee?

As of 29 July 2026, no fixed opening schedule or admission charge for the hillfort was published. VSTT listed a voluntary EUR 1 park visitor ticket; verify the current price and park notices before visiting.