and at is heavier than the original. Legends Lithuanian mythology The sacred hill is surrounded by many legends and stories. According to one of them, the altar stone was put on Rambynas by thunder god Perkūnas who also buried a treasure of gold and silver harrow under the stone. Perkūnas then chose the hill and his home. Another story has it that the altar stone was brought by giant Rambynas, one of three sons of Nemunas, who offered it as a sacrifice to Perkūnas. The hill became a temple attended by priests (krivis) and priestess (vaidilutė). They were driven away by the Teutonic Order, but laumės cursed the stone – while the stone stood, good fortune would bless the region; if the stone was damaged, bad fortunes would follow. Napoleon's treasure There are many local stories and legends about a treasure supposedly buried on or near Rambynas by the retreating French Grande Armée after the unsuccessful invasion of Russia in 1812. The X Corps commanded by General Jacques MacDonald retreated from Riga via Tilsit where he spent five days. Stories circulated that in 1920, when Klaipėda Region was administered as a mandate of the League of Nations by the French, a group of Frenchmen dug up some boxes at a local cemetery. In 1930, a detailed map was purportedly discovered that showed where the treasure was buried. This inspired several expeditions in the 1930s in attempts of finding it. Another attempt was organized in summer 1974 by Soviet authorities. According to various stories, it was a direct order from Moscow. The area of excavations was guarded by Soviet troops and involved two visitors from East Germany. In July 2003, Lithuanian newspapers published a story that a treasure was found near Rambynas, but it was quickly debunked as an embellishment of a previous April Fools' Day joke. The various attempts at finding the treasure damaged the hill, local cemeteries, and several other local archaeological and cultural objects. See also References External links Virtual tour of historical and cultural heritage objects of the Rambynas Regional Park Hills of Lithuania Landmarks in Lithuania Lithuania Minor