The remains of the great dukes of Lithuania were cremated at the confluence of the Neris and Vilnia. According to the legend, the ruler Šventaragis started this burial tradition. The place was known to him since his young years as he used to hunt there. It is said that Šventaragis after building the temple a statue of the angry god Thunder was brought from Palanga and a holy fire lit in front of it.
The fire was guarded by the vaidila sand the holy virgins vaidilutes. Behind the temple, there was a special place for burning the bodies of dukes.
After Duke Šventaragis’ death, his son Gerimantas, fulfilled his father's will, cut down a hundred-year-old oak grove, made a large square and sacrificed his father's body to the gods burning it on a huge pyre in the presence of Lithuanian nobles. Following the custom of his ancestors, the duke was burned with the best armour and weapons, and in the most beautiful attire. His hunting dogs, a hawk, a falcon, a horse, and a servant were burned together with the duke.
For a hundred years, in the valley of Šventaragis the temple of the angry Thunder, the king of gods and men stood. The undying holy fire smouldered in front of it, and in the dungeons of the temple especially worshipped snakes were kept. But then Jogaila ascended the throne of the great dukes of Lithuania. After being baptized and promising to baptize Lithuania, he married the Polish queen Jadwiga and was elected Polish king. He came to Vilnius soon, brought there the queen, the nobles and Polish clergy and began converting to Christianity.
After the Archbishop Bodzent of Gnezno baptized crowds of people, the idolatry came to an end. The first Thunder Temple fell. The holy alk was destroyed, the holy altars and walls demolished, the serpents and the snakes were killed, and the statuettes of the goddesses were drowned in the Neris. The last Wise man Gintautas hid in the vicinity of Kaunas and ended his life there, feeling remorse for the gods he was faithful to until his death. Only the remains of the dungeons of the old temple and the tower where the Wise men announced the will of the gods remain to this day. They wanted to destroy everything that could remind people of their old gods.
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