The Kartenos hillfort is located on the left bank of the Minija River, on a hill opposite the town. It dates back to the 8th–13th centuries and is known as Pilimi, Pilale, Švedų kalnas (Swedish Mountain) and Lūžties kalnas (Break Mountain). Legend has it that a large castle once stood on the hill near Kartenos, ruled by the King of Samogitia. It was attacked many times by the Russians and Swedes. It is said that the name Kartenos originated during these battles. Once, unable to agree on who had the right to attack the castle first, the Swedes and Russians fought each other. Watching the battle rage in the valley from the castle walls, the Samogitian commander shouted to his men: "Veizėkiet, karė tenaa!" ("Look, there's war!"). Since then, the area has been called Kartena. It is believed that in the 9th–13th centuries, Kartena was an important defensive and administrative center of the Curonian lands of Cėklis. This fortress withstood many enemy attacks, but in the middle of the 13th century, it was unable to withstand the attack of the Teutonic Knights. When the Bishop of Courland and the Master of the Livonian Order divided the conquered lands, Kartena (Cartine) was mentioned for the first time in written sources in 1253.