During the Cold War, a 104 km stretch of border between Lithuania and Poland was heavily fortified. Near Lazdijai, this stretch was shortened by about 10 km and was constantly guarded by 18-30 Soviet border guards, effectively blocking the road to Europe. This stretch was famously referred to as the 'Iron Curtain': on one side, it was covered with barbed wire and equipped with alarm sensors. In 2004, when Lithuania joined the European Union, the dismantling of the 'Iron Curtain' began. Tourists can now see fragments of this 'Iron Curtain'.