Mir Castle is located in the urban village of Mir. It is located in the Grodno region. This unique architectural monument is a defensive structure. Until 1568, the owners were Ilyinichi, then - until 1828, the Radziwills. After them, the Wittgenstein were the owners of the residence until 1891. The last owners of the castle complex were Svyatopolk-Mirsky. After that, Mir Castle, the photo of which is presented below, was transferred to the ownership of the state.
General information
The architectural complex is considered one of the largest and most iconic objects among all surviving samples of the original Gothic of the Republic of Belarus. Mir Castle is a square structure with sides about 75 meters long and towers located in the corners. Their height is 25-27 meters. At the initial stages of construction, which lasted about 4 years, four towers were built, interconnected by walls. Mir Castle has an original layout. The towers are made in the form of octagonal prisms, mounted, in turn, on tetrahedral ones. The height of the walls is different - from 10 to 12 meters. On the west side (on the road to Vilna) there is one tower located in the middle. At one time, she was the only entrance to the courtyard of the castle, and there was a prison in her basement. The chapel was located on the second floor of the tower. It was from here that the metal grill descended , which protected the wooden entrance gate.
Timeline
The architectural complex participated in almost all military events, which at one time swept a fiery whirlwind on Belarusian soil. The chronology begins with the Russo-Polish battle (1654-1667) and ends with the Russo-French war (1812). During this time, the religious building was subjected to assaults and sieges more than once. The years 1665 and 1706 were especially deplorable for the architectural monument . At this time, he underwent significant destruction. At the beginning of the XVIII century, Mir Castle was restored, and in 1784 it was again damaged. In 1812, a battle took place near the walls of the castle complex, in which the cavalry of Davout (the French marshal) and the rear guard of the 2nd Russian army of Platov participated. Since 1989, the original Gothic masterpiece is a branch of the National Art Museum in the Republic of Belarus. At the beginning of the XXI century, a grandiose reconstruction of the complex began. It is worth noting that at the same time, the architectural monument remains open to visitors. For information, an excursion to Mir Castle costs from 120,000 bel. rub. (about 400 Russian). In 2001, the architectural complex was awarded the status of an independent museum.
Mir Castle: History
The architectural complex is a stone structure, the main part of which was erected in the XVI-XVII centuries. According to some scholars and researchers, earlier the feudal estate was located at the same place. The castle itself is surrounded by plain territory, and the Miranka River flows next to it. The exact date of construction of the architectural monument is still unknown. However, there are suggestions that its construction began not earlier than 1522. It was then that the owner of the local territories, Yuri Ilyinich, regulated his commodity-property relations with Litavor Khreptovich.
Why was this building erected?
Scientists still cannot agree on the original purpose of building the castle. However, it can be assumed that the Gothic building was erected for reasons of prestige, especially considering the fact that the village of Mir in those days was considered a fairly calm place. Nevertheless, the thickness of the castle walls (2 m at the top and 3 m at the bottom), as well as a special three-layer mixed masonry made of brick and stone indicate good defense ability of the entire complex. At the bottom of the façade, gun loopholes are cut through. The western and northern walls housed battle galleries with strong pine parapets. Unfortunately, the first owners of the complex - Ilyinichi - could not finish the construction, as their family was interrupted in 1568. The new owners - the Radziwills - resumed the project. Thanks to their activities, the appearance of the building has acquired the characteristic features of the Renaissance. A special contribution to the life of the Castle of Mir was made by Nikolai Hristofor Orphan. Being in the possession of the Radziwill clan, the complex included a 3-storey palace, designed by Martin Zaborovsky.
The fate of the architectural monument
In 1655, the building was taken by the Cossacks under the leadership of Hetman Ivan Zolotarenko. After this, the battle with Russia, and then the Northern War, brought destruction and desolation for almost 80 years. Only by the 30s of the 18th century, the religious building was restored, after which a grand hall, a portrait gallery and a dance room appeared in it. Restoration did not pass by the "Italian garden". In 1785, King Stanislav Augustus came to Mir Castle. He was captivated by the beauty and richness of the interior of the palace. In 1813, the last prince who inherited the property of the Radziwills, Dominic Geronim, died in France. His daughter - Princess Stefania - became the wife of Leo Wittgenstein. He inherited the Mir Castle by inheritance. After the death of Stephanie, Leo Wittgenstein moved to Germany. His son, being childless, transferred the architectural complex into the possession of his sister Maria. But she could not be the owner of real estate under the law. As a result, the complex was sold to Prince Nikolai Svyatopolk-Mirsky. The newly-minted owner began a grand reconstruction.
Post-war years
After the accession of the Western part of Belarus to the USSR in 1939, the architectural pearl was nationalized. Until 1941, it housed a production artel, and during the Nazi occupation, a ghetto for Jews and a camp for military prisoners. After the liberation of Belarus until 1956, civilians lived in the complex. This partially reflected on the interior decoration of the palace. Since 1947, the building has been under state protection.
Architectural complex today
Mir Castle is the brightest attraction of the Republic of Belarus with a well-developed tourist infrastructure. In addition, various cultural events are often held near its walls: knightly fights, festivals and concerts, scientific conferences and theatrical performances. The castle complex is one of the most popular places that foreign tourists enjoy visiting.