There is a small beautiful town with a long history in Belarus - Slutsk, known far beyond the borders of its country due to its glorious heritage - the Slutsk silk belts. Unfortunately, the Great Patriotic War left its indelible imprint, and after the liberation the city was restored from scratch. Not many historical monuments have been preserved, but there are many beautiful corners that deserve the attention of even experienced travelers. The photos proposed in the article describing the attractions of Slutsk will help more accurately draw up a tourist route through the memorable places of the city.
History of the city
As early as the 10th century, a city appeared in the form of a posad on the banks of the Sluch River. The place was convenient, clearly visible from all sides, which made it possible to defend themselves from attack by enemies. This was a period of princely strife, and the city passed from hand to hand to different princes. Princess Sofia Slutskaya played a large role in history, which united all the fragmented lands into one principality, and Slutsk became its capital. Sofia was even considered a saint; a monument was erected to her, which is a landmark and a symbol of the city.
With the advent of power in 1612, the Radziwill city began to strengthen, rebuild and was considered the third most important in Belarus. A gymnasium and a theater were built. The first pharmacy was opened in Slutsk. At the end of the XVI century, the population was about 7 thousand people, for which 1100 houses were built. In 1756, a professional ballet appeared in the city. But the greatest fame came from the textile industry, which manufactures a variety of belts.
Throughout its existence, this city has been hit and destroyed. In 1812, Slutsk was captured and plundered by the French. And during the Great Patriotic War of the twentieth century, German troops already visited there, destroying 80% of the city. From the old ancient Slutsk, almost nothing remained. After the war, he had to rebuild it again.
St. Michael's Cathedral
Particularly noteworthy is the oldest church shrine - the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael. The first mention of the church dates back to the distant XIV century, when Prince Olelko Vladimirovich wrote her land for permanent possession. After a while, it was dismantled due to dilapidation, and in its place the church of saints Tsarina Elena and Tsar Konstantin was restored.
In 1799 she received the name of the Holy Archangel Michael, now known as. At first, a small church stood on the territory of the Old City, and later was moved to the outskirts of the Island, which avoided serious damage during the war.
In the XVIII century, one of the main historical sights of Slutsk was reconstructed and acquired its modern look: three wooden log cabins with golden domes and a bell tower topped with a pointed spire. The facade painted in the color of the sky with white arched windows looks strictly and, at the same time, solemnly.
Since ancient times, the church united artisans from all over the area. Until the beginning of the twentieth century, pottery and carpentry craft workshops were preserved here. In 1933, the abbots of the church were declared counter-revolutionaries and repressed. This led to the closure of the church, the icons and iconostasis were removed, and the building began to be used for household needs. The church started for its intended purpose only in 1941.
Since 2014, St. Michael's Cathedral began to perform regular services. In the surrounding area there is a chapel, in which there is a consecrated spring, an icon shop, a guardhouse, a garage and other outbuildings.
Today St. Michael's Cathedral has the status of a monument of wooden architecture of the XIII-XVIII centuries and is under state protection.
Museum of Slutsk belts
The Slutsk landmark famous far beyond the borders of Belarus, which has become the hallmark of the city, is the Slutsk belt. The first production of belts was founded in the 18th century by Lithuanian hetman Mikhail Radziwill, and Slutsk in several decades turned into one of the recognized fashion capitals and the largest economic center. The manufacture of belts was done by male weavers because of a long and laborious process, and trained by craftsmen from Persia. The finest silk yarn was woven with the inclusion of gold and silver fibers. The secret of the belts was that they did not have a wrong side; different ornaments were depicted on both sides. The manufacturing process of one instance took about six months.
In 2014, the grand opening of the restored production and the Museum of the Slutsk belt organized on its basis took place. This is a great opportunity to learn interesting details of the creation of the manufactory and the artistic differences of the ornaments. You can even see the manufacturing process of the modern version of the famous belt on the only loom in the world, created by German craftsmen on an individual order.
In front of the factory is a sculpture of a weaver and a bronze ornament used in the decoration of the belt.
Historical Museum
The building of the former Noble Assembly with a massive pediment decorated with four impressive columns is an architectural landmark of Slutsk, the photo of which is presented below.
The construction of the XVIII century was erected as a master’s estate, during its existence it changed many owners, and later became the property of the city. Now the Slutsk Museum of Local Lore is located here with a very interesting narration of the history of the city. Created in September 1952, only two months later it opened its doors to the first visitors. The museum has 6 halls with expositions on the history of the Slutsk principality to this day, an exhibition hall with household items of citizens of the XIX-XX centuries, a book collection and an archive where documents of outstanding compatriots are stored.
Monument to Anastasia Slutskaya
In the center of the city near the Wedding Palace, a local landmark of Slutsk was established - a monument to the savior of the city, Princess Anastasia Slutskaya, famous for the fact that in the 16th century she defended the settlement during the invasion of the Crimean Tatars. The sculpture 4 meters high is a bronze-granite figure of a princess with a sword in her hands. The sources did not preserve data on the appearance of Anastasia, so the image of the princess became collective.
The weight of the monument is more than 10 tons, 5 of which are the mass of the skirt. What is noteworthy, granite was specially delivered from Ukraine, because in Belarus there was no stone of the desired shade. It was not easy to combine the borders of two materials of different structure, for several weeks they adjusted the bronze torso and the skirt made of granite. It has become a tradition for newlyweds to take photos near the sculpture of the princess - a local attraction of Slutsk.
Natural spring
Not far from the city is the village of Pokrashevo, in which a distillery was built by the local landowner in the 19th century. Today, the vineyard factory is housed in an old building. The surrounding area overgrown with shrubs was cleared and ennobled, and a spring with crystal clear water spurting from the ground became a frequently visited natural attraction of Slutsk and Slutsk region. At first, the source was simply called “Pokrashevskaya Krynichka,” and after lighting the spring and the nearby crosses, it began to bear a name in honor of the Ostrobramsky Icon of the Mother of God.
Nearby is a windmill, built before the war. After restoration, it houses a museum of rural antiquities.
Tourists reviews
Despite its attractiveness, for many tourists the city seems too calm and boring. However, this does not in the least diminish its historical significance. Unfortunately, many architectural witnesses of the distant past were destroyed by the Nazis during the war. But the provincial Slutsk confidently holds the mark of a clean, well-groomed city with a pleasant atmosphere and friendly smiling people.
Vivid impressions obtained from viewing even the few sights of the city of Slutsk will forever remain in the treasury of your memories.