The treasures of the powerful magnates of the Radziwills, which are still kept in northern Paris, the village of Golshany, along with the Bermuda triangle, is listed in the encyclopedia of the mysterious places of the planet, a huge number of secrets and legends - all of this can be found out on an exciting journey through Belarus.
Country of castles
The Belarusian lands through which the largest trade routes passed were often attacked, as there were many who wanted to take possession of this territory. This was the reason for the appearance of a large number of defensive structures, castles, and fortresses. That is why in the Middle Ages Belarus was called the country of castles.
The predecessors of the castles were the ancient settlements. The appearance in the 13th century of single stone fortifications by the 14-15th century turned into a massive erection of stone castles along the border.
Castles in Belarus are shrouded in secrets and have great historical and architectural significance along with many other European historical monuments.
Mir Castle
One of these monuments is Mir Castle (Mir) in Belarus. It is located in the Grodno region. The earliest structures of this masterpiece of defense architecture date back to the 16th century. The castle was laid by Prince Illinich, and in 1568, by coincidence, passed to Nikolai Radzivil, who completed it in the Renaissance style. This rich Polish-Lithuanian-Belarusian clan owned Mir Castle until 1891.
Despite its monumentality and power, the castle does not look intimidating, although it was erected as a defensive structure, like all castles in Belarus. The structure was a square, one side of which was 75 meters, and the width of the walls reached three meters at the base. The height of the walls was 10 meters, and the towers with loopholes reached 25 meters.
The castle, striking in its elegance, is surrounded by an earthen rampart nine meters high. A moat dug around the shaft, filled with water thanks to the Miranka River and a new pond.
Princely chambers were located on the third floor of the castle, built in the courtyard. The second floor was reserved for lackeys and the administration, and the first was used as a food warehouse and an armory.
Today, Mir Castle, where restoration is actively underway, is a museum. It is called Mir Castle Complex, it is open to visitors.
Nesvizh Castle in Belarus
Another possession of the princes of the Radziwills was Nesvizh Castle. According to one legend, a tunnel with a length of about 30 kilometers and a size such that a crew pulled by a troika could easily pass through it was built between it and Mir Castle. But today there is no confirmation of this.
The foundation of the Nesvizh castle was laid in 1583. Due to numerous reconstructions, the palace combines many architectural styles: Neo-Gothic, Baroque, Renaissance, Rococo, Classicism.
Due to the anti-Russian position of the owner of the castle in 1764-1768, Nesvizh was occupied by Russian troops. The library, archive and all valuables were confiscated and taken to St. Petersburg.
The Radziwills finally left the castle in 1939, when the Red Army entered Nesvizh. After the Second World War, the park and palace complex fell into disrepair.
The restoration and restoration work that began in 2004 brought this magnificent castle back to life. Nesvizh in Belarus was recognized as the cultural capital, and the palace and park complex was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The largest landscape park in Europe, founded in the 19th century, decorative lakes, shady alleys and a palace ensemble made this place very popular with tourists.
Brest Castle
Belarus became famous all over the world for its staunchness of the defenders of the Brest Fortress, located in the south, near the border with Poland. Brest itself has an almost thousand-year history. Geographical location has caused numerous wars that took place on this earth. Brest Castle survived many sieges, as a result was almost completely destroyed. Part of its bastions was used in the construction of the eponymous fortress.
The photo above shows the Kholm Gate of the Brest Fortress.
Historians and archaeological groups are working to find the remains of the castle itself. As a result of excavations at the Volyn fortification, the supporting wall of the bastion, built in the 16th or 17th centuries, was found. Archaeologists still hope to discover the very residence of the rulers of those times.
Legends of Golshany Castle
In the small town of Golshany are the ruins of the once majestic palace, which belonged to the noble family of Sapeg. Its outlines are similar to Mir Castle. The architectural complex, which is a vivid representative of the work of Dutch architects, was built by Pavel Sapieha in 1610. Today, only ruins have remained of former greatness. Great destruction occurred during the last two wars.
Nevertheless, Golshany Castle is very popular with tourists. Many are attracted by the halo of mystery and numerous legends that have survived to this day.
According to one of them, in the ruins of the mill located at the very beginning of the town, at night there is a creak of millstones, neighing of horses and the voice of the main miller. How true this is, you can check yourself by visiting the Holstein Castle.
Bykhovskaya fortress
In the Mogilev region in the city of Bykhov, there is the only fortress that has been preserved to this day in Belarus. The first mention of it dates back to the 14th century. It was then that the first fortifications appeared. Bykhov, surrounded by a rampart with bastions and a deep moat, was famous for its impregnability. The castle itself was built in the 17th century under Jan Karol Hadkiewicz, who used it as a country residence on the right bank of the Dnieper River. In 1619, the construction of the castle was completely completed.
Since then, he has experienced many military battles. Peter the Great twice besieged the Bykhov fortress. At the beginning of the 18th century, the castle fell under the onslaught of the Russian tsar. Entering the Russian Empire, Bykhov lost his strategic purpose, turning, like many castles in Belarus, into a historical architectural monument.
Today, from its former greatness, insignificant fragments remained. The leadership of the region developed a plan for the restoration of a unique architectural structure, the restoration costs will be borne not only by the local, but also the republican budgets. So far, only the ruins of the great Sapeg castle are available to the gaze of travelers.
Castles in Belarus open for tourists the eventful historical past of the people of this country, whose spirit has not been broken by numerous wars and troubles. The preservation and restoration of the castles of Belarus is evidence that the peaceful and freedom-loving Belarusian people remember the history of their ancestors.