Novogrudok. Heart of Black Rus'. Ancient buildings of Novogrudok

The city of Novogrudok is the oldest and beautiful city Belarus. In the annals, this city was called completely differently: Novy Gorodok, Novgorodok. The history of this city, as it is written in the annals, dates back to the end of the 10th century, with the construction of a fortress by Prince Yaroslav the Wise. According to the encyclopedia, the city of Novogrudok was originally the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania under Prince Mindovga. In the second half of the XVI. . .

The glorious history of Novogrudok and the inhabitants of the city in legends and traditions The 13th century is the most mysterious period in the history of Belarus, filled with many legends, legends, amazing stories. At this time, hordes of Mongols were advancing on our lands from the east, the Teutonic Order was advancing from the west, the Livonian Order from the north, and the Galicia-Volyn principality from the south. It seemed that our region simply did not have a chance. . .

Novogrudok attractions

Belarus is rich in historical monuments. different eras, different styles. A striking representative of the Baroque style is the Church of St. Michael the Archangel, located in Belarusian city Novogrudok. The Church of the Archangel Michael is an architectural monument of the Baroque era in Belarus, as well as one of the main attractions of the city.

Novogrudok attractions

Church of St. Nicholas in Novogrudok - active Orthodox church in Novogrudok, Grodno region of Belarus, founded as the church of St. Anthony at the Franciscan monastery, a monument of late baroque architecture with elements of the Russian - Byzantine style. In the XVII - XVIII centuries. in Novogrudok, a magnificent ensemble of Catholic monasteries was created, which belonged to the orders of the Franciscans, the Jesuits. . .

Novogrudok attractions

Novogrudok is one of the most ancient cities Belarusian land. It was founded in the 10th century. It served as the residence of the princes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It was a large trade and craft center. Until our time, only the ruins of the Novogrudok castle with the castle hill, which is surrounded by moats, have survived, which arouses interest in the city among those tourists who prefer tourism and recreation in Belarus. . . .

Novogrudok attractions

On the border of Novogrudok and Karelichsky districts, among picturesque forest, one of the most mysterious lakes in Belarus is located - Lake Svityaz. The lake has three beaches, one belongs to the sanatorium of the same name, and the other two are conventionally named according to the areas in which they are located. Near each of the beaches there are free parking lots. The size of the lake is small, the whole. . .

Novogrudok attractions

According to ancient chronicles, old City Novogrudok, the sights of which we will consider in the article, owes its appearance to the Kyiv prince Yaroslav the Wise. It was he who founded the settlement in the middle of the eleventh century. Several centuries later, the city became the first capital of the Principality of Lithuania. In the middle of the sixteenth century, it became part of the Commonwealth, and at the end of the eighteenth - Russian Empire. Of course, all these changes of protectorate did not pass without a trace for the city. They are displayed in architecture, had their echoes in folklore, cultural traditions, which, of course, secures the status of the most ancient and fascinating for tourists with its ancient monuments for the city.

Beautiful places

Now Novogrudok is the regional center of Belarus. The townspeople call it Navagrudak. It's so beautiful landscapes that the area is called Belarusian Switzerland. First of all, this is the territory that is part of the Novogrudsky, Naliboksky and Svityazyansky landscape reserves. Charm and Lithuanian cannot be described in words. The clean expanse of reservoirs, surrounded by lush greenery of trees, shrubs, emerald and soft grass, evokes such delightful feelings, the expectation of some kind of magic, that it seems: a mermaid is about to look out of the water. And looking at clear waters Svityaz, you can try to see the ancient city, which, according to beautiful legend, is hidden at its bottom.

Ruins of Mindovga Castle

Not far from the city are the ruins of Mindovga Castle. It once belonged to the ruler of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. From the formidable castle, which withstood more than one siege by the Crusaders, the Tatar Khan, the Moscow governors, now there are only two dilapidated walls and fragments of a stone fortification.

And yet, even among such meager reminders of antiquity, the grandeur of a medieval fortress is felt.

Attractions in Novogrudok

In Novogrudok, a tourist will undoubtedly be curious to see the temples of different faiths. At the end of the fifteenth century, the Tatars settled here, and three centuries later the first mosque was built. Despite the fact that this is a wooden building, it has been perfectly preserved to this day. At the end of the eighteenth century, the Franciscans built the Baroque church of St. Anthony. Fifty years later, for the participation of monks in the national liberation uprising, the church was closed, and a little later it was converted into an Orthodox church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. A fire in 1852 did not spare the church building. Therefore, it was rebuilt in a completely different architectural style, from old building only the foundation remained unchanged.

Borisoglebskaya church

If you come to local you must see. The most ancient temple is Borisoglebskaya Orthodox Church. It was erected in the twelfth century, at the beginning of the fourteenth century monastery. In the middle of the sixteenth century it was handed over to the Uniates. Then the building underwent some reconstruction. According to the trends of the time, the church was equipped with defensive fortifications. Three centuries later, when Novogrudok was transferred to the Russian Empire, the church became Orthodox again. Now it is a beautiful white-stone building looking skyward.

Church of Michael the Archangel

What else can you see when you come to Novogrudok? Its attractions, including places of worship will be of interest to many tourists. The Church of Michael the Archangel is no exception. In the seventeenth century, Dominican preachers contributed a lot to enlightenment in the local area. Built in 1624, the Church of St. Jacek became not only religious, but also scientific center. At first it was a wooden building, but a century later a baroque stone church was erected and the church was named after the Archangel. Under him, a Dominican school was opened, in which the famous Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz once studied.

Other attractions

The poet's museum is located near the ruins of Mindovga Castle. This is a modest one-story house with two columns near the porch. It was opened in the early twenties of the last century and, unfortunately, was completely destroyed during the Second World War. But the house has been restored, now it houses expositions dedicated to the leader of the Polish liberation movement, the talented poet of the era of romanticism Adam Mickiewicz.

It is best to learn about such an eventful history of Novogrudok in the local local history museum. It was opened relatively recently, about thirty years ago, but it has rare rare exhibits, for example, archaeological finds, household items of the nobility and ordinary people.

Church of the Transfiguration

What else is Novogrudok proud of? The attractions here are all very interesting. But unique, rich in historical events and legend is the Farny Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

This is a strict, castle-like temple. It rises on a hill, surrounded by lush trees. Built back in 1395, at first it was wooden, then, in the seventeenth century, two baroque stone chapels were erected. At the beginning of the fifteenth century, the wedding of the Polish King Vladislav II and Princess Golshanskaya took place here. During the war years, Nazarene sisters were shot in Novogrudok. All eleven were eventually canonized by the Holy See, and their relics are kept in the church. Since 1621, there has been a miraculous icon Mother of God Novogrudok. The church is very cold. Legends say that the underground springs that are under the foundation are to blame.

Some interesting places

If you have already examined the city of Novogrudok, its sights, then you should definitely take a break. To relieve fatigue after interesting, eventful excursions, it would be nice to look into one of local restaurants or bars. For example, the Svityaz restaurant, the Rim bar, the Valeriya restaurant, the Chance cocktail bar will be able to please their visitors with excellent cuisine and a high level of service.

Conclusion

We have provided you with basic information regarding one of the wonderful corners of Belarus. Now you can safely go to Novogrudok. Attractions, description and Interesting Facts about the history of the city, the beauty of nature - what else does a tourist need for unforgettable holiday? And even the most experienced traveler will find something to do here.

People who have seen the city of Novogrudok itself, sights, and reviews are positive. They say that it is really very beautiful here, there are many interesting historical monuments, temples, churches. And it is highly recommended to visit this place and see its beauties, as they say, with your own eyes.

Belarus, Novogrudok, the castle in Novogrudok, the farny church, the cup of St. Hedwig, the burial mound of Immortality, the house-museum of Adam Mickiewicz.

"Kali Navagrudsky ubachysh prastors,

Rakitnik razgalisty low -

Kanya supyni la Pluzhinskaka boru -

Cab look at the lake closer!

A. Mitskevich.

The first mention of Novogrudok.

Once upon a time quite a long time ago Novogrudok famous for its castle and not only for it. Who has been to knows that Novgorod is New town. Initially, the settlement of present-day Novgorod was a couple of kilometers closer to Lake Ilmen. Which is quite logical, after the transfer of the city, it was called the New City.

Same thing with the title. Novogrudok- after all, in fact, this is the Polish-Belarusian version of the spelling of ours. Now historians consider the founding date Novogrudok- not that 1044, not that 1116 or 1252 (yes, historians have not yet decided themselves), - this is the year when Novogrudok first mentioned in the chronicles as a city, and the settlement, according to archaeological data, existed here already at the turn of the 9th-10th centuries. However, archaeological studies of the Novogrudok region do not make it possible to assume that a predecessor settlement existed in the district. emergence Novogrudok was part of the urban development process, the development of the pre-urban center into an urban-type settlement.

The first settlements in Novogrudok

At the turn of the first and second millennium, people were the first to fall in love with the hills in Novogrudok. First, the Small Castle was inhabited - about the 10th century, then the Castle Hill itself. The buildings on both hills were oriented to the parts of the world with corners or walls. In the XII century, on the Small Castle in the eastern part of the site, there was a large concentration of rich houses, the area of \u200b\u200bwhich was about 70 m 2 instead of the usual 30-35. There were even more rich houses here than in Kyiv itself. There was also its own Borisoglebskaya church, a Christian cemetery (105 graves). Castle Hill was inhabited first along the perimeter, in its northern part, outbuildings were found. Such a division is unconventional for the settlements of that time. Already in the second half of the 11th century, the first fortifications were erected on Castle Hill - a rampart from 1 to 2.5 meters high, and it was from then on that Castle Hill can be considered a citadel, and the Small Castle - a settlement. Since then Novogrudok became a city, and a city at that time was considered a settlement where there is a castle - a citadel and an unfortified settlement. On the site of the current Shchitovka tower, there was a predecessor tower entirely made of stone, which served as the foundation for new tower. At that time, when the fortifications of the castle were wooden (50-70 years of the XIII century), only the predecessor of Shchitovka was made of stone and closed the rampart, being, in fact, a donjon. Novogrudok of that time was already trading with the Baltic states, Kiev.

Castle in Novogrudok

badly hurt Novogrudok years... You guessed it? Right in the years Northern war. Not much is left of the castle, but... The high, high castle hill is open to all winds. If a flag were raised here, it would proudly fly, never ceasing for a second of its anxious and proud dance. Steep slopes are covered with emerald grass, and probably so tasty and juicy that two local cows graze with great pleasure at the foot of the hill, and it seems that they like it here, they move so slowly from place to place.

At the top of the hill is clearly expressed castle shaft, along which you can go around the perimeter, taking turns examining the remains of ancient walls and towers made of traditional red brick. And the yellow suns of hundreds of dandelions, as on the hill of the former, smilingly and affably pull their heads to the walls and towers, look into the sky, as if they want to console - look, it will still be good, because they have risen from the ruins, and, and the yellow flower heads continue to smile sunny happiness, as if they know that the castle will be restored with love, it will find its guides and guests, kids will frolic on the slope, running through the yellow suns of dandelions. And as the pinnacle of creation - on the highest roof of the castle, the stork will build its nest, as a symbol of peace and prosperity, In the meantime ...

At the turn of the XIV-XV centuries, large-scale work began to strengthen the castle. The former wooden castle began to prepare for serious battles, dressing in stone outfits. One after another, the towers become stone, because they will have to confront serious opponents - the Teutonic Order, the Crimean Tatars, the Moscow principality, the Poles, the Swedes. The first stone tower was Shchitovka (central), and a gate was also made in it. The five floors of the tower are 25 meters high with walls on the ground floor about 2.7 meters thick! should have been reliable protection. The next tower to receive a new decoration is Kostelnaya. It is located east of Shchitovka. The tower was a little lower and had only three floors with 4 loopholes on each. Next, the Pasade Tower and the Small Gate Tower were rebuilt, part of which has survived to this day. Opposite it, in the place where the spring flows from, they erected the Well Tower. At the turn of the 15th-16th centuries, the Dozorets tower was erected in the northwestern corner of the castle, its dimensions were 14 by 14 meters. With the passage of time and the development of military affairs, the Small Gates became not entirely reliable. A new gate tower has been added, linked to the Well Tower and the Small Gate. It turned out a kind of fortified bastion, which guarded the road to the castle. And the castle became a seven-tower fortress, one of the most powerful at that time in the Belarusian lands.

1 - Church tower, 2 - Shchitovka, 3 - Dozornaya, 4 - Posadskaya, 5 - Small gates, 6 - Well, 7 - Meska, 8 - Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God, 9 - Prince's palace.

In the southern part of the castle, houses of the inhabitants of the city dependent on the prince were erected. During excavations near the Small Gate, a number of residential buildings measuring 3 by 4 meters, almost closely adjacent to one another. In the north - the prince's palace and outbuildings. Later, the prince's stone palace adjoined Shchitovka. Such a division of economic and residential buildings is rather unusual. Of course, the castle had its own church.

In 1655, the Cossacks attacked the castle, and it was badly damaged, however, by 1660 it was revived again. And again he was taken by the Cossacks, or rather handed over to the hired garrisons, who did not receive payment for their service on time. Four towers of the castle were destroyed to the foundation. In 1661 the castle was released from taxes to restore its former power. However, through these lands in 1706 and 1708 lay the path of the Swedish army, which completed the destruction of the castle. In 1802, part of the castle towers was dismantled for paving the streets of the city and other household needs. On top of the destruction, at the end of the 19th century, rubbish from all over the area began to be brought to Castle Hill, under a two-meter layer of which the foundations of castle buildings were preserved.

Restoration and conservation of the castle

Excavations and conservation of the castle have been going on for many years. For the first time, the Poles paid attention to the castle in the 20s of the last century. Their goal is to preserve the walls and towers of the castle. Which was done. The remains of the Church Tower and Shchitovka were conserved, the direction of all the walls was determined, and a plan of the castle was drawn up.

Then, after the end of World War II, the castle was explored by a St. Petersburg expedition in 1956-1973. Therefore, a large number of artifacts, including the Cup of St. Hedwig, are stored in the Hermitage - ceramics, amphorae, glassware, jewelry, Byzantine glass, bronze, lead and iron items. By the way, the Jadwiga Cup was never exhibited in the Hermitage, because it was found broken :(.

Since 2012, an active restoration of the castle has been underway. The castle hill was fortified, the remains of the Church tower too. It is planned to open a museum in the Shchitovka tower with artifacts found during the excavation hour: tiles, colored tiles for stoves, animal bones, about three dozen coins of the 16th-19th centuries, cannonballs, arrowheads. At the very top of the tower is planned Observation deck. The foundations of all buildings and walls will be marked. The Church Tower is being completed - to old wall new ones are added, the tower is recreated the same as in the engraving of Napoleon Orda. But not everything is so easy to succeed, because at a depth of 20-25 meters there is a powerful aquifer, which gave the defenders the opportunity to be ready for new sieges, but now it is not into the hands of the castle. Strengthening the foundation and the wall of the tower is not so easy.

Farny Church, where Sofia Golshanskaya (Drutskaya) and Jagiello were married

Farny church(Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord), Novogrudok.

It is believed that in pagan times there was a temple of Pirun, but in 1395, a church was built. In 1422, it was here that the wedding of the Lithuanian king took place. Jagiello and princesses Sofia Golshanskaya (Drutskaya). The first Gothic church existed until 1712. In its place, a new stone church with a two-tower main façade and a semicircular altar apse was erected, consecrated in 1723. The composition of the building includes two ancient graven chapels of the former church. Ancient dungeons and stained-glass windows have been preserved in the chapels. Later, the church was rebuilt, but the chapel where the wedding took place has survived to this day. Adam Mickiewicz was also baptized in this church.

Saint Hedwig's Cup

A lot of interesting articles you can read about the history of the city. According to one of them, Novogrudok similarly, Novgorod was the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (GDL). And from here interesting artifact(you can’t call it otherwise), found during excavations - "cup of Saint Hedwig". According to wikipedia, on "Cup of Saint Hedwig"(under this name the vessel is listed in the Hermitage collection), images of a Lion, a Griffin and a stylized Tree of Life in the form of two Serpents wrapping around the Chalice of Life are carved. According to the British Museum, the vessels of this group are included in the first hundred outstanding works. material culture common human civilization.

Such cups are unique in that they were used during the coronation of kings and were kept for centuries in the capitals of states. However, there are other opinions that sow doubts, according to one of them, one of the historians said something wrong, or thought wrong, and someone heard something wrong, they say, goblet of St. Hedwig and was not found in Novogrudok, and in Novgorod. But we will still hope that the birthplace of this historic discovery glorious, who stood up for himself more than once during the raids of the crusaders, Novogrudok!

Mound of Immortality

This mound of memory appeared on the Small Castle in honor of the famous poet Adam Mickiewicz. The poet spent all his childhood and youth in Novogrudok - his poetic inclinations also manifested themselves there. In 1924, admirers of the work of Adam Mickiewicz brought with them a handful of earth to the Small Castle and threw it in this place - so by 1930, when the anniversary of the great poet was celebrated, a large mound 17 meters high had grown.

Mount Mindovga

According to legend, it was here that the founder and the first Grand Duke of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania - Mindovg. Mindovg means a lot of thinking. To become the prince of Novogrudok, Mindovg had to accept Christianity. Taking into account the numerous military threats - the Galicia-Volyn principality, the orders of the crusaders, the Mongol invasions and the aggression of the Lithuanian princes Mindovg creates the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which united the Polotsk, Turov-Pinsk, Smolensk principalities, as well as the lands that were inhabited by the tribes of Lithuania, Latygol, Yatvyaz and others. This allowed the inhabitants of its constituent regions to defend their independence and continue social, economic, political and cultural development. Peace was concluded with the Galicia-Volyn prince. Thanks to coronation of Mindaugas The royal crown of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was recognized by all European states. In 1263, Mindovg was buried according to a pagan rite under a mound, which later, in the 17th-18th centuries, turned into a city-wide Christian cemetery, where both Orthodox and Catholics were buried until the 1920s. Some gravestones survived. In 1993 at the foot of Mountains of Mindovga a commemorative sign has been erected.

House Museum of Adam Mickiewicz

A. Mitskevich was born ten kilometers from Novogrudok - in a gentry estate called Zalesye.

The place for building a house in Novogrudok was bought by Adam's father, Nikolai Mitskevich. There was already a basement of a house that belonged to the steward and burned down during a fire in 1751. First, a simple wooden house was built, which was destroyed by fire in 1806-1807. A new stone house was built on the same spot. The Mickiewiczes lived in this house until 1812. Then the family, for lack of funds, leaves this house and goes to live in an outbuilding. The house has since changed hands more than once. During the First World War, German, Polish and Bolshevik military headquarters were quartered in the house. In the 1920s, the Mickiewicz Committee was created in Novogrudok, which in 1937 purchased this house to create a museum. In 1938, a museum of the poet will be opened in this house, in 1941 a German bomb hit the museum, in 1955 the house-museum was rebuilt in its pre-war form and is still operating to this day.

The formation of the state enabled the peoples of this region to defend their independence and created conditions for their further social, political, economic and cultural development.

Ancient buildings of Novogrudok

In the city center, at the construction site new hotel, urban development of the XII-XVIII centuries was discovered. During archaeological excavations, at least four tiers of buildings, dated different times. One of the buildings was probably a tavern. This conclusion suggests itself because of the abundance of glassware. Upon completion of the work, elements of urban development will be mothballed and dismantled. Later they will be transported to one of the museums, where they will be exhibited in the same form as in

"Novogrudok" railway

When the first railway lines appeared in Belarus, Novogrudok merchants began to petition for the construction of a separate line in Novogrudok as well. After the Smolensk-Brest railway appeared, the population of Baranovichi began to grow rapidly, so that even the question arose of transferring the center of the Novogrudok pavet to Baranovichi. That's what the railroad meant at that time. However, the First World War began. The front line passed nearby and in 1916 the German command began the construction of a narrow gauge railway to the front line. All forces were thrown into construction - the entire able-bodied population, horses, and forests were also cut down. In 1919, with the establishment of Soviet power, the narrow-gauge railway began to actively participate in the economic life of the region and was a significant help in solving the transport issue until buses appeared. The railway gave direct access to Minsk and beyond.

In the 1920s, the building of the railway station (our bus station) appeared. In the 40s of the last century railway renovated after the war, and widened the gauge from 50 centimeters to 75 so that Soviet-made locomotives and wagons could run on it. The road passed through the territory of 11 collective farms, measures were taken so that the animals did not come close to the tracks - fences were erected 31.3 kilometers long along the railway tracks. In winter, the collective farms were obliged to allocate people and carts to fight snow drifts.

Dismantled in 1965 narrow gauge road, and the construction of a broad-gauge railway did not begin - the road lost its significance with the development of motor transport. This narrow-gauge railway connecting Novogrudok and Novoelnya existed for about 50 years.

First wind power plant (WPP)

In May 2011, the official launch of the first wind power plant (WPP) took place, which was installed on a site near former village Robbers. The opening was specially timed to coincide with these days - on May 15, the Belarusian energy system celebrated its 80th anniversary.

The first wind turbine (wind power plant).

It should be recalled that the decision to build a windmill was made back in 2006. According to experts, Novogrudok- most the best place in Belarus for these purposes. Quite strong winds are recorded here. According to meteorologists, average speed- 7 m/s. The wind turbine itself starts at 3 m/s, and starts generating electricity at 4.5 m/s.

Significant dates

1044 - the first mention of Novogrudok.

1253 - coronation of Mindaugas.

1258, 1278 - Mongol-Tatars attacked the castle.

Around 1270 - the sign "Pagonya" was first recorded as the emblem of Novogrudok, and in 1293 "Pagonya" became the sign of the Grand Duke and the coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

1314.1394 - storming of the castle by the crusaders.

1317 - the establishment of an independent Novogrudok metropolis.

1323 - Gedemin transfers the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania to Vilnius.

1415 - Council of Orthodox Bishops. Novogrudok becomes the residence of the Orthodox Metropolitan.

1422 - the wedding in the Farny Church of Jagiello and Sophia Golshanskaya.

1428 - Vytautas gives his wife Juliana the Novogrudok castle for life.

1508, 1538 - the Diet of the ON takes place in the city.

1511 - the city received the Magdeburg Law (the right to self-government).

1539 - the first gymnasium in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was opened in Novogrudok.

1581 - until the middle of the 18th century - Novogrudok becomes the venue. sessions of the Main Lithuanian Tribunal - the Supreme Court of Appeal ON.

1596 - after the conclusion of the Brest church union, Novogrudok became the residence of the Uniate metropolitans of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

1605 - 1667 - during the Russian-Polish war, the castle was badly damaged and was destroyed.

1706 - the castle is completely destroyed. The Swedes blew up the remains of the castle.

Mindovg - Grand Duke of Lithuania, founder of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The first and last king of Lithuania from 1235 to 1263.

Vitovt - Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1392 to 1430. Known for a feud with the Polish king Jagiello. He miraculously managed to avoid death at his hands - disguised as a servant, he escaped from the Krevo castle.

Famous people

Boris Demidovich- Soviet mathematician.
Fedor Evlashevsky- the first Belarusian memoirist.
Boris Kit- scientist in the field of astronautics, honorary citizen of the city.
Adam Miscavige- Belarusian and Polish poet.
Salomon Rysinsky- the first Belarusian folklorist.
Johim Khreptovich- Chancellor ON.
Jan Chechot- Belarusian poet and folklorist.

Novogrudok is a town (29 thousand inhabitants) in the Grodno region of Belarus, halfway between Minsk and Grodno (150 kilometers each). Although I was there in February 2008, it is with a post about Novogrudok that I open, from which I returned the other day. The second time to visit this extremely picturesque town I didn't, so I'll use my old photos. I will tell about what I saw during this trip later, and I will start the series right here: Novogrudok is the heart of Black Rus', the most likely place of its origin, and simply its quintessence.

The first attraction of Novogrudok is its location: the city stands on one of the highest points of Belarus (323m above sea level), and on the outskirts from Minsk in dense fog it seemed to me that the bus was climbing into real mountains. The city stands very beautifully on the hills, and on one of the flat areas is the former Market Square (guess what it is called now):

There is a certain dialectic in this. From one point - a typical Lenin Square, as in hundreds of regional centers of Russia and Belarus, even the right shopping malls in the style of classicism are available. And if you turn 180 degrees - and from the same point you see the completely correct Market Square, as in small towns in Poland, the Baltic States, Western Ukraine:

The houses under gable roofs are very picturesque, although in general this architecture is typical for Western Belarus:

Here is the St. Nicholas Church, rebuilt in 1846 from the Franciscan Church (1780). The situation for Belarus is supertypical. The gilded iconostasis looks strange to the Russian eye under the lancet vaults:

On the contrary malls - old park, and in the park is the Mickiewicz estate. Adam Mickiewicz was born in Novogrudok in 1798 and lived here until 1817, when he left to enter Vilna University. But the small homeland left an imprint in his work - for example, the events of the poem "Grazhina" unfold precisely in medieval Novogrudok.

The house-museum was organized in 1920, and opened in 1931 - Novogrudok (like the whole of Black Rus') was part of Poland in the interwar period. In 1941, the house was destroyed by an air bomb, and restored only on the 100th anniversary of Mickiewicz's death in 1955. However, much has survived, and most of the things in the house are authentic. But I'm not sure that the place is authentic - it's too convenient, almost on the main square.

I was here on Monday, so I didn't get inside. And on another day, I would hardly have gone - I know Mickiewicz's work only in retellings, and I see no reason to visit the museum of a writer whom I have not read. The yard of the museum was swept by an old woman, who either did not understand or did not want to understand Russian - I thought that she must be a Pole. In the modern Grodno region, Poles make up about 21% of the population.

The market square has the shape of an irregular triangle, and at its farthest "top" from the shopping arcade is the Church of Michael the Archangel (1724), similar to a chest:

Roads from the square diverge in different directions. Let's go one by one, clockwise. Between the stone houses near St. Nicholas Church there is a very beautiful street, in the fog it acquires a Gothic mystery:

And even without fog, it is very colorful - a rare corner of the ancient city in Belarus:

A couple of hundred meters from the square - Boisoglebskaya church:

In its current form, this originally Orthodox church was built in 1517-19, and belongs to the "defensive type of temples", that is, it is a small fortress. Fortified churches are generally common in Eastern Europe from Estonia to Romania, but Belarus is especially rich in them.

Borisoglebskaya church is one of the most powerful. In addition, this is a rare example of Orthodox Gothic, most of whose monuments are concentrated in Black Rus'.

But something else is even more interesting: it was built on the foundation of the church of the same name of the 12th century, one of the seven stone buildings of the Gorodensky principality. "Grodno Architectural School" is one of the most unusual in Ancient Rus', but only half of the monument in Grodno survived from it - another Borisoglebskaya church. In the 1140s, the brothers Boris and Gleb Vasilkovich reigned in Grodno and Novogrudok, and therefore the churches are dedicated to Saints Boris and Gleb. Novogrudok itself has been known either since 1044, or since 1117, it was the second most important city of the Gorodensky principality, and its citadel stood here.

By the way, now these photos are already historical. In the summer of 2010, the church was blatantly tastelessly "restored", equipped with golden domes and kokoshniks. There are still few photos on the Internet. It turned out really awful.

Another street, to the left of the shopping arcade, leads to the Novogrudok Castle:

It consists of two parts - the castle itself on an impregnable hill-outlier and the semicircular Small Castle separated from it by a ravine:

In the Small Castle, built up mainly with private houses, there is an interesting Mound of Immortality, poured by the Poles in 1924-31 in honor of Mickiewicz. I don’t know its height, but the difference between Novogrudok (323m) and the highest mountain in the country, Dzerzhinsky Mountain (345m), is only 22 meters - so theoretically the mound could be highest point Belarus. An introductory shot was taken from the mound.

Well, now let's enter the Novogrudok Castle itself - a round platform on the top of the remnant:

The ruins of two towers have been preserved here - Shield (left) and Kostelnaya (right), everything else was destroyed during the Russian-Polish (1653-67) and Northern wars. But the point is not in the buildings, but in the historical aura - on this site, in a sense, Belarus was born.

In the 13th century, the influence of the Lithuanians increased in the dying Ancient Rus'. The Lithuanians in those days were classic barbarians - warlike pagans who preserved the archaic system, but mastered the modern military art. In 1238, Mindaugas, better known as Mindovg, became the ruler of Lithuania, by 1248 he subjugated (possibly peacefully) most Gorodensky Principality, which escaped the Mongol invasion. Like his contemporary Daniil Galitsky, in 1251 Mindovg was baptized as a Catholic, in 1252 he took possession of Grodno, and in 1253 he was crowned as the King of Lithuania. However, the Lithuanian kingdom did not last long - Baptism did not help Mindovg to reconcile with the main enemy - the crusaders, and in 1261 the king renounced Christianity, again declaring himself a pagan. The title of king could only be worn by a Catholic, and its analogue was the title "Grand Duke". The Kingdom of Lithuania became the Grand Duchy of Lithuania:

It is with Novogrudok that most historians connect the Epiphany and the coronation of Mindaugas. There are other versions (for example, Kernava), but Novogrudskaya is the most popular. Here, and not in Grodno - apparently, only because Mindovg conquered Grodno later. But this act became especially important: Lithuania and the Gorodensky principalities formed a binational state, which became the main "collector" of Russian lands for a century and a half. The Lithuanians accepted baptism only in 1397, and it is with this that the name "Black Rus'" is associated - that is, Rus' under the rule of the pagans.

By the way, this term itself is not found in Russian chronicles - only in European chronicles. A broader concept is Lithuanian Rus: Lithuania from school textbooks, which always annoyed our ancestors, was 2/3 of the Slavic state with the Western Russian language in official status. And it was the Grodno region that was its core, connecting Lithuania with White Russia, Volhynia and Kiev.

Novogrudok was the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania for a short time. In 1254-58, he was part of the Galicia-Volyn principality - the first King of Rus', Daniel of Galicia, defeated Mindovg and gave these lands to his son Roman. Then the Galicians were expelled by the Lithuanian princes Voyshelk and Tovtivil. And Mindovg, two years after returning to paganism, was killed under an agreement with the Pope of Rome, Prince Daumantas, better known as Dovmont: in 1265 Voyshelk expelled him, but not just anywhere, but to Pskov, where Dovmont ruled in 1266-99 under the name of Timothy, and it was under him that the Pskov Republic became one of the strongest Russian states, as the city near the Kremlin reminds of Dovmontov Square.

However, all this was also not here. Novogrudok became a turning point in the history of Western Rus', but in subsequent centuries it was just one of major cities Grand Duchy of Lithuania, gradually degraded to county town and the regional center.

At the foot of the castle is the parish (that is, the parish) Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord (1714-23) - we will go to it.

The castle looks very interesting from below. Two towers from each point form unique angles, and look almost better than the whole fortress:

A famously curved street leads downhill, along the settlement:

Past the Polish houses with wooden columns at the porch:

Straight to the church

The church was founded in wood in 1385 by Vytautas, two years before the official christening of Lithuania. But the current building was built in 1714-23 in the style of Sarmatism. The name comes from the Sarmatians, to whom the gentry traced their ancestry, and the Renaissance appearance is a kind of historicism. In the 18th century, the Commonwealth was steadily approaching death, and longing for its former greatness was this style - militant historicism. In architecture, Sarmatism is most similar to the Renaissance, which was popular during the heyday of Poland:

Three chapels of the 15th century are built into the walls of the church. The frame above clearly shows the chapel with a memorial plaque - here in 1422 the Polish king and the former Lithuanian prince, the deep old man Jagiello married the young Sophia Golshanskaya, and nevertheless they managed to give birth to an heir - this is how the Jagiellon dynasty arose, whose representatives ruled and 15 16 centuries in Lithuania, Poland, Hungary and even the Czech Republic.

Opposite the church is the wooden building of the monastery of the Nazarene women (1929):

Let's go back to the square.
If the road to the castle passed to the left of the shopping arcade, and to the church - to the right, then now we will go past the house of Mickiewicz. A few hundred meters from the square, among the shacks, suddenly a building is discovered that you would not expect here at all - a mosque!

Tatars appeared in Lithuania in the 14th century - originally soldiers who came here for contract service from the Golden Horde. Over time, dozens of Tatar settlements arose in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and from the war the Tatars switched to trade. Gradually, they learned the Western Russian language, which they wrote in a slightly modified Arabic script, but retained their religion. Wooden mosques can be seen in Black Rus', southern Lithuania, Polish Podlasie (Bialystok Voivodeship). The Novogrudok mosque was built in 1855 - one of the oldest surviving mosques. There are now about 10 thousand Tatars left in Belarus, the largest community (about 1 thousand) is in the town of Ivye, where I also got on this trip.

Finally, the last street past the church leads to the bus station, which is a 20-minute walk from the square. Halfway - Polish administrative building:

And the house of the governor, that is, the governor (voivodship is the Polish analogue of the region):

Near the bus station there is a whole block of such charming wooden cottages:

But basically Novogrudok is like this:

Much has been lost here - in the 19th century the town hall was demolished, during the war the ancient synagogue was destroyed along with the parishioners, several churches were blown up after the war ... And yet Novogrudok is perhaps the most colorful city Black Rus'.

In the next four parts, we will examine Grodno, and there the photos will already be fresh.

Black Rus'-2010
.
Novogrudok. Heart of Black Rus'.
Grodno.
Old city.
Along the Neman.
City of Tizengauza.
Miscellaneous.
Castles of the Radziwills.
World.
Nesvizh.
Cities and villages.
Lida. After Dozhinok.
Ivye. The capital of the Lithuanian Tatars.
Slonim. Belarus is a reference.
Synkovichi. Church-fortress.
Zhirovichi. Orthodox center of Belarus.
Baranovichi. City.
Baranovichi. Railway Museum.

P.S.
My old reportage about Novogrudok in two parts: and. There is much less information there, and there are much more errors, but maybe someone will be interested.

Novogrudok from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Novogrudok.

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It's hard to imagine that small town Novogrudok in the Middle Ages was the first capital of one of the most powerful states of Eastern Europe- the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and in the interwar period - the center of the province. On a par with Lviv, Vilna or Brest. Unfortunately, many attributes of former glory have sunk into oblivion, but picturesque hills, which were sung by the famous poet Adam Mickiewicz, are still in place, like many architectural monuments that fit so well into the landscape. The quiet and measured life of the provincial Novogrudok is often diluted with large-scale knightly festivals, which attract historical reenactors and spectators from all over Belarus and neighboring countries.

How to get to Novogrudok

Novogrudok is located 150 km from Minsk. There is no railway in the city, you need to go by bus or minibus (they leave every 2 hours from the Central Bus Station of the capital, 1.5 hours on the way. How to get to Minsk is told.

During the First World War in 1916, the Germans built a narrow-gauge railway linking Novogrudok with Novoelnya, a station on the Baranovichi-Lida line. The narrow gauge railway operated until the 60s, and then was dismantled. Train Station in turn converted into a bus.

Public transport in Novogrudok is represented by 10 bus routes.

Hotels

There are few hotels in Novogrudok, moreover, most of them are not represented on popular booking services. The cost of a day in a standard double room of a simple hotel with breakfast is 50-60 BYN. Apartments locals rent for 40-50 BYN per day. And if you travel with a company and by car, you should consider the option of renting an agroestate near the city. For example, a house for 4-6 people will cost 100-120 BYN.

Cafes and restaurants

with establishments Catering in Novogrudok, unlike other small Belarusian cities, not everything is so bad - it affects tourist attraction. There are several restaurants with traditional cuisine where dinner will cost 15-20 BYN per person without alcohol. Local fast food - pancakes for 2 BYN and pies for 1 BYN. Prices on the page are for October 2018.

Attractions Novogrudok

Perhaps the main attraction of the city is Novogrudok Castle, more precisely, its ruins. The fortress was erected in the 13th century, it has survived the sieges of the crusaders and the raids of the Tatar-Mongols more than once. But during the Northern War she could not resist and was destroyed Russian army. To date, only fragments of 2 of the 7 towers have survived: Shchitovka and Kostelnaya. But even in this state, they are impressive.

At the foot Castle Hill stands farny church of the Transfiguration of the Lord 1714-23-s. The first temple in its place appeared in 1385: it was founded by Grand Duke Vytautas. The current building was built in the very popular Sarmatism style in the Commonwealth. 3 chapels of the 15th century are built into the walls of the temple. A memorial plaque hangs on one of them, informing that here in 1422 the Polish king Jagiello married Sophia Golshanskaya, who after a while gave him a long-awaited heir. This is how the Jagiellonian family arose, which ruled in Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Near the church there is a wooden building of the monastery of the Nazarenes.

Among the beautiful houses historical center hidden mosque built in 1855 - one of the oldest in Belarus.

Opposite shopping malls market square an old park was laid out, in which the Mickiewicz estate is located (Lenin St., 1). The great poet Adam Mickiewicz spent all his childhood and youth here, until in 1817 he left to enter the university in Vilna. But he returned to his small homeland more than once in his work. So, the poem "Grazhina" tells just about the events in ancient Novogrudok. The house-museum, opened in 1931, was destroyed by an air bomb 10 years later. Fortunately, many exhibits survived, and in 1955 the museum was rebuilt. Right there, in the vicinity of the Market Square, there is the Borisoglebskaya Church. In its current form, this Orthodox church was built in 1517-19. and refers to churches of the defensive type: in fact, it is a small fortress.