Ruzhany Castle - the ruins of a magnificent palace in Belarus. What to see in Ruzhany and Pruzhany: weekend itinerary

In a wonderful necklace of castles of Belarus, the Ruzhany Palace is a special jewel. First time talking about it small town Belarus - Ruzhany is found in old historical annals already in the 15th century.

In those very distant times, wonderful carpets and various cloths, elegant ceramics and beautifully painted belts, made on the estate belonging to the Tyszkiewicz family, were very popular at the trade markets held here.

In 1598, the great politician, chancellor and one of the richest people in the country - the Grand Duchy of Lithuania - Lev Sapega - bought these lands and launched a grandiose construction here. The future magnate was born in 1557. His ancient, eminent family had its coat of arms "Foxes".

There is such a legend of the appearance of the coat of arms. After the victory over the Yotvingians, Casimir the Restorer in 1508 presented the knight with a new sign of courage - a coat of arms with an arrow - a reminder of the event when Sapieha with a detachment, surrounded by enemies, called for help by shooting up a burning arrow. The sign was noticed, help quickly approached. And the knight saved himself and the people of his detachment from death. The burning arrow and the warrior's tribal sign were transformed into a beautiful coat of arms with the name "Fox".

Lev Sapega received his initial education in, on the estate famous Nicholas Radziwill the Black, at whose insistence he then entered the University of Leipzig to study. At first he worked in his father's office as a simple clerk. Later, thanks to the secular connections of the Radziwills, he served as a clerk for King Stefan Batory himself.

Successes in the diplomatic field

Sapieha's diplomatic talents were not in doubt, and the king sent him to Muscovy to confirm the peace treaty with Ivan the Terrible. But this significant meeting was not destined to take place: while the young man was traveling to Russian capital, Ivan the Terrible died, and his son Fyodor Ivanovich came to power.

But despite such an unexpected change of government, Sapieha managed not only to achieve an extension of the peace treaty, but also to rescue about 900 people from captivity - his compatriots. For a young, not too experienced young ambassador, it was just a stunning success. And upon returning to native land he is appointed sub-chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (GDL).

How "Fox" manifested itself in lawmaking

Lev Sapega was the first to propose and develop the division of administrative power into judicial, legislative and executive powers. He is one of the main authors of the collection of laws in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania - the Statute of 1588. An interesting story is told about the approval of this Statute.

That year, Stefan Batory, the king of the Commonwealth, died. The throne was occupied by the prince of Sweden, Sigismund Vasa, and the archduke of Austria, Maximelian. And then Sapieha, motivating this with a desire to unite 3 countries, unexpectedly for everyone, proposed to crown the son of Ivan the Terrible. The Poles were categorically against it.

Then the sub-chancellor made, in principle, a win-win move: knowing that many people listen to his opinion, he made it clear that if the coronation Sejm without delay accepts the Statute he proposed, then he will not especially stand up for the son of the Russian Tsar.

Thus, a new famous document was approved - in fact, this was the first Constitution in Europe. For his own money, Lev Sapega published the first 4 thousand copies of the Statute, which was subsequently reprinted more than once and was translated into Russian and Polish.

In addition, Sapieha participated in the writing of the Main Tribunal - the code of laws of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, according to which criminals were punished.

Personal life of the richest person ON

A year later, the sub-chancellor became the Grand Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the richest man in his country after the king. Lev Sapega was a very modest person. He loved paintings, reading - more than 3,000 books were stored in his extensive library. And he also loved to fish in silence.

He was married twice, he had 5 children, but there were no boy grandchildren. And his line of children was interrupted. They say that there was a case when, on the orders of the chancellor, a woman was executed. And before her death, she cursed him in anger.

At the age of 42, Leo married a sixteen-year-old girl from the great Radziwill family. During their happy life together, they had 3 boys and one girl.

Plans that didn't come true

In the 17th century, the castle in Ruzhany was of great political importance - kings and ambassadors were received here neighboring states, state tasks and issues of paramount importance were solved. And here is what remains of the former luxury in the 21st century.

In the vast, multi-storey cellars of the palace, a complete archive of the Sapieha family was stored, a huge arsenal of weapons in case of need, food supplies and many barrels of wine, government documents and even the entire treasury of the state.

Here is the layout presented in the museum of the palace, how the Ruzhany castle looked before.

The legend says that between the two castles - in and in Ruzhany - there is a secret underground passage. This is quite likely, but such a fact is not disclosed to the general public.

Many historical data confirm the version that plans were made more than once in the Ruzhany Palace to seize power in Moscow. The Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania supported False Dmitry during the Time of Troubles. A fugitive monk Grigory Otrepiev, who later called himself the Russian Tsar, lived in Ruzhany for some time.

And in his estate in Slonim, Sapega raised False Ivashka, who, as it were, was the son of False Dmitry 2.

By the age of 70, Lev Sapega had reached the highest post in his Fatherland - he became the Grand Hetman, Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Minister of War. He could independently make important state decisions, without consulting either the Polish king or the Grand Duke of Lithuania. Lev Sapega died when he was 76 years old. His ashes were buried in Vilna, in the Church of St. Michael - to the right of the altar of the temple, a monument of multi-colored marble was erected to him.

After the death of the ancestor, the castle passed into the possession of his eldest son, who died just two years later.

Further, the castle is owned by Kazimir Lev Sapieha - a very educated person, he knew 8 foreign languages. There are numerous historical reports that the King of Poland Vladislav-4 Vasa and his wife Tsitsiliya Renata of Austria were his guests in Ruzhany Castle.

They, as especially honored guests, were even invited to drink from a crystal three-liter goblet "Ivan" - a family heirloom of the Sapieha family. The cup was made from whole piece crystal, but unfortunately, this relic has now been lost.

An interesting fact is that during the stay of such important guests in the castle, all local residents were taken out of the city so that the royal servants would temporarily live in their houses.

How the new owners changed the life of the stone beauties

After Casimir, Pavel Jan Sapega becomes the heir of Ruzhany. This military man came to the Ruzhany castle only at an advanced age and, before his death, bequeathed all the castle tools to be melted down and made bells for the church of St. Casimir in Vilna he had chosen.

His son Casimir waged continuous internecine wars for power with his neighbors - the Radziwills, Vishnevetskys and Oginskys. But the clans united and completely defeated Casimir's army, the city was plundered, and the castle was burned.

With each new owner, the castle radically changes its appearance - it is either destroyed to the ground or rebuilt beyond recognition.

The next of Sapieha's descendants, Alexander Mikhail, thoroughly set about restoring his ancestral home and reconstructing it into a luxurious palace. The courtyard was surrounded by high columns, and the entrance was decorated with a gate with outbuildings.

They say that he did all this because of his wife: according to rumors, at that time she was the favorite of King August Poniatowski.

Ruzhany theater is one of the best in Europe

The palace had a rich library, magnificent Art Gallery consisted of paintings by famous artists, and stately Arabian horses prancing on the arena. Alexander's wife, Magdalena Agnieszka, was very fond of the theater, and her husband in love organized his court troupe in the castle. It included 60 actors and 40 musicians.

The building of the court theater itself was planned very skillfully for that time. For one performance alone, it was possible to completely renew the scenery of the stage three times. The hall for spectators was two-tiered. On the 1st tier there were 14 separate boxes, and on the second - 15. The luxurious box for the king was in the middle on the upper tier.

Some of the performances were French. The productions of Ruzhany actors were seen by residents of St. Petersburg and Warsaw.

After the unsuccessful participation in the 1831 uprising of the next owner, the castle was confiscated in favor of Russia. A tile production shop, a cloth manufactory, and a pharmacy were equipped here. In a buiding former theater made cloth.

But due to an oversight of the workers, a strong fire completely destroyed the castle - only a frame of bricks remained. During the war years of the Second World War, the Germans organized the sewing of soldiers' overcoats here.

Time passed, the castle was gradually destroyed by both time and people.

The revival of lost values

But since 2008, restoration work has been carried out in the ancient Ruzhany castle. luxurious palace from the ruins.

It has already been possible to recreate the central entrance gate with outbuildings.

And today, a historical and architectural monument, not yet completely, but already receiving guests.

In the future, it is planned to rebuild the East Building, which once housed a magnificent theater, and recreate a beautiful equestrian arena.

On the territory of the castle ensemble, it is planned to open a comfortable hotel, a cozy restaurant with delicious national dishes.

Walk through the ruins

Of course, it would be great to come to Ruzhany in a few years to see the recreated beauty in this place, as happened with other castles in Belarus.

In the meantime, there is an opportunity to walk through the ruins and try to imagine how and what was here only 100 years ago!

Despite the complete devastation, in some places you can still guess the beautiful vaults of the entrance doors, the columns are guessed, you can even find preserved ornaments.

The vaults of the palace rooms are covered with a century-old layer of earth.

And you understand that before it was not the first floor as it is now.

And this is probably the main hall. Traces of stairs are still visible on the sides, vaults are guessed above the windows.

Of course. it is interesting to climb the ancient ruins, although it is not safe. Just in case, there is even a warning about this before entering. But how can such a sign scare away the local boys, who have already climbed these ruins up and down.

Well, let's hope that former luxury The Sapieha family will eventually be restored. And the gaping holes of the windows will again begin to glow with the soft light of already electric lighting.

Ruzhany Palace Museum

The recently restored building of the Ruzhany Palace now houses a museum. Its exposition is located in 2 wings, located on both sides of the main entrance.

Only if you want to get inside, be sure to plan your visit taking into account the opening hours of the museum. It was a complete surprise for me that there could be a lunch break here, during which I ended up here so unfortunately. But I will write more about this below.

Inside is a rather modest but interesting exposition. Presented are ancient objects found during excavations, several discovered treasures with coins of the 17th-18th centuries.

It is interesting to look at the remains of an ancient foundation that was discovered in this place.

as well as other items of that time that were discovered in Ruzhany or brought here from other castles in Belarus.

Ruzhany, what else to see and where to eat

Of course, the main tourist attraction Belarusian Ruzhany is served by the castle of Sapieha. But there are others in the city interesting objects. Here are just a few of them:

• Holy Trinity Church, which was erected 400 years ago as a family temple of the Sapieha clan;
• Church of Peter and Paul of the 17th century;
• a tavern, partially preserved from the 18th century;
• Chapel of St. Casimir of the 18th century;
• Basilian monastery;
• Baroque synagogue of the 18th century.

And, by the way, very close, on the shore beautiful lake Papernya is the sanatorium "Ruzhansky", where guests are always welcome. And the lake itself deserves attention, and it makes sense to go to rest on its shores.

All these Ruzhany sights are waiting for you! I think that by visiting them, you will get many new amazing experiences!

I did not plan to stay in Ruzhany for a long time on this trip. But we had to delay a bit. It turned out that the museum in the Sapieha palace complex is open with a lunch break. To be honest, it was a shame to leave without looking inside the restored premises. It was very interesting to learn about the history of this place.

Well, if it's lunch time at the museum, then I can refresh myself. Searches for any cafes in the center have not yielded any results. The only building pointed out by the locals turned out to be closed. Perhaps also for lunch?.. 😆

But I was told that on the outskirts of the city there is some kind of industrial canteen that should work. Explained how to get there.

The building looked very attractive, one might even say modern. Above the porch is a "Dining Room" sign. But inside such memories of the Soviet past came flooding back. Trays, distribution of dishes: first, second and compote. The only difference is that the food was heated in the microwave.

Perhaps this was the most a budget option lunch in Belarus: 26,700 Belarusian rubles (90 rubles or $1.4). for a full meal. And I must say that it was not only cheap, but also delicious!

Location, hours of operation and prices

Ruzhany Palace is located in the city of Ruzhany, Brest region in Belarus. If you go from Minsk to main road M1, then after about 200 km there will be a turn to Ivatsevichi. After 40 km, passing the city of Kosovo, you will find yourself in Ruzhany.

The castle will be located to the right of the road that you enter the city. The map can be enlarged to better see the location of the palace and the dining room, where you can have a very budget lunch.

I got to the palace complex from the opposite side: from Brest. The total distance from Belovezhskaya Pushcha was 223 km.

Visit time museum daily from 9.00 to 18.00. Days off: Monday and Tuesday. Lunch break from 13.00 to 14.00.

The ruins of the palace can be viewed at any time, but it is better, after all, to do this during daylight hours. Although ... there are lovers and night travel. 🙂

Castle coordinates(parking, free): 52.85968, 24.89586.

Canteen coordinates: 52.8639, 24.87156.

Prices to visit the museum are quite democratic. The entrance ticket to the museum exposition costs 25,000 Belarusian rubles. (85 rubles or $1.3).

You can also order an individual tour of both the museum and the territory of the palace complex, or you can combine these two pleasures. 🙂

Prices are listed below, you can click to enlarge the image.

Ruzhany (Belarusian Ruzhany) is an urban settlement located in the Pruzhany district of the Brest region of Belarus.

Ruzhany, an urban-type settlement in the Pruzhany district of the Brest region, located on the Ruzhanka River, surrounded by picturesque hills, 140 km from Brest, 38 km from railway station Ivatsevichi, 45 kilometers northeast of Pruzhany. It is located at the intersection of the highways Vysokoye - Pruzhany - Ruzhany - Slonim P85 and Ivatsevichi - Kossovo - Ruzhany - Skidel P44.

The first written mention of Ruzhany (Razhany) dates back to 1490. And already in 1552, the town belonged to the Tyshkeviches. After Tyszkiewicz, the city passed to the Bruchalsky family. In 1598, Bartosz Bruchalsky sold the estates of Lososin and Ruzhany to the chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Lev Sapieha, who made the place his main residence. The Ruzhany were part of the Slonim povet of the Novogrudok Voivodeship ..

Through the efforts of Sapieha, on June 20, 1637, Ruzhany received the right to self-government. A town hall was built for the meetings of the magistrate. The city was granted a coat of arms. A wreath of red roses flaunts on its silver field, and in the center of it is the figure of St. Casimir (heavenly patron of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania) with lilies and a cross in his hands.

By the beginning of the 17th century, Ruzhany, which was then part of the Slonim district of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, was a prosperous place: there were over 400 households, brick and tile factories; Trinity Church of the Dominicans and Peter and Paul Church.

Born in Ruzhany famous writer and the religious-Zionist figure I. M. Pines, the Prime Minister of the State of Israel I. Shamir.

Tourist Information

Ruzhany is a tourism center of national importance. Tourist and excursion routes “To the homeland of Tadeusz Kasciuszka”, “Archipeliag Sapegov”, “Estates, palaces, castles”, “Pages of the stone chronicle”, etc. pass through the town. You can stay at the Ruzhansky hotel (Lenin street, 1).

Attractions

The most famous landmark of Ruzhany is the former residence of the Sapieha family. This castle has always been the hallmark of the city. The beginning of its construction dates back to the 16th century, and in the next two centuries it was rebuilt several times, becoming more and more majestic and beautiful each time. The legend tells of an underground passage through which in an hour it was possible to get from the Ruzhany castle to the palace in Kosovo, which is 20 km away. Moreover, the legend claims that the underground passage was so large that it was possible to ride a horse in it. However, this is hardly true - the Kosovo Palace was built much later.

The castle in Ruzhany played a significant role in the history of not only the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Commonwealth, but also neighboring states. It was twice visited by kings, ambassadors were received in it, and it was in it that proteges to the Moscow throne were prepared. At one time, the state treasury of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the arsenal were stored in the bottomless cellars of the castle.

As a result of internecine clashes and the war with the Swedes, the castle was badly damaged, so the owners of the castle decided not only to restore it, but to turn it into palace ensemble. Moreover, the castle had lost its original defensive significance by that time.

At present, we can observe only the ruins of the palace, which is called the "Belarusian Versailles". But even these ruins amaze with their monumental forms and give an idea of ​​the pearl of the city of Ruzhany.

In addition to the ruins of the palace, other sights have been preserved in Ruzhany. Most of them are focused on central square village. Here is also the Trinity Church (1617), the Church of Saints Peter and Paul (1778) (both temples were built at the expense of Sapieha), as well as the residential building of the former Basilian monastery (1788). In addition, in Ruzhany you can see the building of the synagogue (the end of the 18th century), the church of St. Casimir (1792), the building of the austeria (the second half of the 18th century).

The locals are offended that the Pruzhany district is perceived as a transit point on the way to Belovezhskaya Pushcha, but the local interesting places and there are enough sights for several excursion days! The editors decided to check whether this is true, why it is worth going here and how long the first acquaintance with the surroundings will take.

RUZHANY

1st stop. Belarusian Versailles

Belarusian Versailles - that's what everyone wants to see in Ruzhany. The palace of the beginning of the 17th century was originally built by the Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Lev Sapieha as a defensive castle. And today, the red brick ruins in combination with the entrance gate restored in 2011 look very impressive.

Be sure to check out the museum "Ruzhansky Palace Complex Sapieha" in the entrance wings. Here you will learn about the history of Ruzhany, about where, according to legend, the underground passage from the 3rd floor of the basement leads when you were here in last time representatives of the Sapieha family, how many Jews returned to the village after the Second World War, how a theatrical marriage registration is held within the walls of the museum. It will not be boring!

The museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday inclusive, from 9 to 18.00 and a break (13.00-14.00). Entrance - 2.50 rubles, for students, schoolchildren and pensioners - 1.80 rubles. A group tour for an adult group of up to 25 people in the museum and the complex will cost 12 rubles, only in the museum - 7 rubles. For singles private tour the museum and the complex will cost 7.50 rubles.

Events on the territory of the palace are becoming a frequent occurrence. So, on June 3rd, the fifth festival "Ruzhanskaya Brama" was held here with an evening fire show, an exhibition and sale of products of folk craftsmen, children's attractions and an animation program.

2nd stop. Church of the anniversary

In the center of Ruzhany there is a Trinity Church built in 1617 on the site of a wooden stone church. In the 18th century, 2 symmetrical chapels were completed in it - the Holy Cross and St. Barbara, and later several more reconstructions were carried out. The last one was in 1997-2003 with the support of Maria Sapieha and the Ministry of Culture of Poland, as stated commemorative sign at the entrance. Architecture lovers will recognize this historic building features of baroque and classicism. It is interesting that many things inside are original, for example, the bench on which representatives of the magnate Sapieha family prayed. By the way, this summer the Trinity Church will celebrate its 400th anniversary.

3rd stop. Icon-savior

On opposite side from the church, after crossing a small park, look into the Peter and Paul Church. If you are lucky and you find Father Alexander, you will hear from his lips amazing story about how in 1895, after a strong fire in the entire village, only the temple remained unharmed, in which the windows only burst from the high temperature. The inhabitants who were hiding in a stone church from trouble were saved by the Ruzhany icon of the 17th century, the most revered in this area.

4th stop. In the park

In the park near the church, and in some other places in the village, you will notice beautiful wooden sculptures. They appeared in Ruzhany in 2013 after the open air of wood carvers. Here is the great chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Leo Sapieha, and his son Casimir, also the Polish king Vladislav IV Vasa with his wife, and the Polish queen Bona Sforza. Notable craftsmen from different cities In Belarus, dozens of figures were carved in honor of bright and active personalities who influenced the historical and cultural heritage of Ruzhany. A few meters from the wooden composition you will see a monument Soviet soldiers This is where the City Hall used to be.

5th stop. Papernya

IN summer time after walking around the village great place Lake Papernya with coastline 12 km. Its name comes from the fact that in the early 1600s, Lev Sapieha built a paper manufactory here. scenic area with pine forest and swans on the shore inspires and soothes, and thanks to the bright coniferous aroma, it is easy to breathe here. Perhaps that is why the sanatorium "Ruzhansky", which is located in the Ruzhanskaya Pushcha, is always full of vacationers. People come here for mud therapy, hirudotherapy, halotherapy in salt cave, hypoxic therapy - breathing mountain air.

6th stop. Unique village

Locals will advise you to go from Ruzhany to the surroundings, namely to the village of Lyskovo. On the way, you can have a bite to eat at the Taverna cafe, decorated in the spirit of the Middle Ages. From ancient castle nothing remained in the marshes near Lyskov, except that in some places defensive ditches are visible. But in the village itself, you can admire the majestic and dilapidated building of the Trinity Church, which previously belonged to the monastery of 1751. Another attraction of the village - Orthodox Church Nativity of the Virgin, built - attention! - in 1933. The year of construction is explained by the fact that until 1939 the territory was part of Poland, and there was no Soviet power here. It is also noteworthy that this is the only monument in Belarus wooden architecture, made under the influence of the architecture of Transcarpathia and the Art Nouveau style. Lyskovo is unique not only preserved wooden church, but also by the fact that it was here that the famous “Chronicle of Bykhovets” was created - a set of Belarusian-Lithuanian annals of the 16th century.

Given the rich excursion program, you can stay overnight in Ruzhany. But there's only one here private hotel. It is better to go to Pruzhany, where there are more accommodation options and there are certainly free rooms. We recommend the Mukhavets hotel.

PRUZHANY

1st stop. miraculous icon

Three portraits will look at you from the building next to the Mukhavets hotel - these are famous fellow countrymen of Pruzhany. One of them is Mikhail Zabeyda-Sumitsky, the first Belarusian to perform in the Milan opera house"La Scala". Nearby are the two main sights of the city center - the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the shopping arcade of the late XIX century. The temple was built in just two years with donations from the townspeople, landowners and peasants, Moscow merchants. It contains an icon, which in 1934 performed a miracle - tears flowed from the eyes of the Mother of God. Trading rows were originally wooden, and in 1867 they gained modern look. In each niche there was a separate shop, where, as a rule, Jews traded.

2nd stop. “Fly and Vets”

A couple of minutes walk from the Palace of Culture, which, like many other things in the city, was transformed in preparation for Dozhinki 2003, is the only one in Belarus sculptural composition over the river "Fly and Vets". Installed in 2009, it symbolizes the confluence of the Mukha River and the Vets Canal, where the Mukhavets River, the right tributary of the Western Bug, originates. Let the sculptures do not look grandiose, but they will completely pass for a sweet business card cities.

3rd stop. Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary

The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary opened its doors to parishioners as a church only in 1998, although construction began in the 2nd half of the 19th century. The history of the Catholic church was influenced by the uprising of 1863, as a result of which the practically completed building passed to the Orthodox believers. locals they say that during the Great Patriotic War soldiers warmed themselves in this temple by kindling a fire from an organ. Now it is the only church in Pruzhany.

Walking in the city in hot weather, you can refresh yourself - go to the ice or water palace. For adults, an hour of skating with skate rental will cost 3 rubles, for children under 16 years old - 2.45 rubles. And in water palace there is a swimming pool and a small water park. Its visit will cost 5.35 rubles (70 minutes) for an adult, 4 rubles for children.

4th stop. Pruzhany Palace

"Museum-Estate Pruzhany Palatsik" we recommend to see both outside and inside. In the building of this unusual early Renaissance rural villa, today there are several museum expositions: ethnographic, salon with a piano and copies of the works of Napoleon Orda, hunting room, exhibition of contemporary artists, icon room. The guide will tell you in detail about the owners of the estate, built according to the project of the Italian architect, and their fate. And in the hall of ethnographic composition you will see products of glossy and black-smoky ceramics, widely known in the Pruzhany region since the 16th century and, unfortunately, are practically not developed in our time.

5th stop. "Wooden" people

In the Pruzhany region there is a village in which the famous folk master of traditional arts and crafts Nikolai Tarasyuk, a tenth generation peasant, lived all his life. In the village of Stoyly, Nikolai Vasilievich remained the last inhabitant, except for his beloved “wooden people”, who still live in a small house next to the master’s. The figurines, skillfully made by the craftsman from wood, vines and straw, “tell” about rural life and the way of life of Belarusian peasants. Unfortunately, Stoyly does not yet have a full-fledged museum where anyone can come, but the daughter of a famous master is always happy to have guests. You can see the work not only in the village, but also in National Museum history and culture, in the Brest Museum of Local Lore.

If the second day of such a mini-trip seems to be eventful for you, and there really is something to see in the Pruzhany region, do not rush home. There are many in the surrounding villages good estates where you can stay for the night with a hot homemade dinner.

Text: Veronika Linnik Photo: Yuri Shevtsov

Ruzhany is a city of Pruzhany district, Brest region of Belarus. In the city of Ruzhany, several very important architectural monuments and sights have been preserved. From the point of view of its cultural and historical heritage, the city of Ruzhany is one of the key settlements Brest region and all of Belarus. And for tourists and travelers in Belarus, this city is one of the most interesting opportunities for a weekend trip. Also, this city is one of the most popular sightseeing destinations in all of Belarus.

The key attraction of the city of Ruzhany, due to which this city has gained such wide popularity, are the ruins of the Sapieha palace complex. Initially, this palace was built in 1602 by the Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Lev Sapieha. In those days, this palace was quite well fortified, and could even be fully characterized as a castle. In the second half of the 18th century, the castle in Ruzhany was significantly rebuilt. It was then that it became a palace, and it was the fragments of that 18th-century building that have survived to this day. The palace in the city of Ruzhany was the central residence of Sapieha, one of the richest magnate families in Belarus. This palace was also one of the most majestic and beautiful palaces the whole country. After the defeat of the uprising of 1831, in which the Sapiehas took an active part on the side of the rebels, their palace was confiscated. After that, the building of the palace complex was rented from the state by a local entrepreneur, he organized a weaving factory there. The palace in the city of Ruzhany was badly damaged in the First world war, and during the Second World War, it finally turned into ruins.

As you can see in one of the photos below, which shows a reconstruction of the appearance of the palace in the city of Ruzhany in its heyday, earlier this palace complex included two side wings connected to the central building of the palace with beautiful greenhouses, as well as a very solid entrance gate. The palace in the city of Ruzhany was very successfully built on a high hill. It still looks very picturesque and can be seen from afar. Around the palace there was once also beautiful park and a whole complex of various outbuildings. To date, unfortunately, one of the outbuildings of the palace in the city of Ruzhany has been completely lost, like all other outbuildings. The central entrance gate has been perfectly restored, and today it houses a museum. And the main building of the palace and the surviving outbuilding continue to be restored very slowly, but are still ruins. Nevertheless, even in this state, the palace complex in the city of Ruzhany is an outstanding architectural monument and landmark of Belarus.

However, the city of Ruzhany might not have been so popular among tourists if the list of its attractions was limited to one palace complex. Indeed, there are several other very valuable architectural monuments here. One of such monuments of the city of Ruzhany is the Church of Saints Peter and Paul. Today it is an ordinary parish church, but earlier it was part of a Uniate monastery. This temple was originally built in 1778. The project of this temple was developed by the same architect (Jan Samuel Becker), who led the large-scale reconstruction of the palace, which was carried out, as already mentioned, at the same time. Well, the monastery itself was organized a little earlier, but also in the 18th century. By the way, next to the church, the monastery building, built in 1788, is well preserved. Today, the church in the city of Ruzhany functions, is in excellent condition and is an interesting landmark and architectural monument of Belarus.

Another important attraction of the city of Ruzhany is another temple, namely the Church of the Holy Trinity. This temple is located on the central square of the city of Ruzhany directly opposite the church. The church was originally built in 1617. Such a venerable age gives this temple a special value. Funds for its construction were allocated by the GDL Chancellor Lev Sapieha himself. The church in the city of Ruzhany was rebuilt and reconstructed several times. The most ambitious of these reconstructions was led by the same J.S. Becker. You can also note another interesting milestone in the history of the church in the city of Ruzhany. The fact is that, unlike most other churches in Belarus, this church was not closed during the Soviet era. Today it is also open to the faithful, is in a completely restored state and is a very valuable architectural monument of the early 17th century.

The church and the church in the city of Ruzhany form a very remarkable and traditional for Belarus architectural ensemble historical buildings of the central part of the city. Only in Belarus, very often in different cities and towns, temples of two main Christian denominations peacefully coexist, occupying two sides of the same square.

Another very remarkable attraction of the city of Ruzhany is the Catholic chapel of St. Casimir. This temple was built in 1792. Initially, this temple was a full-fledged church, but today it is already characterized as a chapel. The state of the chapel in the city of Ruzhany is far from ideal, its restoration, apparently, is not planned yet. However, even in this form, the chapel in the city of Ruzhany is a valuable architectural monument.

This chapel is located on one of the local cemeteries, which in turn is located on the very high point the entire surrounding area, visually even higher than the hill on which the palace stands. From the chapel opens beautiful view in the surroundings, including from this hill, all the previously described sights of the city of Ruzhany are visible (see the last two photos). By the way, the project of this chapel was developed by J.S. Becker. This Saxon architect was invited to serve at the end of the 18th century by representatives of the Sapieha family, and, as we see, he really put his work into the creation and renovation of virtually all architectural monuments of the city of Ruzhany - the Sapieha family nest.

And finally, it should also be noted that in the city of Ruzhany there are several more historical buildings, which can also be considered small sights of the city. Among these buildings, a complex of buildings formerly belonging to the synagogue of the 18th century deserves special mention. Today, the synagogue itself is a ruin, and some other buildings that were previously part of a single synagogue together with the synagogue architectural complex, today restored (see the next two photos). The rest of the historical ordinary building of the city of Ruzhany is represented by buildings of the 19th - early 20th centuries. These buildings well complement the excellent tourist atmosphere of the city of Ruzhany. But unfortunately, at least one full-fledged historic quarter. And the described buildings are located in the central part of the city episodically, and are built up with modern buildings.

It should also be noted that although the city of Ruzhany is quite small, nevertheless, there is all the necessary tourism infrastructure. In particular, here, of course, there are: cafes, hotels, shops, a pharmacy, a bank, a gas station and more. But, by the way, for some reason, it is in the city of Ruzhany that the trade in souvenirs and other similar products is not at all developed. But, this is not so important, the main thing is that general impression from visiting the city of Ruzhany, tourists are always very good.