Castles in peace and nesvizhe. Nesvizh and nesvizh castle in belarus. Tour price includes

I propose to dive into the historical past. Let's go five centuries ago, to the 16th century.

What could be interesting about that distant time for us, contemporaries? I think that it is not in vain that there is a saying: "Without knowledge of the past, there is no future." There are not so many architectural structures left on the planet that were built in those distant times and have been preserved in excellent condition to this day, and the more interesting it is to visit there and learn something new and interesting.

I invite you to take a trip to a small place Mir near (90 km). (Address: 231444, Grodno region, Korelichsky district, Mir, Krasnoarmeyskaya st., 2 Institution "Museum" Castle Complex "Mir")

It is there that the pearl of Belarusian architecture is located - the Mir Castle, which during its five hundred years of history has been the property of magnate families, has experienced several periods of decline and revival, and today is a national monument and art museum. In 2000, the castle was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Mir complex includes a castle, earthen ramparts, an English landscape park, a reconstruction of an Italian garden, a pond, an outbuilding, the church-tomb of Svyatopolk-Mirsky, a watchman's house and a roadside chapel.

Throughout its history, the castle has repeatedly passed from hand to hand, and this undoubtedly affected its architectural appearance.

Until 1568, the princes Ilinichi were the owners, then the Radziwills (until 1828), the Wittgensteins (until 1891). The last owners of the castle were Svyatopolki-Mirsky (until 1939), after which the castle became state property.

Now the castle hosts various events, there is even a hotel, a restaurant and, of course, a souvenir shop with products of Belarusian craftsmen.

Excursions in Mir Castle

Museum official website: mirzamak.by

• "Mir Castle: past and present"

The cost is 120,000 Bel. rub.

Exposition halls of the Northern building of the palace: cellars (kitchen hut - weighing room - wine cellar), second floor (defensive architecture hall - owners of the castle), third floor (dining hut - hunting hall - portrait hall).

• "Mir Castle: History and Architecture"

The cost is 120,000 Bel. rub.

Exposition halls: South-Western tower (basement - five tiers - combat gallery), Castle prison, Church-tomb.

• "Ghetto in Mir Castle"

The cost is 60000 Bel. rub.

Exposition halls: hall "Wars of the XX century" - "Ghetto" - basement "Hall of memory".

• Theatrical tour: "Legends come to life again...".

The cost is 550,000 Bel. rub.

Also in the Mir Castle you can have a wedding or hold a “repeat” of a wedding without an official registrar. Honorably and solemnly swear to each other in love in the walls that have seen a lot in their lifetime.

The castle also hosts knightly festivals and concerts.

The Mir Castle has always attracted adventurers, treasure hunters… and this is no coincidence! According to legend, the Mir and Nesvizh castles are connected by an underground passage 30 km long, through which two carriages could pass freely. It was here that gold bars and figures of the 12 apostles were hidden, cast in the growth of a man from gold and silver. To this day, enthusiasts are looking for the treasures of the Radziwills, lost during the era of the Napoleonic wars, but so far in vain.

Another popular legend is associated with the name of Nikolai Svyatopolk-Mirsky. When the prince cut down the apple orchard and dug Mirskoye Lake in its place, a stranger appeared to Nicholas and cursed the princely family with these words: “Let as many people drown in this pond as trees were cut down.” The first to drown in the lake was the little princess Sonechka at the age of 12, and in 1898 Nikolai himself fell victim to the curse.

The Mir Castle also has its own ghosts: the ghost of Radziwill guards the treasure, and at night the spirit of Sophia Svyatopolk-Mirskaya roams the dark corridors. It is believed that in the spring the princely tomb is flooded with meltwater, so the soul of Sophia cannot find eternal peace in any way.

So if you decide to walk around the castle grounds at night, be prepared to meet these historical characters J.

After the death of the prince, his son Mikhail began work on the restoration of the castle in the 1920s, but the Great Depression of the late 1920s prevented their completion. During the Great Patriotic War, there was a ghetto in the castle, and in the post-war years, residents of the village settled in it.

And only in 1987 the Mir Castle was again restored and opened as the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus. At present, the Mir Castle Complex has 39 exposition and exhibition halls.

I advise you to visit this museum complex, in any case, you will get indelible vivid impressions from what you see and hear.

• Museum opening hours: from 10:00 to 18:00;
• The museum ticket office is open from 10:00 to 17:20;
• The right to free admission to the museum for all categories of citizens - the last Tuesday of the month;
• The cost of entrance tickets (approximate for 2015):
• adults - 80 000 Bel. rub.
• schoolchildren, students - 40,000 Bel. rub.

(the cost of a visit for an adult in 2015 was approximately 300 rubles).

And now we will drive only 30 km and find ourselves in another no less interesting place - the city of Nesvizh.

Museum-reserve "Nesvizh" works:

• in the summer - from 9:30 to 18:30. You can buy tickets to visit the Palace Ensemble no later than 17:30.
• in winter - from 9:00 to 18:00. You can buy tickets to visit the Palace Ensemble no later than 17:00.

Jan Radziwill decided to build a castle in this picturesque area in 1533, but initially he made it wooden. His son, Nicholas Radziwill, decided to strengthen the castle and rebuilt it from stone. Of course, in the middle of the XVI century. The Nesvizh castle had little resemblance to the architectural monument that we see now.

For the construction of the castle, the famous architect Giovanni Bernardoni was invited (it is his merit that the design and reconstruction of the Cathedral of Peter and Paul in Rome is).

Thanks to the efforts of the Italian architect, it turned out not just a castle, but a real palace! And the rampart surrounding it turned this castle-palace into an impregnable fortress.

In the XVI-XVII centuries. the castle was repeatedly attacked, some of the buildings were destroyed, and in 1726 the Radziwills significantly rebuilt the building. Now it began to look like a chic medieval feudal castle. Soon a beautiful park was laid out near the castle. Until 1939, the Nesvizh Castle belonged to the Radziwills, then a “black streak” began for this architectural monument. The interiors were looted and plundered. What survived was then transferred to theaters as props. During the Great Patriotic War, there was a military hospital for pilots in the castle occupied by the Nazis, and from 1945 until the 1990s. - special purpose sanatorium "Nesvizh".

From 2000 to 2012 there was a large-scale reconstruction of the castle. And in 2005, the Nesvizh Castle was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List (object No. 1196).

This is such a rich history of one of the oldest castles in Europe.

And, of course, like every "self-respecting" historical place, this castle has its own secrets and legends!

For more than four centuries, the legend of the Black Lady (the legend of the Black Panna) has been living in the ancient city. Here is what they say about it in Nesvizh... In the middle of the 16th century, the mighty and glorious Nikolai Radziwill, nicknamed Black, was the owner of the city. To strengthen his position, he was able to pass off his cousin Barbara to the future Polish king Sigismund by cunning. Young people fell in love with each other. But Sigismund's mother disliked Barbara. A domineering woman persuaded a local pharmacist to poison her son's young wife. Barbara was crowned in December 1550, and 6 months later, in May 1551, she died.

The despair and grief of the king were immeasurable. After the death of his beloved, the king was so sad that he decided to summon her soul with the help of alchemists. As historians testify, Tvardovsky and Mnishek (historical figures) undertook to do this. Everything was prepared in the semi-dark hall so that with the help of mirrors, on one of which Barbara was engraved in full growth in white clothes, loved by the king, to play the scene of the meeting between the king and Barbara's soul. They put the king in a chair and they wanted to tie his hands to the armrests so that he would not accidentally touch the ghost. Sigismund gave his word that he would sit quietly and only at a distance would ask his beloved how he should live on. But when the ghost appeared, he forgot his oath from excitement, jumped up from his chair, rushed to the ghost with the words: “My little fable!” - and wanted to hug her. There was an explosion, a cadaverous smell went - now Barbara's soul could not find its way to the grave, it was forever destined to wander the earth. Since that time, she has been walking among people, and after the death of the king, she settled in the Nesvizh castle. Before the living, she always appeared in a black robe as a sign of mourning for her ruined love. The castle believed that the ghost warns the owners of the castle about the danger that threatens them - war, illness.

The existence of the Black Lady in the castle was also believed by the Germans, who twice occupied Nesvizh. When they saw something black at the end of the park, then with a cry of "Schwarz Frau!" fired in that direction and ran to hide.

Such a beautiful and sad legend still lives in the old castle.

A few organizational points:

Individual visit to the permanent exhibition of the Palace Ensemble:

• Schoolchildren and students - 50,000 Bel. rub.
• Adults - 100,000 Bel. rub.

The last Monday of the month, admission to all sectors is free.

How to get to Nesvizh Castle

• By car

If you have planned a trip to Nesvizh, then it is best to get to the city by car. The easiest way to get from Minsk to Nesvizh is along the M1 (E30) highway, leaving the Minsk ring road in the direction of Brest. From Minsk to Nesvizh 112 km.

• Regular bus

Regular buses depart daily from Minsk to Nesvizh. Departure point - bus station "Central" (Minsk, Bobruiskaya st., 6).

Official website: niasvizh.by/ru

Tour duration:

Departure:

Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Tour price per person:

82 Bel. rub. (adult); 69.50 Bel. rub. (child) with lunch

To visit the Middle Ages, you do not need to invent a time machine. It will be enough to take advantage of our offer and plunge headlong into the time when the young ladies dressed up in charming puffy dresses, knights in armor guarded their sleep, and treasuries were built in the walls of castles. This is a time shrouded in mysterious legends.
The tour will show some of the most unique places in Belarus. They are unique in that the Nesvizh and Mir castles are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

World

In the quiet place of Mir in the Korelichi district, in the 16th century, the construction of a defensive-type castle began in Belarus. At different times, the Mir Castle was destroyed, but today the castle looks like a majestic building with a long history. There is a museum in the castle tower, open to everyone. The Trinity Church, the Nicholas Church and the chapel-tomb have survived and are available for inspection in Mir.

Nesvizh

A walk along Nesvizh will introduce you to the heritage of the Radziwills, one of the most famous and influential families of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The palace and park complex impresses with its scale and luxury. Parks and lakes, monuments of architecture and nature - all this is located on the territory of the Nesvizh Castle. For those who will not be impressed enough, it will be possible to feel like a prince or princess by trying on the outfits of those times.
A tour of Nesvizh will pass through the significant monuments of the city: at the entrance to the city we meet the Slutsk Brama, visit the Farny Church, the Town Hall and the monument to Simon Budny.

Included in cost:

• transport service
• excursion service
• entry tickets

Tour dates

The Minsk region occupies the central part of Belarus and is the largest in terms of territory among other regions of the country.
The regional center of the region is the city of Minsk. It is also the capital of Belarus and the largest city.

The region is in second place in terms of the number of reservoirs. In total, there are more than 450 rivers and about 500 reservoirs in the Minsk region, there are also artificial reservoirs. The largest lakes are Naroch and Svir.

Partly in the Minsk region is the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve, with the international status assigned. The natural national park "Narochansky" has a rich and unique nature. There are specially protected natural areas.

The region undoubtedly has a high level in the organization of excursions, celebrations, festivals. The most visited sights, symbolizing the tragedy and the incredible courage of our people during the Second World War, are such memorable places as: Khatyn, the Stalin Line, the Mound of Glory, it is worth visiting the Museum of the Great Patriotic War in Minsk.

The Belarusian ethnographic museum "Dudutki" is endowed with great popularity. Here the door to the past opens and guests can get acquainted with the culture and traditions of the Belarusian people. Festivals and folk festivals are constantly held on the territory of the complex.

Mandatory to visit the palace and park ensemble, protected by UNESCO, in the city of Nesvizh. The castle was the residence of the powerful Radziwill dynasty. What can you see in Minsk itself? The list of monuments of architecture, archeology, religion is simply huge. Going for a walk or a sightseeing tour of the capital, you should definitely see the most famous or as they call it in the capital - the Red Church, visit the island of tears, an interesting architectural solution - the National Library, built in the form of a diamond, the Trinity Suburb, the City Hall, the botanical garden and much more .

Tours in the Minsk region are always distinguished by their uniqueness and richness.

Belarus is a hospitable country, with many sights, places of recreation, amazing nature and local flavor. Travel around Belarus and you will understand that you have never seen it like this before!

Departure time: 9:00
Meeting point with guide: at the entrance to the hotel "Belarus", st. Storozhevskaya 15
Tour duration:~11 hours
Route length:~270 km
Cost for adults: 85.00 RUB
Cost for children: 73.00 RUB

TOUR PROGRAM

You will see the most valuable monuments of Belarus included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List - the castle in Mir and the palace and park ensemble in Nesvizh, the long-term restoration of which was completed in 2011. Majestic Mir Castle(www.mirzamak.by), built in the first quarter of the 16th century, its bright architectural appearance, powerful walls and towers, stone-paved courtyard leave an unforgettable impression, complemented by a tour of the MUSEUM EXPOSITION. Immersion in the atmosphere of the life of its owners begins with the cellars, where food was stored and wine cellars were located, and ends with the Ballroom, immersed in the luxury of rococo ... Next to the castle is the Art Nouveau-style church-tomb of the last titled owners of the castle - the princes Svyatopolk-Mirsky. Historical part Mir settlement miraculously preserved the color of the former cozy place, where for centuries Belarusians, Poles, Jews, gypsies, Tatars lived together - the whole world ... The Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, synagogues, yeshivas, houses of artisans and merchants form the ensemble of its Market Square.

Half hour drive to Nesvizh- the former capital of the ordination of the Radziwill princes (www.niasvizh.by). On the Market Square of this picturesque town, the town hall, old shopping malls, houses of artisans have been preserved; next to it is the Slutsk gate (the city gate of the 17th century). Inspection of the PALACE AND PARK COMPLEX of the 16th-18th centuries, built by Nikolai Krzysztof Radziwill "Orphan" (architect D. M. Bernardoni), surrounded by high earthen ramparts and extensive ponds. Its architecture combines elements of Renaissance, Baroque and Classicism. The majestic castle-palace is a system of buildings connected into a single ensemble, forming an elegant front yard. Inspection of impressive expositions in the palace complex - the main halls of the palace (Hunting, Ballroom, Portrait, Fireplace, Golden, etc.), residential and utility rooms. Walk through the picturesque PARKS adjacent to the castle. Acquaintance with the FARNY CHURCH (1593, architect D. M. Bernardoni): the magnificent frescoes of the temple, located in the dungeon of the CRYPT - the family tomb of the Radziwills - put this shrine among the most valuable in Belarus. The tour tells about the history of the Radziwill dynasty - one of the most influential families of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Commonwealth, who left a deep mark on the cultural heritage of the Belarusian people and the entire European civilization... Return to Minsk around 19.30.

Included in the price:

Tourist class bus
. Entrance bi-le-you to the museum of Mir-sko-th castle
. Excursions in the castle: "Owners of the Mir-th Castle", "Daily life of the middle-no-ve-ko-th castle"
. Entrance bi-le-you to the courtyard complex in Ne-svi-same
. Ex-cur-siya according to ex-po-zi-tion palace-tso-vo-go complex-sa
. Ex-course along the Nesvizh park
. Inspection of Far-no-go-ko-ste-la in Ne-svi-zhe
. Lunch at re-sto-ra-not

Note: Times are approximate! The travel agency reserves the right to change the order of visiting objects (excursions) and make some changes to the program without reducing the volume and quality of services. The company is not responsible for delays due to weather conditions, traffic jams, force majeure situations, as well as other circumstances beyond the control of the company.

The first written mention of the city is considered to be 1446, when the chronicle tells about the transfer of the town of Nesvizh by the Grand Duke of Lithuania Kazimir Mykolaj Yan Nemirovich.

However, Nesvizh is associated primarily with the famous Radzwills. The history of Nesvizh is inseparable from the history of the Radziwills, the most influential magnates of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Radziwills occupied the highest posts in the Commonwealth - they were hetmans, marshals, and chancellors. More than forty senators came from this family.

The construction of the castle was started by Nikolai Radzwill the Black in the middle of the 16th century, then it was substantially rebuilt by his son Nikolay Radzwill the Sirotka. Above the entrance to the palace, a plate has been preserved, on which it is noted that the reconstruction was started on May 7, 1583. The construction at the first stage was led by the Italian architect Giovanni Bernardoni.

By the way, the Radzwills owned the castle until 1939. And now it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Here is a courtyard near the castle:

Well, there:

Now let's go inside the castle:

the same Nikolay Orphan Radzwill.

Political, cultural, religious figure of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The son of Nicholas Radziwill "Black" was born in Nesvizh. He studied at the Protestant gymnasium founded in Nesvizh by his father, then at the Strasbourg and Thuringian universities in Germany. He traveled a lot in Europe: in Austria, France, Italy.

Impressed by communication with the papal nuncio, in 1567 he converted to Catholicism and was admitted to the ranks of the Knights of Malta. Since 1569, when Nikolay "The Orphan" received the position of court Lithuanian marshal, he began his career at home. Later, he took part in the hostilities of the Livonian War as part of the troops of Stefan Batory. In 1583-1584 he traveled around the East, keeping a travel diary. After returning to his homeland, he is engaged in large-scale construction in the city and the reconstruction of the "family nest". It was Radziwill Nikolai "The Orphan" who obtained from the king the privilege of Magdeburg law and the coat of arms for Nesvizh.

At the lake flowing next to the castle, beautiful landscapes open up:

Catholic church of the Body of the Lord (Farny). It was built by the Italian architect Giovanni Bernardoni in 1584-1593 in conjunction with the Jesuit Collegium, which lasted until 1826. The prototype of the church is the Roman temple of Il Gesu, built in 1584.

Castle gate tower, late 16th century:

Monument to Simeon Budny the first printer from Nesvizh:

WORLD

Mir Castle is a unique architectural monument that has no analogues in Europe.

The towers of the castle as a whole are built in the same way: at the base they are tetrahedral, and from above they are octahedral prisms, tapering upwards.

Mir Castle was built in 1506-1510. on the site of the Gospodar court that used to stand here, as well as other possessions of the Brest headman, court marshal of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Prince Yuri Ilyinich. The Mir Castle belonged to the Ilyinich family until 1568. It passed from it to the Radziwills of the Nesvizh line. From the end of the XVIII century. was with the counts and princes of Hohenlohe, Berlenburg, Wittgenstein, and from the second half of the 19th century. and until 1939 - at the princes of Svyatopolk-Mirsky.

It is so beautiful that I wandered around and clicked it tirelessly, thus, as it were, psychologically trying to take this beauty "with me".

The interior of the castle:

Armor adult:

Armor for children:

Portrait of Svyatopolk-Mirsky Nikolai Ivanovich. Prince, participated in the Crimean and Russian-Turkish war. In 1891 he bought the Mir Castle. Under the leadership of Prince Nikolai Ivanovich, a pond was dug, a winery was founded, a two-story palace was built in the park, in which the prince's family settled.

LIDA

Guests are always welcome:

Having stood for almost 7 centuries, Lida Castle has seen so many conquerors that it seems that not a single army could pass by indifferently.

In 1323 Grand Duke Gedemin founded the Lida Castle to protect the population from the raids of the Tatars and German knights. The architects of the Lida Castle, taking the type of a knight's castel as a basis, creatively approached the solution of a complex problem. Based on local building traditions, they created a powerful structure suitable for reliable protection. From now on, residents of not only the city, but also neighboring villages could find shelter behind its walls.

Local reenactors, such as:

Views from the battlements of the castle on the town:

View of the castle from the pond, and on the right is the hotel where we stayed for the night:

Lida Castle was attacked many times. But only during the long Russian-Polish war of the middle of the XVII century. the stone walls and towers of the Lida Castle felt the full force of the latest siege equipment of that time. After a long siege and shelling in the summer of 1659, the 30,000-strong army of voivode Nikita Khovansky stormed the castle. Heavily damaged, it was completely destroyed in 1702 when one of the Swedish detachments blew up its towers. At that time, the castle was no longer of strategic importance. The period of desolation and destruction of the old fortification began, which was last used for its intended purpose by the rebel detachment of T. Kosciuszka in 1794.

At the end of the XIX century. local enterprising businessmen began to break down the castle walls and sell bricks and stone for sale. However, after strong protests from Lida lovers of antiquities, this vandalism was stopped.

At the beginning of our century, the imperial archaeological commission allocated 946 rubles. to carry out work on the conservation of the Lida Castle, but little was done: the castle was partially measured, the towers and walls were photographed, and unreliable masonry places were dismantled. In the 1920s, partial conservation work was carried out by Polish restorers. In the 80s, the restorers of the Ministry of Culture of the BSSR restored the tops of the walls and the northeastern tower, which will house the Museum of the History of the City of Lida.

Lida Holy Cross Church (1765 - 1770):

And this is our hotel, I couldn’t help but take a picture of it as a keepsake. Affordable price, Wi-Fi and a two-room suite: