Ruzhany. Ruzhany is a city in the Pruzhany district, Brest region of Belarus. Palace, Catholic church, Church. Attractions, Travel and tourism, Historical and architectural monuments

May 3, on the road from Brest to Grodno, we stopped at the small village of Ruzhany, which followed 25 kilometers from the same village, with the consonant name of Pruzhany. The maximum that we were going to do in this settlement was to buy water. But suddenly a huge ancient abandonment appeared, where we rushed. One and a half hours were spent here not in vain!

1. It can be seen from a distance from any road, no matter where you enter the city. The palace in Ruzhany, even at the entrance, should have evoked in the mind of any person thoughts about the power and wealth of the magnate who built it. Here is the gate through which the carriage entered and overcame the remaining hundred meters to the palace itself. They have already been touched by time more than once or twice: here a brick has fallen off, there is a crack, there are inscriptions ... This place has a dark and sad history.

2. In 1552, according to the first written sources, the town belonged to the princes Tyszkiewicz. According to one of the toponymic versions, the old versions of the name - Rozhana, Rzhana - go back to the word "harvest" and indirectly speak of the wealth of the surrounding fields. However locals who constantly use the palace courtyard as shortest way to your house, they will tell you that the meaning of the name is completely different.

3. At the same time, as usual, how many people, so many opinions. And now some of those who came up say that the prince, who lived here in ancient times, had two daughters - Ru and Zhanna, and the city was founded in their honor. But his opponent from a neighboring yard claims that, in fact, the daughters were called Ru and Pru, which is why two are named neighboring cities(moreover, one is now administratively subordinate to the other) - Ruzhany and Pruzhany. Be that as it may, historical information about the origin of the name has not been preserved, but this is what is known for certain.

4. After the Tyshkeviches, the city belonged to the Brukhalskys, one of whom, Bartosz, sold the estates of Lososin and Ruzhany in 1598 to the Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Lev Sapieha. Sapieha, as you know, were almost richer than the Grand Duke himself; they had vast lands in the Vitebsk region and near Slonim; owned the lands of the extinct family of the princes Golshansky. The balls given by Sapieha were envied even by the Radziwills (see photo reports from Mira And Nesvizh), - and they knew a lot about secular entertainment and their price!

5. Once Ivan Sapega even received King Zhigimont I the Old and treated him from a huge crystal goblet. This goblet could hold a whole garnet of good wine - that is, more than three liters at a time! For more than two hundred years, the precious vessel was kept in Ruzhany, and then it was confiscated and taken to Russia. Where he is now, unfortunately, is unknown.

6. 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. Every Monday, a fair was held in Ruzhany, and on Sundays and holidays it was forbidden to trade. But a large crowd always gathers in the city for the holidays - how can you not earn a penny or two here! Therefore, they traded secretly, from door to door, without witnesses. During this heyday, Lev Sapieha erected a palace, in which in 1617 he received the prince Vladislav.

7. Initially, the palace was conceived as the implementation of the slogan "my home is my fortress": a two-story brick building in the shape of a cross with three tetrahedral towers. In the central part there was a front hall and a vestibule with a staircase that rose on both sides of the entrance. Living rooms, offices, and a library were arranged in the side parts of the castle. On the first floor, the ceilings were arched, semicircular, and on the second - beams, even. Archival documents, an arsenal of ammunition, and gourmet food were stored in two-story basements. In 1644, Vladislav - this time already as the King of Poland Vladislav IV (with his wife Cecilia Renata and the court) again visited the Ruzhany Palace. The son of Leo Sapieha, Kazimir, met and regaled the rulers. Long after that, even the wealthiest magnates were impressed by the reception: the banquet lasted nine days, during which each of the guests got what he wanted. On this occasion, a memorial plate was embedded in the wall of one of the halls. Another memorial plaque testified that during the "flood" - the bloody war of the mid-17th century between Sweden and the Moscow Kingdom - the relics of St. Casimir, the heavenly patron of Belarus, were kept in the Ruzhany residence of the Sapiehas; they were brought here from Vilna cathedral. By the way, when in 1637 the Ruzhany received the Magdeburg right, a town hall was built for the meetings of the magistrate, and a coat of arms was granted to the city. A wreath of red roses flaunts on its silver field, and in the center of it is the figure of St. Casimir with a cross and lilies in his hands. But "roses" in Belarusian - "guns". Coincidence?

8. By the end of the 17th century, the Sapieha clan came out on top in terms of influencing the policy of the Principality. This was not liked by other magnates - the Radziwills, Oginskys, Vishnevetskys, Pats; and in 1698 they united in a confederation against the Sapieha. In those days, all wealthy princes kept their own army, so it is quite logical that the confrontation between the Sapiehas and the Confederation turned into a war. Armed clashes continued with varying success for several years. And in the spring of 1700, in a bloody massacre near the village of Alkeniki, in the Oshmyany region, the Sapieha troops were completely defeated by a 20,000-strong Confederate army. They plundered Ruzhany and destroyed the castle. And in the spring of 1706, at the height of Northern war, the Swedish king Charles XII entered Ruzhany.


9. Until now, the Swedish warriors had blown up all the castle fortifications and fortifications on their way, but in Ruzhany they were disappointed: the castle was already destroyed and devastated without their participation. The power of the Sapieha family was undermined, and never again did it reach the heyday that marked their life in the 17th century. The cherished dream did not come true: to become a Grand Duke and move into his Ruzhany residence as the lord of the state.

10. Nevertheless, the family still had enough money, and in the second half of the 18th century, the new grand-ducal chancellor Alexander Sapieha was able to recreate the family nest from the ruins. The new time dictated new conditions - and the former defensive, outwardly not very attractive castle is being rebuilt into a strictly symmetrical palace that meets the canons of classicism. The court architect Jan Samuel Becker worked on this in the early 1880s. He managed to very successfully combine the styles of baroque, classicism (which gradually replaced the former throughout the country) and even rococo (cartouches, roof lucarnes, curlicues, rusticated shoulder blades, etc.). Two damaged towers from the old castle were dismantled, and the third, western one, dynamically fit into the overall volume of the new palace, which became symmetrical in composition.

11. Among the premises there was an archaeological museum, and a rich library (which the tsarist authorities, together with the archive, confiscated in 1832 and taken to Grodno, and then to Vilnius), and even a small, "home" chapel. But the rebuilding of the main building alone did not end the matter. The talented architect formulated a great park ensemble: several buildings were symmetrically grouped around the front courtyard with an area of ​​one and a half hectares. Long rectangular two-story buildings stood perpendicular to the palace and were connected to them by wide arcades that ran in a semicircle on either side of the main facade. The high paired columns of the Tuscan type were covered with thick oak beams, and the brackets were also made of oak. In addition, garlands, sculpture, rusticated pilasters and plastic-ornamental decoration were used as decoration.

12. The western building housed Art Gallery, and in the east (which, like the main one, was divided by stairs into two equal parts) - an arena and a theater, which was considered one of the largest in Belarus. Thanks to the well-designed backstage on a deep stage, during the performance it was possible to change the scenery three times; dressing rooms were located next to the stage. The auditorium was organized in the form of a horseshoe and consisted of two tiers: the first had 14 isolated boxes, the other 15, along with the royal box in the center. The theater troupe was recruited from a private school of court actors who played in plays by French and Polish playwrights.

13. In 1784, Alexander Sapieha again received guests of honor - King Stanislav August Poniatowski, who was heading to the Grodno Seim. During the rest, the king looked into the theater, where he watched the ballet "The Mercy of Titus" and the musical comedy " magic tree"Malina. This was the last grand reception that the Ruzhany Palace remembers.

14. At the end of the 18th century, the heyday was again replaced by decline. In 1786, a cloth factory was located in the palace. In 1795, according to the third section of the Commonwealth, Ruzhany retreated to Russia; Alexander Sapieha leases the palace and factories to businessman Mordukh Pines.

15. The new owner, together with his family, began to live on the first floor of the palace, and on the second and in the basements he arranged warehouses for the products of factories - weaving, cloth, silk belts and tapestries. The Sapiehas themselves, together with the entire princely court, moved to a neighboring residence - to Derechin. And in the castle - for the umpteenth time! - Decline began: after 30 years, the weaving industry turns into a modest spinning of wool. According to the 1897 census, there were two tanneries, linen and cloth factories, five small enterprises, and a public school in the town. In 1914 the palace complex was on fire; in the thirtieth it was partially restored, and in the 44th it was again ruined - this time by the departing fascists; they also burned the last small weaving factory.

16. What can you see in Ruzhany now? And you can see a badly damaged, literally corroded palace: until 1965, there was a tile shop in the outbuildings next to the gate, then - agricultural chemistry ...

17. Geese, turkeys and sheep walk around the castle courtyard, as if in a pasture; A tied horse is grazing next to the outbuilding. For a complete idyll, only a herd of black and white cows is missing, which would cross the castle courtyard from end to end. Some kind of zoo. Local kids climb on the floors of the palace, along the preserved arcades. In the shadow of the walls, the peasants settled down to rest; after which a simple snack and a container from an even more simple drink remain lying in the grass.

18. There is no theater building - houses now stand in its place. However, what you can see here will pass for a comedy, a comedy of the absurd. Here comes a granny from the main building - she carries a couple of bricks and takes them to her bicycle. A woman who happened to be nearby from a house on the site of a theater wing says that this is their neighbor - she is dragging herself building materials "for new ganaks." And then she herself offers me to break off something from stucco or even a piece of a wooden cartouche from the gate (it has been preserved in very good condition), but not as a keepsake, but in order to submit it for examination and find out "how old is this castle?"

19. How: people whose hut stands on the castle courtyard, do not know the history of the Ruzhany Palace! The son of this woman - a man of about thirty years old - leads to the gate and points to its arched vault - there is stucco molding in the form of flowers. There are no twenty buds - it was he and his friends who beat them with bricks in childhood; such was the competition for accuracy and force of impact. It seems, he says, and now they are still lying somewhere in the barn ...

20. We inspect together main building. From front staircase only a trace of bricks remained on the wall. The columns that used to end in a triangular pediment now stand pointed, without endings. In some places, among the old masonry, new bricks are visible. And one more thing... And here's another thing... The guy says that restorers worked here ten or fifteen years ago, but instead of building materials, the money went to alcoholic materials.

21. So the new masonry lies only on the arcades and next to the western wing. I go down to the cellars. Previously, they went deep into several floors and branched into several underground passages. The parent of my guide shows a place in the center of the courtyard, where they climbed with friends, girlfriends in early childhood. Now the cellars are half-filled; they have a lot of garbage and a persistent unpleasant smell. It is said that dead animals are secretly dumped here. Some of the cellars are littered with sand, while others, on the contrary, have been dismantled by archaeologists. So it is not possible to stumble upon any reddened tome from the Sapieha archive. The guy shows the place where the ancient daggers were found, as well as a niche in the eastern part of the gate: in the early nineties, someone knocked out the bricks that hid the cache. Rumor has it that these are the heirs of the Sapiehas, who have preserved the plan of the palace, arrived at night and took out the gold.
Children aged 12-14 climb the ceilings of the palace, climb to the very top of the pediment, boldly climb into the narrowest stove manholes. From here, from above, a picturesque view of the city, the park below, the church, the road going into the distance opens up. And on a herd of geese that gracefully nibbling grass among the ruins ..
(The author of the text - artyku )

22. View from the castle to the city church.

23. On the spot former theater flax body.

24. This is the village itself, one of the houses on central square. In its center is Ilyich, they are unremarkable, and therefore did not begin to shoot him.

25. Village shop. What struck me to the core was that they accept cards there.

26. Bicycle as the main means of transport. This didn't surprise me. In Belarus, you get used to it.

Road bonuses:

27. Modern cowboy on a German horse, and his black and white cows.

28. The road from Brest to Grodno runs just a few kilometers from the border with Poland, the locals have never seen Russian numbers and were very surprised to see my car, but the road surface is perfect here too. And FM radio stations work, and they catch the signal very well - you see, there are repeaters. Several Belarusian and Polish stations - only about five pieces. And in our homeland - 100 kilometers from Moscow - one AM radio station-talking shop plows.

30. It's just like that.

In a wonderful necklace of castles of Belarus, the Ruzhany Palace is a special jewel. For the first time, a story about this small town of Belarus - Ruzhany is found in old historical chronicles 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

A rich library was collected in the palace, a 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 productions were performed in 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. Cloth was produced in the building of the former theater.

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. 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. Entrance ticket to museum exposition costs 25,000 Belarusian rubles. (85 rubles or $1.3).

Can also be ordered private tour both in the museum and in the territory of the palace complex, or you can combine these two pleasures. 🙂

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

Date of construction: 1598-1605, 1748-86

The Ruzhany palace complex is the largest monument of palace architecture in Belarus, and is also the main attraction ( calling card) Ruzhan. This palace complex is made with elements of late baroque and classicism. The complex was built by several generations of the Sapieha family. Here, on a high moraine hill, Lev Sapega founded his personal and main residence. In the 6th century, a two-story cruciform palace was built, which combined splendor and defensive features. The palace itself contained an extensive library, as well as a collection of portraits and paintings. Among other things, this Sapieha family residence was also a place for royal receptions.

The beginning of the construction of the castle can be attributed to the 16th century, and in the next two centuries it was rebuilt several times, becoming more and more majestic and beautiful each time.

Ruzhany Castle Sapieha played an important role in the history of not only the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Commonwealth, but also neighboring states. The castle was twice visited by kings, ambassadors were received, and it was here that proteges for the Moscow throne were prepared. The vast cellars of the castle housed the state treasury of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the arsenal.

As a result of internecine clashes and the war with the Swedes, the Ruzhany castle was significantly 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.

Under the guidance of the architect J.S. Becker, elongated side buildings were built, which were connected to the palace by semicircular arcades. In the eastern side building of the castle there was a theater and an arena, and in the western building there was an art gallery. Opposite the main building, an entrance gate was built in three spanning triumphal arch with carved heraldic cartouches of bog oak. In 1944, the palace complex was destroyed by the German invaders. To our time, the main (palace) and eastern buildings, as well as arcades, entrance gates and wings have been preserved.

At the moment, you can see only the ruins of the former majestic 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.

Recently, in one of the restored sections of the palace ensemble, there is a functioning museum of the history of the castle and everything connected with it.

Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (and Basilian Monastery)

Date of construction: 1762-78

The Peter and Paul Church was erected in 1762-78 by the Sapieha court architect Jan Samuel Becker as a Uniate church in a transitional style from baroque to classicism.

The Peter and Paul Church (formerly Uniate) in combination with the monastic building occupies entirely one of the sides of the square.

The main facade deserves special attention. The master concentrated all his attention on it, gathered the forms and details of baroque architecture into a single and expressive artistic composition. Such a technique, when the main facade contrasts with the rest of the facades of the building, is not new - it is found in most monuments of church architecture. This technique was also widespread in the construction of Uniate churches, which absorbed many qualities of both churches and Orthodox churches.

The main facade of the Peter and Paul Church is presented in the form of a kind of shield covering the volume of the building. The shape of the shield is close to a square. The static nature of the composition is broken only in the middle part, which is supported by layered pilasters and a turret with a cupola. The tower is rectangular in cross-section (the aspect ratio is about 1:3), its shape successfully combines with the shield of the main facade, representing its logical conclusion.

Layered pilasters, developed cornices, frames of doors and windows of the temple are elements characteristic of the baroque architecture of the 18th century. Noteworthy is the decision of the portal of the main entrance, combined with the window of the second tier. A large-scale architectural fragment with a concise and at the same time not devoid of plastic construction was obtained. Such a technique for solving the entrance portal is not observed in other religious monuments of Belarusian architecture.

Church of the Holy Trinity

Dates of construction/renovation: 1615-17 / 1768 / 1787 / 1850 / 1891

The architecture of the church is dominated by a four-tiered tower, which leads the composition of the monument. The lower tier of the tower in the form of a quadrangle is cut through by an entrance portal; the rest, octahedral in their cross section, are thinned upwards. The tower ends with a tall tent. The main facade of the church is decorated with pilasters, and the side ones - with buttresses. In general, the architectural decoration of the facades has an ascetic character. On the other hand, the plastic architectural forms of the Baroque, sculpture, and painting are widely represented in the interior. The decoration used a variety of high-quality materials, including natural marble. Cylindrical vaults on the formwork, the interior architectural and artistic decoration of the church are harmoniously combined.

Church of St. Casimir (chapel in the cemetery)

Date of construction: 1792

In 1792, the church of St. Casimir (heavenly patron of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania). Currently, the chapel is in an abandoned state.

Synagogue

Dates of construction / renovation: end of the 18th century. / 2nd half of the XIX century.

The synagogue in Ruzhany consists of two buildings: a large late baroque synagogue and a small synagogue. The Great Synagogue today is in a deplorable, dilapidated condition. The Small Synagogue was a little more “lucky”: the building itself was not destroyed, but was adapted for the needs of the motorcade, which is now located on the territory of these architectural structures… Until now, the wall paintings have been partially preserved in the synagogue. As can be seen from this construction, the large synagogue dates back to the moment when the tendency to build from single-tier synagogues to two-tier (two-story) synagogues began to appear.

The court architect of the Sapieha Jan Samuel Becker worked on the construction of the synagogues.

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.

The well-known writer and religious Zionist figure I. M. Pines, the Prime Minister of the State of Israel I. Shamir were born in Ruzhany.

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 a 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 concentrated in the central square of the 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).

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 in 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 during 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. The chapel offers a beautiful view of the surroundings, including all the previously described sights of the city of Ruzhany (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 architectural complex together with the synagogue have been restored today (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.