The city of Nesvizh, Minsk. Open left menu nesvizh

Nesvizh (lit. Nesvyžius; Belor. Nyasvizh) is a city in the Minsk region of Belarus on the Usha River. The city is home to the famous Nesvizh Castle, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, the Farny Church, the 16th-century town hall, and a number of other architectural monuments.

Story

The first mention of the city was previously associated with the name of Yuri Nesvizhsky (in some sources Nesvitsky), who with his squad took part in the battle on the Kalka River (now Kalchik) on May 31, 1223 (“The Tale of Bygone Years”). As a result of the battle, he died, and the consonance of the name of the prince with the name of the city became the reason for his identification as the specific prince of the city of Nesvizh. However, this version was refuted by scientists in the late 80s of the XX century.

Several other folk variants of the origin of the city's name are also known; one of them is the existence of a huge mountain on the site of the city, which was called "Invisible" because because of it "not to see anything." During a large flood of the river, the mountain was washed away into seven hills, but the name was still preserved and eventually turned into the modern Nesvizh. Another story is connected with hunting: once Radziwill came here to hunt, the hunt was successful, but there was not enough space with him for the most important trophy - the bear. As a result, it was decided to come for him later, sending servants, but while they were looking for a bear, he managed to deteriorate, became “not fresh”, as a result of which the hunting place began to be called “Stale”. Considering geographical location Nesvizh on the portage from the Neman to the Pripyat (the Usha River is a portage to the Lan River), it can be assumed that the name of the town was given by a word from the everyday life of the rivermen who used this waterway. For example, “znyasva”, “znesla”, etc., denoting the collection, demolition of goods in one place in warehouses in front of the portage; perhaps, some warehouses and wintering of boats and their transfer on oneself (“nyasva”, “carrying”), demolition back to the Usha River. (Pavlovsky A. T. 27.2013)

Archaeological excavations carried out in these places testify to the history of the city, which began no earlier than the 15th century. The version of a specific principality also did not find its confirmation - no evidence was found of the existence of defensive structures here. The courtyard that stood here was just the center of a small volost. Thus, the city has become younger by almost two centuries - the first written mention of it is now attributed to 1446. Nesvizh appears in the annals in connection with the transfer of the town from the Grand Duke of Lithuania Casimir Jagiellonchik to Mikolay Jan Nemirovich.

In 1492, Grand Duke Alexander gave the city to the richest Lithuanian magnate Peter Kishka. Thus, Nesvizh passed into the possession of the famous Kishek family, one of whose representatives, Anna, in 1513 married Jan Radziwill, nicknamed the Bearded, who received the city as a dowry of the bride (“by tow”). In 1533, Nesvizh finally passes to the Radziwills.

In 1547, the son of Jan Radziwill - Nikolai Radziwill the Black - achieved the title of "prince of the Holy Roman Empire" for his family, and made the city his residence, the importance of which increases in 1586 after giving it the legal status of an indivisible hereditary possession (ordination), transferred by the right to inherit only the eldest son in the family. The Nesvizh ordination remained in the hands of the Radziwills until 1939.

The city flourished in the 16th century. and is associated mainly with the name of the first ordinate of Nicholas Christopher Radziwill the Orphan - the son of Nicholas Radziwill the Black. Having inherited the wooden Nesvizh from his parent, he is doing a great job of reforming it - the buildings are being replaced by stone buildings, randomness medieval city reformed into a regular quarterly system, which has survived to the present day.

The life of the townspeople does not remain aloof from the reforms. Returning from a trip to the Mediterranean and the countries of the Middle East, the Orphan is saturated with the spirit of change and the reorganization of the family nest. Bringing his ideas to life, at the first stage, he frees the townspeople from many feudal duties, eases the tax burden and turns the city into a typically European one, attracting merchants and artisans to it. The city is developing rapidly - a school is opening in it, a bathhouse, a hairdresser's and a hospital are being built. Weaving and tailoring, locksmith and furrier workshops begin to operate. A little later, already in the 18th century, manufactory production and an artistic casting workshop were established. In 1583, the construction of the Nesvizh Castle began.

In the XVI-XVII centuries. there is an Arian school where ancient languages, theology and natural sciences are studied. In 1562, the Nesvizh printing house was opened in the city, which published the first books on the territory of Belarus in Belarusian language(in 1562-1571 famous Belarusian educators Simon Budny and Vasily Tyapinsky published books). Nesvizh is also the ancestor of the theatrical art of Belarus - the first stationary theater "Comedy House" was opened here. At first, being an amateur theater, the theater gradually turns into a professional channel, turning into a court one, and gives performances outside the city.

City Hall (Nesvizh)

The core of the city now, as in past centuries, is the Market Square (now Central), in the center of which stands the town hall with a high six-tiered tower, symbolizing, by all accounts, the Magdeburg rights granted to the city in 1586. The town hall previously housed the burgomaster's office, the magistrate, the office, the courtroom, the treasury and the archive; the main city streets converged to it. Starting from the 17th century, the town hall gradually “overgrown” with shopping arcades, which subsequently formed a closed U-shaped contour. Architectural ensemble The square underwent significant changes in the middle of the 20th century during its restructuring for modern needs.

In a short historical period (1584-1616), with the participation of Belarusian and Italian masters, taking into account the latest achievements in fortification art, a city and a castle were built, and the settlement itself, located at a distance from it, was surrounded by a moat and rampart. At the entrances to the city, stone gates with the most powerful towers were built - gates Zamkovaya, Slutskaya, Kletska and others. An important element of the fortifications was the waters of the Usha River raised by dams.

Monumental stone buildings of the late 16th-17th centuries. it was presented as a castle, gates, churches, monasteries of the Bernardines (1598), Bernardines (1591), Dominicans (1672); Jesuit Church of the Body of God (1593). At this time, an austeria opened in the city.

Nesvizh Castle in 2011

At the beginning of the 18th century, the city became a victim of the Northern War - in 1706 it was completely plundered by Swedish troops.

In the XVIII century. in the city there were a court chapel, the largest ballet theater in Europe (opened in 1740), a cadet corps and a school for naval officers in Alba (a suburb of Nesvizh) for Radziwill's troops. In 1764 and 1768 Nesvizh is again occupied by Russian troops as a result of the confrontation between Catherine II and Pane-Kohank. After the second division of the Commonwealth in 1793, the city became part of the Russian Empire.

As of January 1, 1896, the population was 10,237 inhabitants, of which 5,692 were Jews, 2,890 were Orthodox, 1,545 were Catholics, and 32 were Protestants. There was a synagogue and seven Jewish prayer houses, two Catholic parishes, and an Orthodox church in the city.

Since 1921, Nesvizh has been part of the Polish state, in 1939 - part of the USSR (Belarus), in 1941-1944 it has been under the occupation of Nazi Germany, since 1991 - in independent Belarus.

Streets of Nesvizh

1st May Street
Youth street
Leninskaya street
Engels street
Soviet street
Snovskaya street
Karl Liebknecht street
Slutskaya street
Kutuzova street
Sadovaya street
Derzhinsky street
Shimko street
Dostoevsky street
Yakub Kolos Street
Pushkin street
Lugovaya street
Ozernaya street

Attractions

Farny church

Benedictine monastery tower

Nesvizh Castle
The Church in the name of the Body of God is the first in the territory of the Commonwealth and the second in the world (after the Il-Gesu Church in Rome) monument erected in the Baroque style. The construction of the temple lasted 6 years (1587-1593), the consecration took place on October 7, 1601. The church is the tomb of the Nesvizh branch of the Radziwill family. The old functioning organ has been preserved in the church.
The Dominican monastery was built in 1672 on the site of the current cinema and had a library and a school on its territory, closed in 1835. For the last two years of its existence, the famous poet Vladislav Syrokomlya, who paid much attention to Nesvizh in his works, studied there. Closed in 1873, the monastery was transformed into a teacher's seminary, which began its work in 1875. Among the students of the seminary there were many people who made a significant contribution to the cultural history of Belarus. The most important representative of the students is the Belarusian writer Yakub Kolas, who will remember the “city of youth” more than once in his works.
The Benedictine convent was built in 1596 at the expense of Sirotok and his wife Elzbieta Evfimiya and served for its intended purpose until 1887. The territory of the monastery has survived to this day in the form of monastic buildings, a gate tower and modern buildings of a pedagogical college, the main students of which, like four centuries ago, are predominantly representatives of the weaker sex. The entrance to the territory of the monastery is guarded by a three-tiered tower, which is crowned with a dome with a spire. The building of the tower was built here in the second half of the 18th century. Orphan's niece Christina, having become an abbess and taking the name of his late wife, served here for almost half a century, receiving well-deserved respect and love from the abbesses. The remains of earthen ramparts that surrounded the monastery and played an important role in the city defense system have also come down to us.

Slutsk Gate

The Slutsk gate is the only gate that has survived to this day, welcoming guests of the city and local residents entering " Old city from the east. Previously, on the right and on the left, earthen ramparts surrounding the city approached directly to them.
The Nesvizh Town Hall is the oldest surviving town hall in Belarus. The town hall building has recently been restored. It was erected in 1596, rebuilt in 1752. The monument has features of the late Baroque and Renaissance.

Cultural heritage of Nesvizh

The basis of the city - Nesvizh Castle is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
In 1562, the Nesvizh printing house was opened in the city, which published the first books in the Belarusian language on the territory of Belarus (in 1562-1571, famous Belarusian educators Simon Budny and Vasily Tyapinsky printed books). In 1563, the first newspaper of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was published here - Navins formidable and compassionate ...
The Belarusian writer Yakub Kolas, studying at the Nesvizh teacher's seminary, wrote here many poems and humorous stories, which he later performed at local literary evenings.
Nesvizh is the ancestor of theatrical art in Belarus. "Comedy House" is the first stationary amateur theater that became professional and gave performances outside the city.
Evno Jakobson, a watchmaker living in the city in the second half of the 18th century, invented a calculating machine, which became the prototype of the adding machine.
One of the most educated people of his time, Simon Budny, published in 1562 in the Nesvizh printing house his “Catechism” and “Justification of a sinful person before God”

Notable natives

Bzhostovsky, Mikhail Jerome (1762-1806) - statesman of the Commonwealth
Bochdal, Jolanta (born 1942) - Polish actress
Vitushko, Mikhail Afanasyevich (1907-2006) - Belarusian military leader
Radziwiłł, Dominic Nicholas (1643-1697) - Grand Chancellor of Lithuania
Radziwill, Jerome Vincent (1759-1786) - statesman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Radziwill, Karol Stanislav Pane Kohanku (1734-1790) - politician of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Radziwill, Mikhail Kazimir (1625-1680) - full Lithuanian hetman
Radziwill, Nicholas the Red (1512-1584) - Great Lithuanian Chancellor
Radziwill, Nicholas the Black (1515-1565) - statesman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Yaroshevich, Piotr (1909-1992) - Prime Minister of Poland

Nesvizh at Wikimedia Commons Nesvizh on Wikipedia.

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

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Where to stay

Despite the modest size of the city, there are enough hotels in Nesvizh where you can stay for the duration of the trip. It all depends on how much you are willing to pay for the apartment. If you only need an overnight stay without any frills, it is quite possible to rent Double Room from 4 BYN. Apartments are higher class, which means greater comfort and convenience, will cost from 58 BYN. Prices on the page are for November 2019.

Weather in Nesvizh

Cafes and restaurants

There are a lot of places in Nesvizh where you can both just have a bite to eat and eat thoroughly, and often this happens in a beautiful medieval setting.

The local cafes and restaurants offer a variety of dishes (be sure to try the local zrazy and potato pancakes), it all depends on how much you are willing to pay for a meal.

For example, in the restaurants "Nesvizh" (on Belorusskaya street), "Ratusha" (on Sovetskaya street) and in the cafe "Strauynia" (the territory of the palace and park ensemble), the average check (excluding the cost of alcohol) is 7-10 BYN. You can dine in the luxurious restaurant "Hetman" (it is also located on the territory of the palace and park ensemble) on average from 20 BYN per person.

Guides in Nesvizh

Entertainment and attractions of Nesvizh

Once in Nesvizh, be sure to visit palace and park ensemble, the Church of the Body of God, as well as the City Hall and the triumphal arch called the Slutsk Gate. The Church of the Body of God was built in the 16th century by the Italian architect Jan Maria Bernardoni. The interior of the temple is richly decorated with paintings and frescoes.

Above the main altar is a painting by Xavier of Gesky "The Last Supper". In the interior of the church there are many sculptural images (bas-reliefs and busts of tombstones, marble altars and monuments). Above the entrance to the temple you can see the choirs with the organ. The tomb of the Radziwills is located in the basement of the church, in which more than seventy representatives of this dynasty are buried.

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Nesvizh Castle

Another main attraction of the city is the Nesvizh Castle, built in the distant 16th century. At that time it was a richly decorated palace, alas, only a little has come down to us. During its history, the castle survived several sieges, looting, fire, and in Soviet times it was given over to the needs of a hospital and a sanatorium. Nevertheless, despite the deplorable state, the Nesvizh Castle was restored, and today it is very popular. tourist place. Opening hours: daily 9:30 - 18:30. Entrance: 14 BYN, for students: 7 BYN. Audio guide is paid separately.

What else to see in Nesvizh

Do not be lazy and visit the City Hall in Nesvizh. By the way, this is one of the oldest local self-government structures in Belarus today. The town hall in Nesvizh appeared in the 16th century, today many of its premises have been converted to modern needs, but the external architectural style has remained untouched. Opening hours: daily, 10:00 - 18:00. Entrance: 3 BYN, for pupils and students: 1.5 BYN. Not far from the palace and park ensemble are located picturesque parks Nesvizh, which is simply impossible to pass by. A walk along the shady paths and alleys will be well diluted by boating on the lake. You can visit Nesvizh parks both in the morning and late in the evening. By the way, there is no entry fee from tourists.

Do not pass by the Slutsk Gate - a unique architectural monument that has come down to us through many centuries. The building is a snow-white triumphal arch connecting the road between Nesvizh and Slutsk.

During its existence, the gate was destroyed several times to the ground, but no matter how miserable ruins remained, the arch was always built anew. And today, the Slutsk gate meets tourists in an updated form (in 2012, a reconstruction was carried out here).

Where to stay: directly in Minsk - although the choice of hotels and hotels is small, everyone can find a "gatel" to their liking. For those who came to improve their health and conquer ski slopes resorts are ideal

One of the most interesting excursion routes in Belarus, starting in Minsk, is a journey to the ancient castles of Mir and Nesvizh, built by the Poles.

Nesvizh is an ancient city located in the Minsk region of the Republic of Belarus, 122 kilometers from the capital city. The earliest mentions of Nesvizh in written sources date back to 1446.

Excursion Mir - Nesvizh.

You can order a tour without leaving your home, and pay for the tour either in advance or before boarding the bus. Start of the trip – Minsk Planet Hotel, from where the group goes by bus to the city of Mir.
There are 100 kilometers between Minsk and Mir, and only 30 kilometers from Mir to Nesvizh. A tour of the Mir Castle - see the article:.

Nesvizh attractions.

Acquaintance with Nesvizh begins with sightseeing tour around the city, the central point of which is the inspection of the possessions that belonged to the noble Radziwill family during the time of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. This is an ensemble of parks and palaces built in the 16th-17th centuries, the inhabitants of which are told by numerous legends. One of the legends is the tale of the Black Lady.

Monuments of Nesvizh.

IN ancient city you should definitely visit the Farny Church, famous as one of the first monuments of baroque art on the European continent, built by the Italian architect Giovanni Maria Bernardoni, commissioned by Prince Radziwill Sirotka. The temple has preserved ancient frescoes, in particular the image of the "Last Supper". But the church is also famous as a mausoleum of representatives of the Radziwill family, which is considered the 3rd largest and number of burials after the tomb of the Habsburgs in Vienna and the crypt of the kings of Spain in Escorial.
Another attraction of Nesvizh is the Slutsk gate, the gate to enter the city from the side of the Slutsk tract, built in the Baroque style as part of an ensemble of fortress walls. In the center of Nesvizh there are several interesting buildings- the oldest in Belarus Town Hall, built at the turn of the 16th-17th centuries, the Market Square, the Benedictine Monastery, the Craftsman's House.

The Church of the Body of the Lord in the city of Nesvizh, otherwise called Farny, belongs to the treasures of early baroque architecture. It was the first church of the Jesuit order on the territory of the Commonwealth and the crypt of the princely Radziwill family.
The history of the temple begins on August 19, 1584, when Nicholas Christopher Radziwill, nicknamed the Orphan, decided to place a Jesuit college in the city. The building of the College of the Jesuits, which existed without changes until 1826, and the church was built in 1584-93. master D. Bernardoni, who arrived from Italy, modeled on the Il Gesu Cathedral in Rome, built in 1584
The first divine service took place on November 1, 1593, on October 7, 1601, the temple was consecrated by the papal nuncio Claudio Rongoni, but construction lasted until 1605. Since 1593, after the death of the master, it was led by Bernardoni's disciple Giuppe Brisio.
The church is a basilica with 3 naves, a dome and an apse. The height of the dome is about 36 meters, the height of the central nave is about 18 meters.
The interior of the Farny Church is famous for its wood carvings, sculptures and its frescoes of the 18th century, made on the basis of Rubens' compositional schemes. Famous is the painting in the altar on the story of the Last Supper, made in 1752-54. restorer of the church and court painter Radziwill Geskim.
The facade, characterized by a complex curvilinear shape, is a two-tier structure with pilasters and cornices, niches and sculptural images.

Tower of the Castle Gate - oldest building made of stone, which is the bell tower of the Farny church.

The UNESCO memorial sign was installed in 2005, when the UNESCO List world heritage UNESCO included the following objects of Nesvizh: the palace and park ensemble of the possessions of the Radziwill family, the Farny Church and adjacent buildings. This sign indicates that the Republic of Belarus has taken responsibility for the preservation of the historical and architectural monument.

One of fabulous places Nesvizh - The gate of the Nesvizh castle complex, surrounded by a park area. The gates are decorated with a monogram and the coat of arms of the "Pipe" of the Radziwill family.

Nesvizh park.

The park was founded in 1878 by order of Princess Maria de Castellan Radziwill, it was then that trees and shrubs, statues, arbors, ponds, bridges and other corners appeared, in which the harmony of man and nature is felt.

A single complex consists of 5 park areas, and their total area is 100 hectares.

You need to walk slowly through the park to feel the silence and beauty of the ancient corner of the planet.

Radziwill Castle, Nesvizh.

The Nesvizh castle, built in the 16th-17th centuries, was the center of the possessions of the Radziwill family, who ruled the Nesvizh ordination.
Its history goes back to the beginning of the 16th century, when representatives of the Kishka family built a wooden castle, not far from which the castle of the new owners of the Radziwills rose a little later. It turned out that Yan Radziwill married a beauty from the code of Kishka and received lands in Nesvizh as a dowry.

The castle, connected to the surrounding lands only by a collapsible wooden bridge and secret underground passages, has the shape of a closed quadrangle with sides of 120x170 meters. All ancient buildings attract with their mysteries. Such mysteries include underground entrances and exits, which were indicated on the master plan for the construction of the palace.

Around the castle are earthen ramparts and a moat, which was originally 22 meters wide. On both sides of the moat, brick walls were built about 2 m thick and about 4 m high.

On the resulting fortress wall, not far from the gate, a redoubt was built for defense, and a road was laid around the wall passing outside. The waters of the Usha River were brought into the built ditch, and the ponds were filled with the same waters.

May 7, 1583 is considered the date of foundation of the castle.
Presumably, architects from Holland, invited by Nikolai Cherny Radziwill, took part in the design of the castle, according to another version, the builder of the Farny Church, Giovanni Bernardoni, according to a third version, unknown builders from France. In the appearance of the castle, one can find similarities with famous European ensembles, including the Palace of Versailles.

Museum of Nesvizh.

After crossing the bridge, which in the old days was a drawbridge, we find ourselves in a quadrangular courtyard with a well in the middle, which in the old days during sieges was the only source of drinking water. The emblem of the ancient family is placed on the facade of the central building. Hunting trumpets are depicted on the coat of arms, because, according to legend, when the first representative of the family received these lands, the donor-king ordered that a border be drawn around the lands where the hunting horn would be heard.

The tour of the castle starts from front staircase. You can’t walk on this staircase, all tourists climb the stairs for servants.

Above the entrance to the first hall is a symbol of power, glory and peace.

This room is called the Star Room. Here we can see elements of the furnishings that have been preserved since ancient times, for example, an old stove with the image of the coat of arms of the family.

The halls are decorated with wooden panels and art canvases illustrating the history of the development of the Radziwill family.

From the office one can see a bedroom with a recreated atmosphere from the time of the owners of the castle, with a bed under a canopy and an animal skin on the floor.

One of the most majestic is the Fireplace Hall. On the central wall are portraits of representatives of the Radziwill family.
A fireplace with dark wood trim is the center of the room. Here, the appearance of medieval ceilings with beams is preserved, and samples of pieces of furniture corresponding to the heyday of the family are presented.

In the corner of the Fireplace Hall there is a stove decorated with black tiles.

From the Fireplace Hall guests got into the Dining Hall. Here you can admire ancient porcelain, portraits of the owners, a tiled stove.

We are in the ballroom. However, the castle was designed so that even at the ball there was an opportunity to retire and talk. Behind a row of columns near the mirror there is such a corner with round stoves on the sides.

Part of the premises is closed to visitors, we are inspecting part of the castle.

Sights of Nesvizh. The most important and interesting sights of Nesvizh - photos and videos, descriptions and reviews, location, sites.

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The main city attraction is the palace and park complex of the 16th-19th centuries, located in the north-eastern part of the city. Like a number of other interesting city buildings, the complex was erected under Prince Mykolaj "Orphan" Radziwill. The palace is very beautiful, as is the surrounding area with several landscaped gardens.

The second most important city building, which dates from about the same period as the palace, is the old City Hall. It is considered the oldest on the territory of modern Belarus. Particularly stands out is the restored tower of the Town Hall, which for a long time was the most high point surroundings, which allowed it to be used as a sentinel.

The third of the most noteworthy buildings in Nesvizh in the historical and architectural sense is the Farny Church, or the Church of the Body of God. Giovanni Bernardoni, specially invited from Rome, became its chief architect, and from the outside the church is very reminiscent of Italian examples of religious architecture. But its interior is even more remarkable: here you can see excellent frescoes, thanks to which the temple gained great fame. Its second feature lies in the crypt: it houses the family tomb of the Radziwill princes, where more than 70 tombs have been preserved.

Landscaped city parks are beautiful, which were created for hundreds of years under different princes Radziwills.

Unfortunately, not much has come down to our days from the rest of the religious buildings of Nesvizh. The former complex of the Benedictine monastery is used today by the Pedagogical College, and of its buildings, only the high narrow gate tower, built in the Baroque style by the same Bernardoni, has remained the same. Only one building has survived from the Bernardine monastery. The tiny chapel of Bulgarin dates back more than three centuries - this is a small rectangular chapel a couple of steps from the Farny Church, built into its fence.

The urban development of the old Nesvizh was more fortunate: in the city you can still see old and interesting houses of varying degrees of preservation. For example, the building of the plebanium of the 17th century. (the house where the priest lived). Also of interest is the craftsman's house in the city market: it is believed that this is the only city residential building left in the country with a facade made in the Baroque style. The house was built in the 18th century. and was altered several times, but an interesting facade with a complex and majestic profile can still be seen today.

The memorial stone in the Old Park was erected by Prince Anthony Radziwill in honor of his wife, Maria de Castellan. Today there is a persistent belief that the stone fulfills the wishes of the one who touches it or leaves money on it.

Also interesting is the building of the inn, built at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, and the buildings of the shopping malls on the town hall (it is also the market) square. The rows were attached to the Town Hall at the same time as its construction, separated from it by passages for the transport of goods. Partially, the shops were located even in the building of the City Hall itself, and today they remain only in these neighboring pavilions.

Beautiful and landscaped city parks, which were created for more than one hundred years under different princes Radziwills. This old park with the "Wishing Stone", founded in 1878, English Park on opposite side the castle pond, the romantic and quiet Marysin Park to the north of it, the Anthony Park (the least well-preserved of all) and the Japanese Park, the newest and most unfinished.

Where to stay: directly in Minsk - although the choice of hotels and hotels is small, everyone can find a "gatel" to their liking. For those who come to improve their health and conquer the ski slopes, the resorts of Logoisk, Silichi and the Yakutsk mountains are ideal, where all conditions are created for active rest not only in winter, but also in summer. For the sake of visiting historical sights, it is worth a couple of days

The first mentioning the city, in which numerous old residential buildings are well preserved, beautiful parks, churches and churches, belong to the XIV-XV centuries. When exactly it was founded is unknown, as are the disputes over the origin of the name. Nesvizh flourished and became famous at the end of the 16th - beginning of the 17th centuries, when the Belarusian magnates Radziwills built their residence there. Now the famous Nesvizh Palace and Park Complex is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and is one of tourist centers Belarus. In the city itself, a number of historical and architectural sights have also been preserved.

Nesvizh and the Radziwills.

In 1446 Grand Duke Kazimir handed over the settlement to M. Nemirovich. Since 1492, the place belonged to the richest Belarusian magnate Peter Kishka, and already in 1523 Nesvizh fell into the hands of the Radziwill family as a dowry for a bride. The latter fell in love with this picturesque corner of the Belarusian land so much that they turned it into a real pearl. Nikolai Radziwill the Black became the first ruler of Nesvizh. The next prominent representative of the dynasty is N. Kh. Radziwill "The Orphan". He turned Nesvizh into the center of Catholicism, on his initiative the city received the right to self-government and a coat of arms. In 1583, the construction of the Nesvizh Castle began, and in 1591, the Nesvizh Monastery of the Benedictines began.

Nesvizh city history.

In September 1655, during the war between the Russian Empire and the Commonwealth, Nesvizh was occupied by Ukrainian Cossacks and Russian troops, but the castle survived the siege. The castle withstood another military invasion during the Northern War, and already in the 1720s. the city and the castle were rebuilt by N. Kh. Radziwill "Rybonka". Other "gifts" to the beloved city from the prince were the Nesvizh Cadet Corps (1747), a new printing house (1750), a rebuilt Jesuit church, textile and carpet manufactories.

History of Nesvizh.

The heyday of Nesvizh ended, as often happens in history, unexpectedly and sadly - due to the anti-Russian position of the owner of the castle - H. S. Radziwill "Pan Kakhanku" in the middle of the 18th century. the city and the castle were occupied by Russian troops; historical and artistic values were arrested and taken out. In 1793 the city officially became part of the Russian Empire. In 1921, as if returning to its origins, it becomes part of the Polish state, but already in 1939 it can be found on the maps of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic. From July 1941 to mid-1944, the Nazis ruled the city.

Nesvizh attractions.

The first thing you need to see in Nesvizh is the Castle. It is protected by UNESCO. Nesvizh, according to the deep intention of architects and designers, is arranged in such a way that it must be looked at. But look not close, but from a distance, panoramic. Wandering along its streets, lakesides, alleys of palace parks, you suddenly discover fantastic panoramic views, wide, like the soul of a people, deep, but at the same time extremely simple.

Nesvizh Palace of the Radziwills.

The path to the main attraction of Nesvizh starts from the Castle Tower and passes through the Bernardine Bridge. In the 19th century having lost its defensive functions, the bridge was replaced by a bulk dam, on which an alley was planted. On the left hand remains the Bernardine Pond, on the right - the Castle. The castle was founded by N. K. Radziwill in 1583 to the south-west of the city on the site wooden castle that has stood there for 50 years. Initially, the palace had the shape of a rectangle. It was surrounded by high earthen ramparts with bastions at the corners.

Nesvizh castle.

In the 17th century 4 defensive towers were erected in the corners (on the bastions). A drawbridge and a gate led inside the castle, behind which a three-story, now 4-story, palace was hidden. Close to the palace, two simpler buildings were built, together forming a courtyard. On the left was the barracks, on the right - the economic corps. Subsequently, all three buildings were rebuilt in the same style, so that the impression of a single complex is created. In 1706 the castle was destroyed by the Swedes, rebuilt after 1726. In the First World War, the Austrians ruled here, in the Second World War, the Germans.

Nesvizh Castle.

In Soviet times, a sanatorium was set up in the palace, which was closed only in 2001. After that, a global reconstruction began in the castle. It is impossible to say where it opens best view to the palace or where its most interesting place is. Go around it, preferably on the right side of the entrance, at the same time look at the opening views of the city across the expanse of the Castle Lake. In any case, those who want to get acquainted with the palace parks on both sides of the lakes will have to get around the castle.

Nesvizh park ensemble.

The Castle Park is laid out around the Palace. It is not difficult to guess that the wealthy owners of the residence, who have repeatedly been to Europe, who saw the masterpieces park art, they desired to make at home not similar, but superior in beauty and scope. It all started in 1878, when Maria de Castellan, the wife of Anthony Radziwill, laid the first stone in the future park. Following Zamkovo, the Old Park was rebuilt, followed by the Japanese. On the other side big pond, called the Wild Lake, English and Marysin parks are arranged.

Town Hall and shopping malls.

The main building that gave the square its name is the Town Hall. It was built in the XVI-XVIII centuries. In the Middle Ages, a building of such a height testified that the settlement was awarded the Magdeburg Rights. Then the building performed not only religious functions - there was a magistrate, a court, the treasury and the archive were kept. Today, inside there is a small museum with 5 rooms: old furniture, portraits of nobles, fireplaces, decorations, etc. Over time, the town hall building, the center of power and life, was overgrown with outbuildings, mainly shopping arcades.

Church of the Holy Body of God.

The church, otherwise called In the Name of the Body of God, is the first example of the Baroque style in the region. Stone walls were erected on the site of a wooden building from 1510 between 1584 and 1593. The Radziwills also showed off their abilities here. In order not to carry bricks from afar, they simply built a brick factory next to the construction site. The temple is the tomb of one of the branches of the Radziwill family and the only necropolis of Eastern Europe. The crypt with sarcophagi is of great interest to visitors. Passing through a small door on the left side of the church, you immediately come across a skull against the background of crossed scythes and spades.

Nesvizh Castle tower.

Next to the church is the Red Brick Castle Tower (second half of the 16th century). The tower continues to function as a belfry. The massiveness of the structure and the size of the windows indicate that artillery fire could have been fired from it. A two-story white building opposite the church, Plebania (1773) is a parish (parish) of Catholic priests. In secular language - the courtyard and residential buildings where the monks lived.

Monastery of the Benedictines.

The complex of the former convent (1593-1596) was built at the expense of Radziwill "Orphans". For more than three centuries, the monastery performed the functions conceived at its foundation. Today, this is a thing of the past, although the pedagogical school located here is also called upon to serve people. Greatest Impression produces a three-tiered tower of the monastery, crowned with a dome with a spire - the main gate of the complex.

Slutsk gate.

These are the only entrance gates to the city that have come down to us since 1690. They are located on the "patch" in front of the bulk dam through the ponds. Once they stood not so lonely, being a passage through earthen ramparts, now hidden. It looks like a small church from the outside. A good view of the Radziwill Palace opens from the gate.