Rest in Nesvizh. Sights of Nesvizh: list, photo and description How old is the city of Nesvizh

Story

The first mention of Nesvizh is found in Russian chronicles in the 13th century, when it is said that Prince Yuri Nesvizh took part in the Battle of Kalka (1223). Dying of wounds, he instructed his servant to get to Nesvizh and inform his wife and all those close to him how the prince died. When the servant got out of the battlefield, an arrow pierced him - into the very heart, but he still reached the prince's castle and brought with him the tragic news of the death of the prince and the arrival of the Tatars in Russia. After the incorporation of the lands of Belarus into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Nesvizh princes owned their inheritance from the 13th to the 15th centuries. provided they serve the prince. True, already in the 80s. last century, scientists have proven that the city and the castle appeared here not earlier than the 15th century. Thus, the first written mention of the city is now considered to be 1446, when the chronicle tells about the transfer of the town of Nesvizh by the Grand Duke of Lithuania Casimir to Mykola Yan Nemirovich.

In 1492 Nesvizh passed into the possession of the Belarusian magnate Petr Kishka, and in 1513, when his daughter Anna became the wife of Jan Radziwill, the city, as part of her dowry, became the possession of the Radziwills. In 1547, the son of Anna and Jan - Nikolay Radziwill the Black - became the prince of the Holy Roman Empire and made Nesvizh his residence. In order to prevent the further transfer of his possessions "by tow" (as part of the dowry), he establishes the right of entitlement - the title, land and all wealth are transferred to the eldest son. The rest of the male offspring had to either go to a monastery, or become knights in the army of some king. It was thanks to this that Nesvizh remained the possession of the Radziwills until 1939.

Monument to Simeon Budny, the first printer from Nesvizh

Printing house

The heyday of Nesvizh is associated with the name of Prince Nikolay Christopher Radziwill the Orphan - the son of Nikolai Radziwill the Black. Heir to a huge fortune, he could have spent his life idly, but he travels to Europe and the Middle East, and even writes travel notes about what he saw. Having received from his father a wooden estate and a small town attached to it, he erects a stone castle, rebuilds the city, turning it into a European one: he frees the townspeople from many taxes and feudal duties, develops trade and crafts. In Nesvizh, a school, a hospital, a weaving and tailor's, locksmith's and furrier's shops were opened under him. In 1562 a printing house was opened, where the first books in the Belarusian language were published. A little later, it was here that the first Belarusian theater appeared, and the cadet corps and a school of naval officers for Radziwill's private army were also located in the city. In 1583, the construction of the Nesvizh castle began, for which Italian craftsmen were involved. In a very short time (just over 30 years), the castle and the city were built according to the latest fortification fashion.

“The city, which received the Magdeburg privilege (“ Sasko Magdeburg right ”), deducted money for fortification works from its income. According to the articles of Magdeburg law, a guard, fire fighting service and a militia were organized in the city. All residents bore guard and defense duties, participated in military reviews ("policies") and training ("drills"). By the end of the XVI century. city \u200b\u200bfortifications were mainly built. An engraving of Nesvizh cartographer Tomash Makovsky, made around 1600, depicts Nesvizh, the basis of which was a high earthen rampart. It looked like a pentagon with 7 bastions, which covered the city from all sides.

They got inside through five gates - bram: Slutskaya, Kletskaya, Vilenskaya, Mirskaya and Zamkovaya. The city fortification was surrounded by a water moat that connected with the Usha River. There was a drawbridge in front of each arm. Not the last place in the defense of Nesvizh was occupied by 4 stone monasteries - Benedictine, Jesuit, Bernardine and Dominican with complexes of buildings, set up in tactically important and advantageous places. They blocked the direct road to the castle and were a serious obstacle in the way of the enemy. The water moat around the city served another function: it was stocked with fish and became practically a fish nursery. However, the townspeople were forbidden to fish. The Radziwills ordered to strictly monitor this lieutenant or tseichgwart, authorizing them to take the nets from the townspeople. "
M. A. Tkachev "Castles of Belarus"

During the Russian-Polish war, the castle withstood two long sieges by the Russian troops who stormed Nesvizh itself, in 1654 and 1659. In 1706, Nesvizh, like the nearby Mir, was plundered by Swedish troops. After 15 years, it is being restored, erecting also a palace chapel, and then it acquired the look that we see today. In 1764 and 1768. Russian troops invaded here, in 1792 the castle was taken by an assault by Russian troops, and after the division of the Commonwealth in 1793 the city became part of the Russian Empire. In 1812, Dominik Hieronymus Radziwill sided with the French army, after which he was forced to flee. Only in the 1860s. the castle returned to the Radziwills, after which several parks were laid out around the castle (the total area of \u200b\u200bthe park complex is 90 hectares). In 1921 Nesvizh was a part of Poland, in 1939 - a part of Belarus, in 1941-1944. is under fascist occupation. During the USSR, the palace housed a KGB sanatorium, in 2002 a fire broke out in the castle, destroying most of it. Restoration work is underway here, which they promise to be completed by 2010.

The castle, the farny church and city buildings are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Castle

According to the slab above the entrance to the castle, the castle was completed on May 7, 1583. I repeat that earlier there was a wooden manor in this place, but the new fortress in stone was built by the Italian architect Giovanni Maria Bernardoni. It seems to me that Prince Radziwill was so impressed by the Italian style samples that he decided to build something similar in Nesvizh, for which he brought an architect from Italy. In addition to the fortress walls and towers, the castle located on the peninsula was surrounded by ditches and ramparts, and even now it is noticeable how impressive they were in those days. The Wushu River was blocked by a dam, so the water level in the ditch could be regulated. That road along the dam, along which we walked to the castle from the church, did not exist then - a long wooden bridge was thrown across the lake, which was dismantled in a matter of minutes. The second bridge was thrown over the defensive castle moat. This system very vividly reminded me of the castle in the Czech town of Třebo and its system of ponds - everything was being built at about the same time.

In the plan, the castle had the shape of a quadrangle 170 * 120 m, surrounded by a high earthen rampart with bastions at the corners. Behind the stone-faced ramparts were trenches, rifle cells, and a path ran on top of the parapet. From the side of the courtyard, the breastwork line of fire was defended by another stone wall. Thus, the Nesvizh castle became the ancestor of a new type of bastion fortifications in Belarus - the so-called “new Italian system”. Earlier than anywhere else in Belarus, a foundry cannon workshop - Ludvisarnya was established in Nesvizh. Already in 1576, the first batch of seven cannons - “fakes”, firing 2-pound cannon balls was cast here. In 1598 bells for the Nesvizh and Mir castles were cast here (they served the castles for 300 years each). In 1785, there were 66 cannons of its own production in the castle. It is not surprising that the Nesvizh castle withstood so many sieges!

The spacious castle courtyard was surrounded by three buildings. Opposite the entrance gate was the main building with the princely chambers. In subsequent centuries, the separated buildings were rebuilt and united by architectural inserts, thus forming a closed ceremonial courtyard. At the corners of the castle there are cute 8-sided turrets. In addition to the large front yard, there are two more small ones in the castle - an economic (equestrian) one and an intimate one. The horse yard was located in the southern part of the castle, when stables were built in the ramparts. The third courtyard hides in buildings and was used only by the owner himself - he communicated with the outside world by secret passages. They say that these underground passages lead to the Farny Church and the Mir Castle.

From the 16th to the 20th centuries The Radziwills collected in the castle a huge library of 20 thousand volumes, a unique archive with ancient documents (almost all acts of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, starting from the time of Jagaila, letters of European monarchs written with their own hands), an art gallery (about a thousand canvases), a collection of weapons, Slutsk belts (woven of gold, they could be wrapped from head to toe), I am silent about such trifles as furniture made of precious woods, coin collections, tapestries, tapestries, heirlooms and sets of the best porcelain factories in the world. The guide enthusiastically told us about how, back in the 19th century, in the surrounding villages, they found golden cuirasses, from which they fed pigs, or Meissen porcelain tureens, used for peizan household needs. The library, by the way, is partially kept in the library named after Saltykov-Shchedrin in St. Petersburg.

As usual, all this splendor formed the basis for the legends about the Radziwills treasure, which Dominik Radziwill, who had gone over to the French side, did not manage to take out of the castle cellars. The allegedly trusted servant hid the treasure somewhere in the underground passages, and he himself disappeared during the Napoleonic invasion. Treasure hunters dug up Alba Park, which once surrounded the castle, and even during World War II, the Nazis dispatched a sapper company here to get to the treasure - but to no avail. It seems to me that they will not find anything: books and part of the archives, as we have already found out, were sent to Russia, paintings, furniture and jewelry with services could easily be plundered by both Russian troops and residents of neighboring villages, and the famous gold and silver ingots , from which piles were laid out in the prince's treasury, it seems to me - from a number of castle legends - the owners by that time probably kept their capital not in bullion, but in European banks. The offspring of the Radziwills live on something in London and Paris to this day :)

Like any self-respecting castle, Nesvizh has its own ghost - the Black Lady, this is the spirit of Barbara Radziwill, the wife of the King of the Commonwealth Sigismund Augustus, poisoned by the king's mother, Bona Sforza

then they probably saw the miraculous image of the Mother of God over the Medinin Gate - it is believed that they painted the image from Barbara Radziwill). The king was so sad that he tried to summon the spirit of Barbara (it happened in Krakow,

in one of the houses on the Market Square), and when the ghost appeared, he tried to hug him, which was strictly prohibited. Since then, the ghost wanders among the places dear to her heart - in the family castle.

Despite the fact that the exposition inside the castle is very poor (everything is new), they charge 3000 rubles for the entrance - they probably collect them for further repairs. If you don't want to go to the castle, you can take a walk in the park - it's free, unless at the entrance or somewhere on the alley you will not be met by a guy with a grimy nose on a bicycle who will invite you to tell the legend about the castle and show the "stone of desires" - of course , Not for free. The stone, which is actually a "mortgage" - once the construction of the castle began from it, for some reason was transformed (not without the participation of local residents, probably) into a stone, when touched, wishes come true. Not for free: it is "supposed" to shove money under the stone, which the nimble boys collect, as soon as the group departs five meters.

The parks are very pleasant, although we saw a small part of them directly at the castle. An interesting monument to the prince's beloved greyhound, who more than once saved his life on a hunt and was buried under this very stone, on which stands her image.

A little mermaid sits on a stone nearby, and the Black Lady herself is visible in the distance.

Pointing to one of the alleys, our guide said that there was once the Nevizh Meridian (they say, why we are worse than Greenwich or Paris), and the alley was planted along it.

On the way to the castle there is a small alley of the main characters in the history of Nesvizh - including Giovanni Bernadoni, Nikolai Radziwill the Orphan and Yuri Nesvizh.

Town

Although little has remained in the town since the days of the Radziwills, it is still worth giving it half an hour. The layout of Nesvizh still resembles a square; in the center of the city there is a spacious square with the Town Hall and shopping arcades, where all the streets converge. The town hall was built in Nesvizh shortly after he acquired the Magdeburg Law (1586) and has been well preserved to this day. Then it housed the burgomaster's office, magistrate, chancery, courtroom, treasury and archives, and in the 17th century. shopping arcades were built nearby. There is a library building across the street. "House on the Market" (1721) - with a baroque "wavy" facade. On the site of the cinema there was once a Dominican monastery (1672).

Closer to the lake, there is still a Benedictine convent (1596), built at the expense of Nikolai the Sirotka and his wife Elizabeth Vishnevetskaya. Now only a three-tiered tower (XVIII century) and a cell building, where a pedagogical college is located, have survived from the entire complex. They say that its own ghost is still wandering here - this is the Black Nun, punished by eternal wandering for her sins.

On the shore of the lake is the Slutsk Brama (1760) - the only Nesvizh gate that has survived to our times. Once upon a time, high ramparts left to the right and left, making a real fortress out of the city, and there was a brahm 5. The name of the gate was given from the Slutsk tract. On the engraving depicting Nesvizh, dated from the beginning of the 17th century, a fortified tower is depicted in the place of the gate. In 1760 the tower was rebuilt in the Baroque style. On the first floor of the gate there were rooms for the guards, on the second - a chapel.

Farny church

“In the second half of the XVI century. The Radziwills, Chodkevichs, Volovichs, Sapieha and other magnates began to convert from Catholicism to Protestantism - with an eye to secularizing church lands, that is, to take them into their own hands. Nikolai Radziwill Cherny even founded a Calvinist community in Vilna in 1553, and also tried to organize the publication of Calvinist literature in Brest, where in 1563, by his order, the Bible was published in Polish. In Nesvizh, with his submission, the Protestant printer Symon Budny (directly Semyon Budyonny), who was educated at the University of Krakow, published the "Catechism" and "On the justification of a sinful man before God." However, the clergy did not give up just like that, the xenzds and members of the monastic orders launched a large-scale ideological struggle for the minds of the magnates, which was crowned with success. When Nikolai Cherny died, his Catholic son Nikolai Sirotka began to buy up Calvinist books published by his father in Nesvizh and Brest and burn them. "(c) Gleb, In the footsteps of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania

As a symbol of the return of the Radziwills to the bosom of the Catholic Church, Nikolai the Sirotka commissions Giovanni Bernadoni for a Jesuit church. In 1593, a baroque church appeared in Nesvizh in the image and likeness of the main Jesuit temple - the Roman Il Gesu (1584). It is believed that this was the first baroque temple in the territory of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

“Bow down to your temple in your fear” - says the Latin inscription above the entrance to the Nesvizh farny church. The temple is like a symbol of the Radziwills' faith: the side altars are about to fall, but no - they are supported by angels. And on the left side, at the very descent into the crypt, pay attention to the gray tombstone of the Orphan: on the graves of the knights of that era it was customary to depict a knight in full military attire, with weapons, while Nikolai the Orphan is depicted on the slab kneeling, in the attire of a pilgrim, with a march and with a wide-brimmed hat over his shoulders. The knight's weapons lie, casually discarded, behind. Under the bas-relief is a long Latin epitaph, which says that before the Lord there is no knight, but only a pilgrim wanderer.

In the other side altar there is a marble sculpture of a young woman who sits on the lid of the coffin. This is Maria, the beloved of the Orphan - according to legend, she was buried alive - in a state of lethargic sleep - the guides love to tell this story, waving their arms excitedly. The main decoration of the church is its painting (it is believed that the author of the painting, the artist H.G. Heskey, used Rubens' compositional schemes for the work). They say that you can persuade an organist to let you go upstairs to the choir or even show you how to use the organ, but this seems to be from the category of tales.

Crypt

But you can still get into the inaccessible crypt under the church: when we examined the paintings, there was still a service in the church, after which the entrance was closed. One of the girls in our group was so worried about not being able to see the crypt that I told her about an article I had read before coming here - how one of the parishioners, Mrs. Yanina Shydlovskaya, lets tourists into the tomb for a fee of 1,500 rubles. person. The girl got down to business actively, and after a group inspection of the castle literally brought us this lady, who, seeing that the group was large (there were 20 of us), and two more groups also expressed a desire, said that she would take 1000 rubles per person, they say , collect. True, she did not even touch the money, ordering to shove it into the donation box.

So, the family tomb of the Radziwills princes is a dark basement, where there are rows of simple wooden coffins (inside they are metal), in total 78 or 79. The first to be buried here was Nikolai Sirotka himself in 1616, from him the recipe for embalming was passed down from generation to generation corpses, brought by him from a trip to the East. Each of the sarcophagi is entwined with wire, fastened with Radziwill seals - this was done not in order not to release ghosts (as many say), but so that the same tourists (several coffins are not behind bars, but right under the window in the basement) climbed inside, or the adventurers did not open the coffins in search of the key to the treasure (there were also such cases). The last burial in the crypt took place in 1999 - Anthony Radziwill, who died in London, was brought here (his coffin is under the window). According to our guide, this is the third largest family burial in Europe, after the tombs of Valois and Habsburgs (however, to our question, is not Valois in Saint-Denis, and which Habsburgs are meant - in Escorial or Vienna's Capuchinerskirche, the lady found it difficult to answer).

The regional center with a striking history. A city that has accumulated cultural and spiritual values \u200b\u200bfor centuries. So, let's get to know each other better. Nesvizh!

For the first time history speaks of Nesvizh in the 15th century. Then he was only the center of a small parish. In 1492 it became the property of the wealthy Lithuanian family of Kishek, which in 1513 became related to even more noble Lithuanians - Radziwills, in whose hands the status and prosperity of Nesvizh is growing rapidly.

In 1547, thanks to Nikolai Radziwill the Black, the Radziwills were awarded the title of "Prince of the Holy Roman Empire". Nesvizh, by this time already the residence of an eminent family, in 1586 the city received ordination status. This means that Nesvizh completely passes from one owner to another only by inheritance, from father to eldest son.

Reforms of Nikolay Radziwill Orphan. On the European path of development

It is he, as the eldest son and heir of Nikolai Radziwill Cherny, who takes over the management. With his submission, Nesvizh literally flourishes in the 16th century:

• the wooden city is radically transformed, instead of old buildings, stone buildings grow
• streets acquire a quarterly layout, this system has been preserved even now
• city \u200b\u200bresidents become more free from feudal lords and taxes
• trade and handicrafts are developing; social sphere - a school, a bathhouse, a hospital and a hairdresser opens
• workshops were opened, later, in the 18th century - manufactories and a workshop for artistic casting

Nesvizh was the first to publish Belarusian-language books. This becomes possible with the appearance of a printing house in the city. Printed here Simon Budny and Vasily Tyapinsky.

The 16-17th century in Nesvizh is devoted to knowledge and discoveries. Ancient languages, theology and natural sciences are studied here. The first stationary theater in Belarus is launched. In 1563, the first newspaper of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was published, "Naviny are formidable, but pitiful ...". In the 18th century, it was Nesvizh that was proud of the largest ballet theater in Europe.

Yakub Kolas studied at the Nesvizh Teachers' Seminary. Here he wrote many poems and humorous stories.

Living history - castle in Nesvizh

As a museum-reserve of our days, it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nesvizh Castle, the "heart" of the city, was erected in 1583 by order of Nikolai Radziwill the Orphan. A hundred years later, during the Russian-Polish war, he withstood two enemy assaults. For the troops of Charles, 12 becomes a target, as the property of the magnates who support Augustus II.

During the war with Napoleon, the owner of the Castle, Dominik Radziwill, sided with the French army and left the city forever. All generic values \u200b\u200bwere removed from the residence. In 1813, all the possessions of the eminent family were confiscated. In the 60s, the castle returned to the Radziwills and expanded - a complex of Castle, Old, New, English parks and a Japanese garden was built. As a result, by 1939 the territory was increased to 90 hectares.

History of the town of Nesvizh

In 1706 the Northern War reached Nesvizh; Swedish troops completely plundered it. Half a century later, the city is occupied by Russian troops. After the second partition, the RP, like a significant part of the territories of present-day Belarus, goes to the Russian Empire. In the 20s of the 20th century it returned to Poland. 1939 - part of the newly created BSSR. 1941 - 1944 occupied by the German army.

What to see in the town of Nesvizh

There is something to see in Nesvizh: once it was the residence of the Radziwills. It contains many monuments of architecture and history. It is located on Central Square, in the present building of the teacher's college there was once benedictine monastery, and where the cinema now stands was once located dominican - the one who was reformed into a seminary and which Yakub Kolas attended.

Other sights of Nesvizh

Nesvizh also has earlier sights. A striking example is the Baroque gate of the late 17th century. The famous - the first temple of the Jesuits on the territory of the Commonwealth, which once included Nesvizh - belongs to the same style.

Undoubtedly, the most beautiful place in the city is. Now it is a museum located on the territory of the reserve and is not only the property of Belarus, but of the whole world: the castle of the city of Nesvizh is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Deserves special mention castle park, which is divided into several sectors according to the stylistic principle and contains a number of beautiful sculptures and monuments.

One of the most interesting excursion routes in Belarus, starting in Minsk, is a trip to the ancient castles 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 an excursion without leaving your home, but pay for the excursion either in advance or before boarding the bus. Travel start - Minsk Hotel "Planet" 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. For an excursion around the Mir Castle, see the article:.

Nesvizh attractions.

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

Monuments to Nesvizh.

In the ancient city, be sure to 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 by order of Prince Radziwill the Orphan. The temple has preserved ancient frescoes, in particular the image of the "Last Supper". But the church is also famous as the mausoleum of representatives of the Radziwill family, which is considered the third largest and the number of burials after the Habsburg tomb in Vienna and the crypt of the kings of Spain in Escorial.
Another attraction of Nesvizh is the Slutsk Brama, a gate for entering the city from the Slutsk tract, built in the Baroque style as part of an ensemble of fortress walls. Several interesting buildings are concentrated in the center of Nesvizh - the oldest in Belarus Town Hall, built at the turn of the 16-17 centuries, Market Square, Benedictine Monastery, House of Craftsman.

The Corpus Christi Church in the town of Nesvizh, also called Farny, is one of 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 family of the Radziwills.
The history of the temple begins on August 19, 1584, when Nikolai Christopher Radziwill, nicknamed the Orphan, decided to place a Jesuit college in the city. The building of the College of Jesuits, which existed unchanged until 1826, and the church was built in 1584-93. Master D. Bernardoni, who came 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 the construction lasted until 1605. Since 1593, after the death of the master, it was led by Bernardoni's student, 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 decoration of the Farny Church is famous for its woodcarving compositions, sculptures and its frescoes of the 18th century, made on the basis of Rubens' compositional schemes. The painting in the altar part on the plot of the Last Supper, made in 1752-54, is famous. the restorer of the church and the court painter of the Radziwills Gesky.
The façade, which has a complex curvilinear shape, is a two-tier structure with pilasters and cornices, niches and sculptural images.

The Tower of Castle Brama is the oldest stone building, which is the bell tower of the Farny Church.

The UNESCO memorial sign was installed in 2005, when the following objects of Nesvizh were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List: the palace and park ensemble of the Radziwill family's possessions, the Farny Church and adjacent buildings. This sign means that the Republic of Belarus has assumed responsibility for the preservation of the historical and architectural monument.

One of the fabulous places in Nesvizh is the Gate of the Nesvizh castle complex, surrounded by a park area. The gate is decorated with the monogram and the emblem of the "Pipe" of the Radziwill family.

Park Nesvizh.

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

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

You need to walk through the park without haste to feel the silence and beauty of the ancient corner of the planet.

Castle of the Radziwills, Nesvizh.

The Nesvizh castle, built in the 16th and 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 clan built a castle of wood, not far from which the castle of the new owners of the Radziwills ascended a little later. It turned out that Jan Radziwill married a beautiful woman from the Kishka code and received land 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 riddles. These riddles 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 with a thickness of about 2 m and a height of about 4 m.

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 Ushi River were brought into the built moat, and the ponds were filled with the same waters.

The castle was founded on May 7, 1583.
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 the third - unknown builders from France. In the appearance of the castle you can find similarities with the famous European ensembles, including the Palace of Versailles.

Museum of Nesvizh.

After crossing the bridge, which in the old days was lifting, we find ourselves in a quadrangular courtyard with a well in the middle, which in the old days during the sieges was the only source of drinking water. The coat of arms of an 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 to draw a border around the lands where the hunting horn would be heard.

Inspection of the castle begins with the main staircase. You cannot walk up 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 hall is called Star. Here we can see elements of the furnishings preserved from ancient times, for example, an old stove with the image of the family coat of arms.

The halls are decorated with wood panels and canvases illustrating the history of the Radziwill family.

From the study you can see a bedroom with recreated furnishings from the times of the owners of the castle, with a four-poster bed and animal skins on the floor.

One of the most magnificent is the Fireplace Hall. On the central wall there are portraits of representatives of the Radziwill family.
A fireplace with dark wood trim is the center of the room. The look of medieval ceilings with beams has been preserved here, examples 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 entered the Dining Hall. Here you can admire ancient china, 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 chat. Behind a row of columns near the mirror is a corner with round ovens on the sides.

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

Nesvizh is characterized by a typical Belarusian climate: hot summers, cold winters, moderately cloudy autumn, changeable spring with flooding of rivers. The least precipitation is in February, the most in July. But don't think that it rains all month. Not at all, it may not be there for a week. It's just that if it happens, then a stormy one: it suddenly starts, it ends quickly, but it pours from the heart. That, however, at +25 .. + 28 ° С is sometimes even good.

sights

What is worth seeing in this city?

First of all, of course, the famous Nesvizh castle. It was completely reopened after restoration in the summer of 2012. There is a permanent exhibition dedicated to the Radziwill family (if you decide to use the services of local guides, count on a 45-minute excursion). In addition, there are thematic exhibitions here.

The Corpus Christi Church is remarkable not for its frescoes (although they are here, and magnificent), not for its organ (by the way, acting) and not even for the Radziwills family crypt. It is unique, first of all, in that it has never been closed in its more than 400-year history, has never played the role of a warehouse, a club or something else. There has always been a temple, services have always been held, and, perhaps, it is precisely the holiness and sacredness of the place (no matter how pathetic it may sound) that it attracts so much.

The town hall was recently restored, and now it houses a museum, which presents a rather interesting exposition dedicated to the past of the glorious town of Nesvizh.

And also the Slutsk Gate, the building of the former Benedictine monastery, the Museum of Local Lore ...

Many legends and legends are associated with the Nesvizh water park complex, some of them are immortalized in sculptures that adorn its alleys. And not far from the entrance, closer to the embankment, there is a boulder, which in Soviet times (far, frankly, from superstitions) was nicknamed the Stone of Desires: they say that if you touch it and make a wish, it will certainly come true.

Food

On the one hand, there seem to be no problems with food: the city has both restaurants and cafes. On the other hand ... if you happen to be in this city during weddings, be prepared for the fact that all cafes and restaurants will be closed for special services. However, since it happens mainly in summer, nothing will prevent you from having a picnic in the bosom of nature - there are all conditions for this. And you can buy groceries at Euroopt, the largest grocery store in the city.

So, restaurants. Firstly, in the building of the town hall there is an institution, which is called the “Town Hall”. Secondly, on Belorusskaya street, 7, at the hotel "Nesvizh", there is a restaurant of the same name. And, finally, on the territory of the courtyard-park ensemble there is an excellent institution called "Stranya". In addition, there is a cafe: "Park" (Geisika, 2a, at the entrance to the palace and park ensemble); "Chabarok" (Leninskaya, 17); "New Place" (Slutskaya, 33); "Nesterka" (Sovetskaya, 5), and recently a pizzeria was opened in the city. If you want to go out of town - you are welcome to the agro-estate "Niasvizhskaya Vytoki" (3 kilometers from Nesvizh, you can also spend the night there).

Residence

The town is small, but there is a place to stay. The hotel "Nesvizh" opened its doors on Belorusskaya street, 7, in the very center of the city, next to the town hall and the church. And directly in the Nesvizh castle there is the hotel "Palace". Just a kilometer from the bus station "Nesvizh" is the hotel housing and communal services. In summer, you can stay at the Nesvizh District Lyceum: two- and three-room rooms, a shower and a toilet. And finally, three kilometers from Nesvizh, at the headwaters of the Usha River, an agriturismo "Nyasvizhskaya Votoki" awaits tourists. As a last resort, you can consider the option of local hostels - some of them also accept tourists. As for the prices, the range is as follows: from $ 10 per person in the housing and communal services hotel to $ 60 per room for newlyweds in the hotel at the castle.

Entertainment and recreation

The whole life of Nesvizh is built around the castle: all kinds of exhibitions are held here, theatrical performances are organized.

In 2012, the first palace ball since the days of the Radziwills was held here - and they plan to continue the series of balls on Christmas and New Year's. By the way, in addition to the ball, a charity auction was also organized. Part of the funds will go to the revival of another pearl of Belarus - the Novogrudok castle. With the end of the restoration of the castle, life is in full swing here, so stay tuned for the announcements - something is always happening here.

However, if you are indifferent to mass events, take a look at the sports complex located on the territory of the castle. Here you have the opportunity to visit a bathhouse or sauna, enjoy a massage, work out on exercise machines, swim in the pool or play billiards (by the way, at very reasonable prices).

Purchases

Without souvenirs, you are unlikely to be released from here: there are rows of souvenir shops right at the entrance to the castle, and there are all kinds of kiosks on the territory of the complex. So you will definitely find memorable items made of clay, wood, metal or banal fridge magnets with local symbols. Good news for those with a sweet tooth: soon they are planning to launch the production of branded chocolate with the image of the Black Lady of Nesvizh on the label.

And to the economical note: souvenirs that are sold in shops near the castle can be bought 1.5-2 times cheaper in a shop to the left of the town hall.

Transport

The easiest way to get to Nesvizh is by car. There are only 120 kilometers from Minsk to Nesvizh, so no matter how slowly you drive, it won't take more than three hours to get there. It's also unlikely to get lost - there are signs to Nesvizh everywhere. And even if you suddenly turn off earlier, you will still be at your destination. Just be prepared for the fact that about 65 kilometers from Minsk there is a checkpoint Kolosovo and travel through it for foreign cars is paid.

In addition, you can get there by bus (the issue price is about $ 5.8) or by train to Gorodeya, and there you can change to a bus (this will cost about $ 1.4 and take half an hour longer).

Communication

Cellular coverage in the city is reliable; there are landline telephones in hotels. If you are passing through in your own car, then there is a post office on Leninskaya Street. From here you can send a letter, and call, and go online. In a word, although the town is not central, it is quite civilized.

Security

“Security” is too loud a word for this quiet, almost protected corner of Belarus. In the absence of tourists, life here flows peacefully and calmly, and even with the beginning of the tourist season, it does not change much. Perhaps there are more servants of the law on the streets, but they are also complacent: they will tell you where it is better to park the car, in which cafe they cook better. Do not hesitate to ask!

Business climate

Nesvizh is a small town, but the infrastructure is quite developed. In addition, with the constant increase in the number of visitors to local attractions, the demand for all services related to serving guests of the city is growing.

The property

If you decide to buy a house in this quiet and cozy city, be guided by the following figures: one-room apartment - about $ 25,000, three-room - around 40,000. There are also four-room apartments - closer to $ 50,000. And finally, you can buy a house for about $ 30,000. However, 30,000 is not the limit. Indeed, in Nesvizh there are both modest wooden houses and quite modern cottages that meet even the most demanding requirements.

Gastronomic. If suddenly on the track your attention is attracted by the smoke near some cafe, stop - you will not regret it. Meat is amazingly cooked here on an open fire!

Practical. Gas stations on the highway are rare, so if you are in doubt whether you have enough fuel, it is better not to wait too long. But most of them can be paid with both Belarusian rubles and foreign currency.

Nesvizh (lit. Nesvyžius; Belor. Niasvіzh) 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, as well as 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 appanage prince of the city of Nesvizh. However, this version was refuted by scientists in the late 80s of the XX century.

Also, there are several other folk variants of the origin of the name of the city; one of them is the existence of a huge mountain on the site of the city, which was called "Invisible" because of it "not to see anything." During the 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 related to hunting: once Radziwil came here to hunt, the hunt was successful, but there was not enough space with him for the most important trophy - a bear. As a result, it was decided to come for him later, having sent servants, but while they were looking for the bear, he managed to deteriorate, became "not fresh", as a result of which the hunting place began to be called "Stale." Taking into account the geographical location of Nesvizh on the portage from the Neman to Pripyat (the Usha river - the crossing to the Lan river), it can be assumed that the name of the town was given by the word from the everyday life of rivermen who used this waterway. For example, "znyasva", "znesla", etc., denoting the collection, demolition of goods in one place in warehouses before dragging; perhaps, some warehouses and wintering of boats and their transfer on themselves ("nyasva", "nosva"), demolition back into 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 the appanage principality also did not find its confirmation - no evidence of the existence of defensive structures was found here. The courtyard that stood here was just the center of a small parish. Thus, the city has become almost two centuries younger - the first written mention of it now dates back to 1446. Nesvizh appears in the annals in connection with the transfer of the town from the Grand Duke of Lithuania Casimir Jagellonchik to Mykolaj Jan Nemirovich.

In 1492, the Grand Duke Alexander handed the city over to the richest Lithuanian magnate Peter Kischka. Thus, Nesvizh passed into the possession of the famous family of Kishek, one of whose representatives, Anna, in 1513 married Jan Radziwill, nicknamed the Bearded, who took possession of the city as a dowry of the bride ("by tow"). In 1533 Nesvizh finally passed 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 increased in 1586 after it was given the legal status of an indivisible hereditary possession (ordination) transmitted by the right of inheritance only to the eldest son in the family. The Nesvizh ordination remained in the hands of the Radziwills until 1939.

The rapid flourishing of the city began in the 16th century. and is mainly associated with the name of the first ordinate 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 - buildings are replaced by stone structures, the chaotic nature of the medieval city is being reformed into a regular quarter system that has survived to this day.

The life of the townspeople does not remain aloof from the reforms. Returning from a trip to the Mediterranean and the Middle East, the Orphan is imbued with the spirit of change and reorganization of the family nest. Bringing his ideas to life, at the first stage he frees the bourgeoisie from many feudal duties, eases the tax burden and turns the city into a typical European one, attracting merchants and artisans. The city is developing rapidly - a school is opening in it, a bathhouse, a hairdresser and a hospital are being built. Weaving and tailoring, locksmith and furrier shops began to operate. A little later, already in the 18th century, manufactory production and an art 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, where the first books in the Belarusian language were published in the territory of Belarus (in 1562-1571, the famous Belarusian educators Simon Budny and Vasily Tyapinsky published books). Nesvizh is also the founder of the theatrical art of Belarus - the first stationary theater "Comedikhauz" was opened here. Initially being an amateur, the theater gradually turns into a professional channel, turning into a courtier, 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 there is a town hall with a high six-tier tower, symbolizing, according to everyone's opinion, the Magdeburg Law, granted to the city in 1586. The town hall previously housed the burgomaster's office, magistrate, chancery, courtroom, treasury and archives, the main city streets converged to it. Starting from the 17th century, the town hall gradually “overgrows” with trade rows, which subsequently formed a closed U-shaped contour. The architectural ensemble of the square has undergone significant changes in the middle of the XX century during its reconstruction for modern needs.

In a short historical period (1584-1616), with the participation of Belarusian and Italian masters, taking into account the latest achievements of 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 a rampart. At the entrances to the city, stone gates with the most powerful towers were built - the gates Zamkovaya, Slutskaya, Kletskaya, etc. An important element of the fortifications was the waters of the Usha River raised by dams.

Monumental stone buildings of the end of the 16th-17th centuries it was represented by a castle, brahmas, churches, monasteries of the Bernardines (1598), Bernardines (1591), Dominicans (1672); Jesuit Church of Corpus Christi (1593). At this time, 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 18th century. the city had a court chapel, the largest ballet theater in Europe (opened in 1740), a cadet corps and a school of naval officers in Alba (a suburb of Nesvizh) for the troops of Radziwill. In 1764 and 1768. Nesvizh is again occupied by Russian troops as a result of the confrontation between Catherine II and Pan-Kokhanku. After the second partition of the Polish-Lithuanian 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, 32 were Protestants. There was a synagogue and seven Jewish prayer houses, two Catholic parishes, an Orthodox church in the city.

Since 1921 Nesvizh has been a part of the Polish state, in 1939 - a part of the USSR (Belarus), in 1941-1944 it is 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
• Kutuzov street
• garden Street
• Derzhinsky street
• Shimko street
• Dostoevsky street
• Yakub Kolos street
• Pushkin street
• Lugovaya street
• Ozernaya street

sights

Farny church

Tower of the Benedictine Monastery

• 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 Church of Il-Jezu in Rome), a 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 burial vault of the Nesvizh branch of the Radziwills family. An old working 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, which was closed in 1835. The last two years of its existence, the famous poet Vladislav Syrokomlya studied there, who paid a lot of attention to Nesvizh in his works. Closed in 1873, the monastery was transformed into a teachers' 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 more than once remember the “city of youth” in his works.
• The Benedictine Convent was built in 1596 at the expense of the Orphan and his wife Elzbieta Euphemia and served as intended until 1887. The territory of the monastery has survived to this day in the form of monastery buildings, a tower-gate and modern buildings of a teacher's college, the main students of which, like four centuries ago, are mainly the fairer sex. The entrance to the monastery is guarded by a three-tiered tower topped with a dome with a spire. The tower building was built here in the second half of the 18th century. The Orphan's niece Christina, having become an abbess and taking the name of his late wife, served here for almost half a century, having received well-deserved respect and love from the abbess. Remnants of the earthen ramparts that surrounded the monastery and played an important role in the city's defense system have come down to us.

Slutsk brama

• Slutsk Brama is the only gates that have survived to our time, meeting guests of the city and local residents entering the "old city" from the east. Earlier, on the right and left, earthen ramparts that surrounded the city approached them directly.
• The Nesvizh Town Hall is the oldest surviving town hall in Belarus. The town hall building was recently restored. It was erected in 1596, rebuilt in 1752. The monument has features of the late Baroque and Renaissance.

Cultural heritage of Nesvizh

• The foundation 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, in which the first books in the Belarusian language were published in the territory of Belarus (in 1562-1571, the famous Belarusian educators Simon Budny and Vasily Tyapinsky published books). In 1563, the first newspaper of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was published here - Navins formidable and pitiful ...
• The Belarusian writer Yakub Kolas, while 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 founder of the theatrical art in Belarus. "Comedyhouse" is the first stationary amateur theater to become a professional theater and give performances outside the city.
• Evno Jakobson, a watchmaker who lived in the city in the second half of the 18th century, invented the 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 "The Justification of a Sinful Man before God"

Notable natives

• Brzhostovsky, Mikhail Jerome (1762-1806) - statesman of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
• Bochdal, Iolanta (born 1942) - Polish actress
• Vitushko, Mikhail Afanasevich (1907-2006) - Belarusian military leader
• Radziwill, Dominik Nikolay (1643-1697) - Great Lithuanian Chancellor
• Radziwill, Jerome Vincent (1759-1786) - statesman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
• Radziwill, Karol Stanislav Pane Kohancu (1734-1790) - politician of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
• Radziwill, Mikhail Kazimir (1625-1680) - full Lithuanian hetman
• Radziwill, Nikolay Ryzhiy (1512-1584) - Great Lithuanian Chancellor
• Radziwill, Nikolay Chyorny (1515-1565) - statesman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
• Yaroshevich, Piotr (1909-1992) - Prime Minister of Poland

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