Nesvizh Castle

At first, Nesvizh Castle was wooden. In 1583, its owner Nicholas Christopher Radziwill Orphan decided to build a stone princely residence. The construction of the fortress, which met all the requirements of fortification and clearly demonstrated to the world the greatness of the Radziwill family, took 17 years. Surrounded by a 20-meter stone rampart and a deep moat with water, Nesvizh Castle became one of the most powerful and impregnable fortresses of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. 30 guns were placed on the bastions, a princely palace was erected opposite the entrance gate, and next to it there was an arsenal and a kamenitsa with a three-story watchtower. A wooden bridge led from the city to the fortress, which could be easily dismantled if necessary.

In the 17th – early 18th centuries, enemy troops tried to take the castle seven times, but it survived. Only once, during the Northern War in 1706, did the Swedes manage to capture it. The castle was not only captured, it was looted, and most of the buildings were burned in revenge for the hundreds of soldiers killed during the siege.

After the devastation of the Swedes, the castle was again carefully restored; it was completely restored only in 1758. Over the centuries of its existence, the fortress was rebuilt more than once. Therefore, the castle in its architecture combines the techniques of medieval architecture coupled with the styles of the late Renaissance, Baroque, Art Nouveau and Classicism. You can also see echoes of the original art of local masters here.

In 2001, the National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve "Nesvizh" was established. In 2004-2011, large-scale restoration was carried out at the expense of the republican budget. Since August 2012, the palace began to receive visitors from all over the world. The complex is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as “an outstanding example of an architectural ensemble that illustrates a significant period in human history.”

Nesvizh Castle is a closed complex of buildings that combine features of many architectural styles. The palace, arsenal, southern and eastern galleries are open to the public, where various exhibitions of Belarusian museums are presented (there are more than 30 exhibition halls). Everyone can admire the magnificent parks, impregnable walls and luxurious chambers of aristocrats. Balls, reconstructions of historical battles and knightly tournaments, concerts and theatrical performances are held here.