Priluki. Chapsky's visiting house.

Just a few kilometers from Minsk, on the banks of the Ptich River, an unusual building resembling a small medieval castle has been preserved. This is a former 19th-century guest house, the first post station on Yekaterininsky tract after Minsk.

The history of Priluki goes back to the deep past. The first mention of the settlement dates back to 1567. At that time, there was already a postal station on the way from Minsk to Novogrudok. In 1635, the owner of the village, Anna Statkevich (nee Oginskaya), founded an Orthodox monastery here, which, however, did not last long.

In the 19th century, the estate passed to the Gorvatts. It was Anton Gorvatt who undertook a thorough restructuring of the estate, erecting a palace in the Neo-Gothic style with elements of neoclassicism. In 1872, the estate was acquired by Count Emerick von Hutten-Chapsky. Under him and his son Karol (Karl), the estate flourished.

The guest house, built around 1870, was located on the Yekaterininsky tract, a large postal road connecting Koidanovo (now Dzerzhinsk) with Minsk. It was here that the first post station after Minsk was located, where travelers could stop for a rest, change horses and spend the night. Later, the building became part of the vast Hutten-Chapsky estate, and nearby there were stables, outbuildings, a tavern and a glacier.

The two-storey stone building with a tower and battlements resembles a miniature castle. Inside, the high ceilings (3.3 meters), brick walls and two balconies have been preserved. Of particular value is the vaulted basement, which has remained virtually unchanged since its construction.

During the Soviet years, a village school operated in the building - children studied here until 1974, when a new educational institution was built in a neighboring village. After the school closed, the house was empty for decades and was in disrepair by the early 1990s.

The new owner, entrepreneur Alexander Nikolaevich, purchased the building in the early 1990s and devoted almost twenty years to its restoration. During the restoration, it was possible to preserve a significant part of the historical masonry, the ancient vaulted basement and many original brick elements.

When clearing the basement, the builders discovered real artifacts of the past: antique coins, a metal candlestick, and even a champagne bottle from the late 19th century.

Nature gives this place a special charm. The house is located just a few dozen meters from the Ptich River, and the windows offer picturesque views of its bend.

After a large-scale restoration, the owners hoped to turn the former post office into a family estate. However, these plans were not destined to come true. In 2014, the building was first put up for sale for 585,000 dollars. Later, the cost decreased to 320 thousand and even up to 250 thousand dollars. The ads suggested it as a future estate, hotel, country club or tourist destination.

Today, the historic building is closed to the public - the territory is surrounded by a high fence. However, it continues to attract the attention of lovers of antiquity, recalling the rich history of the Hutten-Chapsky family and the times when travelers hurried along the Yekaterininsky tract, and a warm overnight stay and fresh horses were waiting for them in the guest house.