Slonim. Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Bernardine Monastery are located in the center of Slonim on a former shopping square.

 The Bernardine Monastery was founded in the 17th century at the expense of Alexander Yuditsky and Ekaterina Yuditskaya–Salatitskaya. A wooden church from Volovichi was purchased for the Bernardine sisters with the money of Kazimir Lev Sapieha. The nuns came to Slonim from the city of Vilna, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The first wooden church appeared in 1645, which was destroyed by fire in 1670. The construction of the stone church began, which was consecrated in 1690 by Bishop K. Brzostowski. In 1790, the monastery and the church were again severely damaged by fire. The shrine was renovated in 1793 according to the project of architect Ignati Obodovich.

The entire monastery complex was surrounded by a high stone fence around the perimeter. A stone two-tiered Baroque bell tower was also built. The gate was demolished in Soviet times and rebuilt a few years ago. The church was built in the Baroque, Rococo and classicism styles. It is a single-nave basilica. The dominant feature is a three-tiered bell tower.

The interior has an ambon and 5 altars made in the knock technique. The interior was decorated in 1751-1764 by master Johann Gödel and his assistant Anthony. The interior with altars combines painting, sculpture and applied art.

The main altar is a two-tiered one called the Immaculate Conception. The altar is made in the pink knock technique in the form of double Corinthian columns. On the entablature there are sculptures of angels, and in the center there is an icon of the "Mother of God with a Child". Sculptures of evangelists are located nearby. On the second tier is the icon of the Holy Trinity. At the very top of the altar is a stucco cartouche called "Gloria".