Staraya Mysh. Castle Hill.

In the Baranovichi district, between the villages of Novaya Mysh and Staraya Mysh, there is Castle Hill, where once upon a time, during the time of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the castle was known, which is considered the birthplace of the outstanding Belarusian commander Jan Karol Khodkevich.

The castle was built in the 16th and 17th centuries on the high right bank of the Myshanka river. The plan had the shape of a 50 by 50 meter square. Surrounded by a defensive earthen rampart, which is 15 meters wide and four meters high. There is also a defensive moat: 30 meters wide and 15 meters deep.

Near the castle there is a marshy riverbank, which served as a natural defensive barrier. Wooden walls with four towers at the corners were built on the Earthen Rampart. During the war between the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Kingdom of Moscow in 1654-1667, the castle was taken by Russian troops after the siege and destroyed. Here is how they reported to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich after the fall of the castle: "in the place of Mysh, all the Lithuanian people were beaten, who were caught, and many people were taken. And the Mysh was burned down and ravaged without a trace...". Part of the garrison that defended the castle managed to retreat.

It is believed that it was in this town that the outstanding Belarusian commander and statesman Jan Karol Khodkevich (1560-1621) was born. Khodkevich had the title of Count "on Shklov, Mysh and Bykhov." Hetman the Great of Lithuania, Voivode of Vilno. From the Khodkiewicz family of the coat of arms of Kostesha. During his lifetime, he was glorified as an outstanding commander. His portrait was painted by the famous Flemish artist Antonis Van Dyck.