Zasvir. Church of the Holy Trinity.

The church in Zasvir is one of the few surviving monuments of the Sarmatian Baroque in Belarus. The style is distinguished by simplified, laconic features and external inaccessibility, which often contrasts with rich interiors.

The church building was added in the 18th century to the Carmelite monastery that previously existed here. The monastery in Zasvir was one of the largest Carmelite monasteries in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the number of brethren reached 20 monks.

During the uprising of Kastus Kalinovsky, captured rebels were kept in the basement of the church. The monks took pity and released the prisoners. For such disobedience, the tsarist authorities closed the monastery, and the temple was transferred to the Orthodox Church. In 1919, when Zasvir again became Polish territory, the building was returned to the Catholics.

After World War II, the former monastery buildings housed a school and dormitory, and the temple was closed. Gradually the entire complex was abandoned and destroyed. In 1990, the authorities returned the temple building to the Catholic Church, after which its restoration was carried out. Today the church is operational, but only ruins remain of the monastery.

Trinity Church is a single-nave building with a two-tower main facade and a semicircular altar apse, covered with a high gable roof (above the apse the roof is lowered and becomes cone-shaped). Adjacent to the center of the main facade is a small semicircular extension, which has the features of a defensive structure. It is called a “barbican” and serves to repel frontal attacks.

Decorative decoration is concentrated on the main façade: flat rectangular and semi-circular niches, a triangular attic pediment and figured tower ends. Window openings with beam endings. The nave is covered with a wooden vault.

The historical interior has not been preserved. The modern interior of the temple was created during its restoration in the 90s of the 20th century.

Nearby there is a settlement from the feudal era (an ancient settlement discovered after excavations), as evidenced by a sign on the tree. A little further is the shore of the picturesque Lake Svir. And behind the church there is a cemetery for German soldiers of the First World War. In September 1915, as a result of the Vilna operation of the German army, the Sventyansky breakthrough took place (Sventyany - now Švenčionys, Lithuania). During this operation, the German cavalry established a hospital in the monastery. Soldiers who could not be saved were buried right behind the building. Today there is a cemetery for German soldiers there.