Zhodishki. Brewery.

In the Belarusian countryside, among the fields and woodlands of the Smorgon district, a small agro-town with an unusual name, Zhodishki, was lost. Today it is a quiet place, of which there are thousands across the country, but one has only to look at its landscape, as you begin to notice traces of its former greatness. The main one is the huge, majestic, red-brick brewery (distillery), towering over the surroundings like a ghost of a bygone era.

The story of Zhodishki is a story of ups and downs, closely intertwined with the fates of famous families. In the 18th century, the place belonged to the Radziwills, but the real heyday came when Count Valenty Shvykovsky became the owner of the estate. However, the real owner, who left an indelible mark on the stone, was the famous Vilno architect Tadeusz Rostvorowski. At the end of the 19th century, he bought the estate and decided to turn Zhodishki into an exemplary European estate. It was according to his project that the brewery, the ruins of which we see today, was erected.

When entering Zhodishki, it is impossible to pass by. The complex of the former distillery greets the traveler with massive walls of red brick, built for centuries. The architecture is fascinating: this is not just an industrial building, but a real fortress in the Gothic Revival style, which Rostvorovsky loved so much. Lancet windows, crenellated parapets, powerful buttresses - all this creates a sense of power and solidity.

Brewery was not just a "factory", but the heart of an entire economic complex. Rostvorovsky, being not only an architect, but also a talented engineer, thought through everything to the smallest detail. Noble spirits were maturing in the cellars of the plant. High-quality raw alcohol was produced here, which was then processed into vodka and liqueurs. The products of Zhodishki brewery were famous far beyond the estate. Advanced technologies were used to ensure production, and water was supplied from its own artesian wells.

After Rostvorovsky, his son owned the estate, but with the advent of Soviet power in 1939, the history of Brewery as a private enterprise ended. Production was nationalized. During the Great Patriotic War, the plant did not stop working, but after the war it was redesigned. Later, with the development of large-scale industry, small-scale production in Zhodishki became unprofitable. In the 90s, the factory was closed, the equipment was removed, and the majestic walls began to slowly but surely collapse.

Walking here, you can't help but think about how vibrant life was here a hundred years ago. How the machinery hummed, how workers in aprons rolled heavy barrels of alcohol, how Count Rostvorovsky strolled around the yard, taking a look at his brainchild. Now there is only a shell, a majestic skeleton of former prosperity, which houses a hotel/farmstead.

Zhodishki Brewery is a monument to the epoch, private initiative, talent of the architect and hard work of people. It is a reminder that time is inexorable, but true beauty is able to resist even it, remaining attractive in its oblivion. And as long as these red walls are standing, the story of Zhodishki is alive.