...
©Image by Siarhei Nester from Pexels

The spectacular baroque architecture of Nesvizh, the most beautiful palace in Belarus

The Nesvizh Palace is one of the most prominent and well-known palaces in Belarus. It is located in the charming historic town of Nesvizh, one of the oldest in the country, and is one of the most impressive examples of Baroque architecture in Belarus. It is a major tourist destination in the country and has been considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005.

The building was built in the 16th century and has been home to the wealthy and powerful Radziwill family over the centuries. The Radziwills were one of the most important clans of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, whose origins date back to the 14th century and whose noble title comes from the Holy Roman-Germanic Empire.

The palace was of great importance in the past, since it housed the so-called Metric of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, a set of legal and registry documents belonging to the Grand Duchy.

The construction works were based on the structure of an existing medieval castle, which was finished in baroque renaissance style. The palace was renovated, enlarged and restored in the 18th century, after it was partially destroyed during the Great Northern War. From that period are the changes and improvements that remain to this day, as well as its marked Italian Baroque style, the work of Italian architects invited by the Radziwill family.

However, at the end of the 18th century the castle was captured by Russian forces and the Radziwill family was expelled, as well as the Metric of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was transferred to St. Petersburg and most of the works of art contained in the palace were looted.

After almost a century of neglect, the Radziwills, trying to recover their property, began a process of restoration, especially of its interiors and even the construction of a large English-style park in the surrounding area, until 1939 when the Red Army finally expelled them.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005, the Nesvizh Palace is one of the most beautiful historical buildings in Belarus, being an important tourist attraction in the country.

...
©Image by Egor Kunovsky from Pexels

Aerial view of the palace complex.

During the Soviet era, the palace was used as a sanatorium, and the park was completely neglected until 1994, when the palace complex was chosen as a national cultural and historical reserve.

Since then, the palace has intermittently undergone various restorations, as well as archaeological excavations due to the interesting remains underneath, especially in terms of vaults, dungeons and other subway structures.

One of the highlights of the Nesvizh Palace is its impressive architecture. Since it has undergone countless renovations and restructurings, the palace combines many architectural styles; Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Classicism, Neo-Gothic and even Art Nouveau.

Completely surrounded by a moat, access to the interior of the palace is via a bridge, which connects to the central courtyard. Around the courtyard are the palatial rooms, spread over up to three floors.

The palace has about 170 luxuriously decorated rooms, including about 30 fully visitable rooms, such as the Prince's quarters, the Golden Hall, the Star Hall, the Hunter's Hall and others.

Another important structure of the Nesvizh Palace is its church. The so-called church of Corpus Christi, is a baroque temple built in the late sixteenth century inspired by the church of the Gesù in Rome. With a plan of three naves with an apse, it is crowned by a dome, and its interior is profusely decorated with architectural elements and beautiful frescoes on its wall and ceiling.

In its surroundings, beautiful gardens inspired by those of other palaces complete the ensemble of the Nesvizh Palace, which is an important focus of tourist attraction in Belarus. In addition, the Palace Hotel is located in the palace, which takes advantage of part of the facilities to offer a unique place to stay comfortably in one of the most iconic and historic buildings in the country.

Welcome to Belarus!