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Main - - Culture - Architectural monuments - Minsk region Nesvizhsky palace and castle complex   Nesvizhsky palace and castle complex, a monument of architecture of the 16-18th centuries. The foundation was laid in 1582 by the Prince N.H. Radzivill Sirotka in place of the wooden castle of 1533 at the result of great town-planning transformations of ordination center, created in1581.It was separated from the town by artificial system of lakes and fill dam. Fortifications of prince’s residence, erected, probably, by an architect J.M.Bernardoni in the likeness of new Italian system of fortification, form in the plan rectangle with the dimensions 170x120m, circled with high ramparts with bastions (nearly 20 meters), lined with stone, with underground corridors and interior stables. In the 17th century over the bastions round military towers were built. Rampart was circled with a ditch and a wide road with earthfill embankment. Monumental stone gates(brama, architectural entry) and drawbridge through the rampart and ditch led to the castle territory. Of the dwelling buildings of the complex a south-western three-storied one (kamyanitsa) was erected the first, then the principal building with front halls was raised. In 1706 the castle was destroyed by the Swedes, after 1726 was restored by an architect K.Zhdanovich. Stone bastions were replaced with earthworks, the fourth floor of the castle was built, all the buildings are connected by entry gates with a Horologium. The fronts of the interior yard are designed with pilasters of large order, towers are covered with baroque domes. During the 18th century many architects such as M.Pedetti (1748-52), M. Florianovich (1775-78), K.Spampani (1778-79), A. Lotsi (1783, gallery project) took part in the building of the castle. Decoration of the front halls (armory, portrait, marble, golden, hetman, librarian) with tiled and faience furnace, fireplaces, carved oak panels, glued- laminated parquet, woven gobelins, valuable collections of pictures, china, art glass, arms was notable for its peculiar splendor. The buildings included utility rooms, rooms for servants, workshops, kitchens, cache, cellars, etc. In 1879 the complex was supplemented with park system (total area- 100 hectares) which included 5 autonomous landscape parks: Castle, Old (English), Japanese garden, New (Marisya’s), race track. Since 1945 it depended on the sanatorium “Nesvizh”. Since 1990 it is in the process of restoration. It is a historical and cultural value of European significance. Nesvizhski town council (ratusha) is a monument of architecture of the 16th century with features of the Renaissance. It was erected in1589-1596 at the market square of Nesvizh (the center of ordination of the Radzivills) on the project of an architect J.M. Bernardoni together with trade rows. The original form remained in graphic materials of the end of the 16th –beginning of the 17th century. Rectangle in the plan is two-storied building with six-tiered tower on the principal front. Architectural image is strict and laconic. There were utility rooms on the first floor, on the second floor- the hall of the town council with cylindrical vaults with form removal. It was rebuilt in 1752 in the style of late baroque, in 1836 two upper eight-planed tiers of towers were destroyed by fire. It was restored at the end of the 20th century. Trade rows circle the town council from three sides, forming a courtyard. Street fronts are presented in the form of semicircular renaissance arcade topped with an attic. The ensemble is a historical and cultural value of republican significance.   See also: Nesvizh town hall Nesvizh Catholic church of the God’s Body   Site Search: check any of the words check every word © National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 2011