Царква Аляксандра Неўскага ў Верцялішках

Church of St. Alexander Nevsky — an active Orthodox church located in the agro-town of Vertelishki, Grodno District. It is an outstanding example of religious architecture in the Empire style and is included in the State List of Historical and Cultural Values of the Republic of Belarus. The church belongs to the Skidel Deanery of the Grodno Diocese of the Belarusian Orthodox Church.

History

The church was built between 1843 and 1854 of brick, based on a design by architect Yakub Martinovich Fardon, on the site of a former wooden church. It was consecrated on September 12, 1854. A parish school was opened near the church; its stone building has survived and is now used as a carpentry workshop. In the 1930s, there were attempts to demolish the church, but thanks to the efforts of parishioners, the building was saved. The bell tower, which was dismantled, was later rebuilt at the expense of local residents. In the early 2000s, restoration work was carried out: the walls and roof were renovated, and the iconostasis was restored.

Architecture

The church has a rectangular layout and is topped with a gable roof. Its main façade is decorated with a six-column portico and a triangular pediment. A wooden bell tower, crowned with an octagonal spire and an onion dome, rises above the façade. The rectangular windows are framed with profiled moldings and pediments. The interior features a carved iconostasis and 19th-century icons, including an icon of «Prophet Elijah» donated by local residents. Near the church stands a stone memorial marking the burial site of priest Ivan Petrovich Gashunin (†1891).

Excursions

The Church of Alexander Nevsky in Vertelishki can be visited as part of an individual excursion from Minsk, which we will gladly arrange according to your preferences. This tour offers a chance to explore the church’s unique architecture and history, while immersing yourself in the atmosphere of rural Belarus. You can book a private tour from Minsk that includes a visit to the church and other notable landmarks of the region.