Sapiehas palace complex

Ruzhany palace complex - a monument of architecture with elements of the late Baroque and Classicism. The castle was built in the late XVI - early XVII century by chancellor of the Grand Lietuva Duchy Lev Sapieha, and combined the defensive line with a grand style. In the XVI - XVII centuries Ruzhany palace was the center of political and cultural life of the principality, but at the beginning of the XVIII century it was plundered and destroyed by the war with the Swedes and the internecine clashes. As a result, the castle lost its defensive significance.

Rise of the palace came under Alexander Sapieha, who invited the architect Jan Becker to rebuild the palace during the second half of XVIII century. Jan Becker gave a symmetrical classical palace form included a tower of the old defensive structure in the volume of the building, decorated the facade of the two pairs of Corinthian columns and a triangular pediment. According to the draft Palace polutsirkulyarnymi arches connected to the side, symmetrically arranged along the axis ofitsinami. Right ofitsinu occupied theater, which was a royal bed. Worked at the court of the local music and opera school serf actors. Located on the main axis of the entrance Gate with two lateral wings. Entry Gate, set in a three-span arch with iron gates and wickets in the side openings, with side wings completes the ensemble of the palace complex. Ruzhany Palace Park located on the north side of the ensemble, and was defeated on the basis of radial-radial arrangement of alleys.

Particular value is the archive and library of Sapieha, ”Sapezhanski Zbor”, consisting of gold kelih with the arms of princes Shuiski, cups made of rock crystal, French tapestries, mosaics, marble and bronze paintings, sculptures, collection of books in 10 languages jurisprudence, history, poetry, linguistics, geography and geology, under Nicholas I, who were moved to Bialystok for registration of the royal residence to Warsaw, Vilnius and St. Petersburg.

In the late XIX - early XX centuries Ruzhany palace was used as a weaving factory, and in 1914 a fire was heavily damaged. The greatest damage to the palace complex caused World War II. To have survived the main body and the east, arcade, entrance Gate, wings. With 2010 being reconstructed Ruzhany palace complex.

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