Monastery of Carthusians in Bereza

Monastery of Cartesians in Bereza - architectural complex with elements of defensive mid XVII century.

Carthusian monastery was the only representative in the Grand Duchy of this Order. In 1648, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Leo Casimir Sapieha began construction of the monastery, invited monks from France Cartesians. The construction of the monastery lasted over forty years and was completed only in 1689. Sapieha died well before it was finished creation. His ashes (buried in the church of eight generations of Sapieha), reposed in the monastery church.

The monastery looked like a sophisticated complex, which included a church, cells, refectory, library, hospital, pharmacy and numerous outbuildings. Special attention was paid to its defense system. In the middle of the cloister was a tall tower - bell tower with thick walls and numerous tiers to accommodate cannons. The pride of the monastery was the library, where there were 39 manuscripts and 2,314 printed books.

Monastery of destruction and ruin: during Russia's war with Poland, the Great Northern War, the campaigns of Napoleon, the revolt of 1863. In 1915, the monastery was burned. To this day the ruins of the entry of Brahma, the fragments of the bell tower, the hospital building and part of the wall on one of the corner towers. reveal all text