The Mir Castle Complex ( be, Мірскі замак,

romanized Romanization or romanisation, in linguistics, is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Latin script, Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing writ ...

: ''Mirski zamak'', russian: Мирский замок) is historic fortified castle and a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. I ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

Belarus Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by ...

. It is located in the town of

Mir ''Mir'' (russian: Мир, ; ) was a space station that operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, operated by the Soviet Union and later by Russia. ''Mir'' was the first modular space station and was assembled in orbit from 1986 to&n ...

, in the Kareličy District of Hrodna Voblaść, at , north-west of another World Heritage site, Niaśviž Castle. Mir Castle Complex is above sea level. Erected in the 16th century in the late

Brick Gothic Brick Gothic (german: Backsteingotik, pl, Gotyk ceglany, nl, Baksteengotiek) is a specific style of Gothic architecture common in Northeast and Central Europe especially in the regions in and around the Baltic Sea, which do not have reso ...

style, it is one of the few remaining architectural monuments of the former

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi- confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Poland and Lithuania ...

in contemporary Belarus.

History

Duke Juryj Ivanavič Illinič ( :pl:Jerzy Iwanowicz Ilinicz) began construction of the

castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

near the village of Mir after the turn of the 16th century in the Belarusian Gothic style. Five towers surrounded the courtyard of the citadel, the walls of which formed a square of on each side. In 1568, when the Ilyinich dynasty died out, the Mir Castle passed into the hands of Mikalaj Kryštafor "the Orphan" Radziwil, who refitted it with a two-winged, three-story stately residence along the eastern and northern inner walls of the castle. Plastered facades were decorated with limestone portals, plates, balconies and porches in the

Renaissance style Renaissance architecture is the European architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 16th centuries in different regions, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought ...

. In 1817, after the castle had been abandoned for nearly a century and had suffered severe damage in the

Battle of Mir (1812) The Battle of Mir took place on 9 and 10 July 1812 during Napoleon's invasion of Russia. Three Polish Lancers divisions battled against Russian cavalry, ending in the first major Russian victory in the war. Battle Russian general Matvei ...

, owner Daminik Hieranim Radziwil died of battle injuries and the castle passed to his daughter Stefania, who married Ludwig zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. Later the castle became a possession of their daughter Maria, who married Prince Chlodwig Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst. Their son, Maurice Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst, sold the castle to Mikalaj Sviatapolk-Mirski, of the Bialynia clan, in 1895. Mikalaj's son Michail began to rebuild the castle according to the plans of architect Teodor Bursche. The Sviatapolk-Mirski family owned the castle until 1939, when the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

occupied

Western Belarus Western Belorussia or Western Belarus ( be, Заходняя Беларусь, translit=Zachodniaja Bielaruś; pl, Zachodnia Białoruś; russian: Западная Белоруссия, translit=Zapadnaya Belorussiya) is a historical region of mod ...

. When German forces invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, they occupied the castle and converted it to a ghetto for the local Jewish population, prior to their murders. Between 1944 and 1956, the castle was used as a housing facility, resulting in damage to the castle's interior. In December 2000, the Mir Castle was listed by

as a

Related World Heritage Sites

* Niaśviž Castle *

Litomyšl Castle Litomyšl Castle is one of the largest Renaissance castles in the Czech Republic. It is owned by the Czech state. It is located in the centre the town of Litomyšl and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. Litomyšl Castle is an outsta ...

Gallery

File:Mir castle in spring.JPG File:Mir Castle Complex 107.jpg File:Mir Castle Complex church.jpg File:Мірскі замак. Спадчына вякоў 57.jpg File:Мірскі замак. Выгляд на палац.JPG File:Інтер'еры Мірскага замка.JPG File:Кабінет. Мірскі замак.jpg File:Бальная зала. Мірскі замак.jpg File:Castle of Mir, Byelorus.jpg

References

External links

Mir Castle Official Website

Mir Castle
o
official website of the Republic of BelarusCastle in MirThe Mir CastlePhotos on Radzima.org

Jurkau kutoczak — Юркаў куточак — Yury's Corner. Старажытнае дойлідства МіраMir Castle on 3D F4 Map
{{Authority control Castles in Belarus Castles and palaces of the Radziwiłł family Brick Gothic Gothic architecture in Belarus Buildings and structures in Grodno Region Karelichy District Tourist attractions in Grodno Region Castles of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania World Heritage Sites in Belarus