The famous fortified church is a candidate for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List. What makes the Gothic-Renaissance temple so special?

The cult building was erected in the first half of the 16th century. It survived many destructions during numerous wars and a period of desolation. In the last century it was transferred to the Catholic Church, and later it was used as a granary. But still, the shrine was returned to the Orthodox believers and, moreover, it celebrated its 500th anniversary renovated. The temple was restored for the anniversary.

Towers, loopholes, solid brickwork — thanks to these architectural solutions, the church became not only a place of prayer, but also a reliable shelter from enemies. Once upon a time, passages were hidden in the walls, which encircled the entire building. Previously, the entrance was closed by heavy gates. However, some elements were lost as a result of enemy attacks. Some changes to the original appearance were made during the renovation in the second half of the 19th century.

The strong, two-meter thick walls are made of red finger-shaped bricks. After molding, the craftsmen ran their fingers over the wet clay to leave grooves on the surface of the block. They did this to securely fasten the individual bricks together. This material was widely used in our lands in the Middle Ages. It was also used in the construction of the famous castles in Lida, Golshany, and Grodno.

The interior of the church can also be considered unique. The entrance to the temple is decorated with a Venetian arch. Nowhere else in Belarus can you find such an architectural element. The main decoration of the room is the patterned vaults. Their ribs form incredibly beautiful patterns, reminiscent of the outlines of flowering plant buds. And yet the main purpose of these structures is not decorative: such vaults were used in Gothic architecture primarily to lighten the ceilings.

The exhibition, which contains a variety of artifacts, from samples of bricks and tiles to liturgical books and shells that the conquerors fired at the church-fortress centuries ago, enables to learn more about the history of the temple.