Date :
Monday, May 29, 2023
Tadeusz Kosciuszko is a personality known far beyond the borders of our country. This man is considered a national hero in three countries: Belarus, Poland, the United States, and is an honorary citizen of France. T. Kosciuszko's name is historically associated with the struggle for freedom, justice, and national self-determination. The military and political leader played a significant role in the war for North American independence and led the uprising of 1794 in the territory of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Streets around the world, a mountain in Australia, and a city in the USA are named after him. Around 200 monuments have been erected in honor of T. Kosciuszko worldwide. In his homeland, in the Ivatsevichi district of the Brest region, a museum has been opened in honor of the hero, located in the restored manor of the Kosciuszko family. It is situated near the town of Kossovo.
The house that became the ancestral estate of the Kosciuszko family was built in 1720. Here in 1745, the future national hero Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kosciuszko was born. He spent part of his childhood in this family nest. The estate was later sold and eventually came into the possession of the Puslovski family. The manor survived World War I unscathed. In 1936, the authorities of the Polish Republic organized a museum in memory of T. Kosciuszko in the building. During World War II, the manor completely burned down in a fire.
Restoring the Kosciuszko Manor in Kossovo
By the end of the 20th century, nothing was left of the house; even the foundation was hidden deep underground. However, during excavations conducted in 2003, archaeologists discovered the remains of the foundation and basement rooms. After this, the decision was made to restore the building and house a museum dedicated to Tadeusz Kosciuszko in it. The doors of the manor-museum were opened to visitors in 2004.
During the excavations, various artifacts from the 17th-18th centuries were found and used for the house's restoration: decorated ornamental tiles, ceramic dishes, antique coins, and iron items. The masters used lithographs by Michal Kulesh and drawings by Napoleon Orda for the restoration of the exterior appearance.
The restored manor is a two-story structure covered with a reed roof. The house consists of eight rooms, the interiors of which give an idea of the life of a noble family from the late 18th to the early 19th centuries.
The house museum is divided into several parts:
- Historical - here materials related to the life and activities of Tadeusz Kosciuszko are presented: documents, weapons, clothing elements, copies of his drawings made during his studies in France, personal belongings.
- Memorial - here the life of the Kosciuszko family is recreated. Visitors can see the rooms that were once residential: the kitchen, the living room, the father's office, the mother's room, the hallway. They contain traditional household items, antique furniture, a piano, portraits, a family tree, and the family's coat of arms.
Beneath the house, a basement room has been preserved with authentic niches in the walls and an 18th-century stone floor. A monument to the national hero is installed on the manor grounds.
The museum's exhibits allow visitors to immerse themselves in the historical atmosphere of noble life, get to know the personality, achievements, and legacy of the outstanding military leader more closely. The manor itself is located in a picturesque place. Nearby there is a pond, cozy gazebos, a café where you can have a snack, and a souvenir shop.
Tadeusz Kosciuszko's manor-museum is not the only point on tourist routes passing through Kossovo. There is also the legendary Puslovski Palace - a restored 19th-century architectural monument. Nearby is another landmark - the remaining walls of the Ruzhany Castle, once owned by the Sapieha family.
To get to the T. Kosciuszko manor-museum from Minsk, you need to first take a train to Ivatsevichi, then transfer to a bus to Ruzhany, which goes via Kossovo. The car route from Minsk and Brest runs along the M1 highway, with a subsequent turn onto the R44 road. The museum is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, but tours are only provided from Wednesday to Sunday.