Things to Do in Nesvizh, Belarus

Quick facts: Built in the 16th century, the castle is one of the few surviving medieval fortresses in Belarus, expanded and rebuilt over the ages. The castle also includes a beautiful landscape park and a lake, creating a romantic atmosphere.

Highlights: In the castle cellars there is a 30-meter-deep well that once hid a treasure estimated to be worth 20 million dollars. The walls are decorated with 18th-century frescoes depicting hunting scenes and classical mythology.

Quick facts: It is one of the few European churches that depicts Saint George's battle with a dragon directly on its facade. In 2005, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List together with the Nesvizh Castle ensemble.

Highlights: The interior of the church is adorned with 17th-century frescoes that have survived almost entirely intact, a rarity as many Baroque churches have been repainted or destroyed over time. Particularly striking is the altarpiece, whose depicted scenes change color as light falls on them, thanks to a special mixture of oil and tempera.

Quick facts: The park's 30-hectare area includes three artificial lakes and more than 60 species of trees. The Radziwill family established it in the second half of the 19th century to create a romantic landscape park with exotic plants.

Highlights: The most mysterious place in the park is Little Switzerland, where winding paths between artificially created hillocks create a true mountain landscape feel in the middle of flat Belarus. Park workers planted specially brought alpine roses and mountain pines there, making one forget that they are actually only a couple of hundred kilometers from Minsk.

Quick facts: It stands in the town of Nesvizh in memory of the writer and printer Symon Budny. Budny was a 16th-century humanist who published Bible translations and contributed to the development of the Belarusian literary language.

Highlights: The monument depicts Budny in a seated pose, as if reflecting on his radical ideas that at the time brought him into conflict with both the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Under the sculptor's hand is a book, referring to his translation work and his desire to make knowledge accessible to the common people.

Quick facts: The 176-meter-long and 104-meter-wide building can hold 6,500 people at once. It houses the largest organs in Europe, with over 6,000 pipes.

Highlights: This church features Europe's most modern virtual reality tour, which takes visitors to 18th century Nesvizh. Glass panels built into the floor reveal 16th century burial chambers discovered during excavations.

Quick facts: This park is one of the oldest regularly planned parks in Belarus, established in the 16th century by the Radziwill family. The park is adorned with dozens of rare tree species, including a 300-year-old oak that has witnessed centuries of history.

Highlights: In the center of Alba Park lies a mysterious lake, beneath which hide the ruins of artificial islands built in the 18th century. These former sites of summer festivities and performances can still rise above the water surface today during low water levels.