Old castles in Belarus: Nesvizh Palace and Mir Castle

Belarus was known as “the land of castles” from the written accounts of the European travelers of the Renaissance. Unfortunately, the events of the 20th century that turned our country into a battlefield irreversibly erased most of this heritage except several castles including the former noble residences: Nesvizh Palace with Park Complex and Mir Castle.

Before we see the main residence of the Radziwills – formerly a high-standing family of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania – we will visit the Town hall square of Nesvizh and take a look at the Cathedral of the Divine Body – the third largest burial vault of a noble family in Europe.

Of the two properties that in the past belonged to the Nesvizh Palace is the main one. Established as a noble castle in the late 16th century Nesvizh Palace witnessed all the hazards of the Belarusian history: Russian-Swedish war, Napoleonic war, several revolutions and decades of neglect, not to mention the impact of the two world wars. Rebuilt after the Northern War of the 18th century and recently restored, Nesvizh Palace today is a unique branch of the National Art Gallery whose artifacts will give you the picture of the culture of the Belarusian gentry. The Nesvizh leg of our tour will be concluded by a walk along the alleys of the century-old park next to the castle walls.

In the second part of our tour you will find that although the Castle of Mir (a town 30 km away from Nesvizh) has preserved its fortress features outside it has turned into a neat museum inside. The former palace has been converted into an exhibition dedicated to the way of life of the aristocrats of the past. A walk around the castle and along its floors will be conductive to your appetite and there is no better place to taste the genuine Belarusian cuisine than the cellar restaurant of Mir Castle.

All along the way our English-speaking guide (and we only employ fluent English speakers) will relay the most interesting information and will ask any questions of yours to the best of his knowledge. Tour duration: 6.0 hours, around 280 km round way. Tour price: 180 USD (per car)