World Heritage Identification Number: 1196
World Heritage since: 2005
Category: Cultural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇧🇾 Belarus
Continent: Europe
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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The Architectural, Residential and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh: A Testament to European History and Culture
The Architectural, Residential and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh, nestled in the heart of Belarus, stands as a testament to the rich tapestry of European history and culture. This remarkable ensemble, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2005, offers a unique glimpse into the lives of one of the most influential families in European history – the Radziwills.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The Architectural, Residential and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh is located in central Belarus. The Radziwill dynasty, who built and kept the ensemble from the 16th century until 1939, gave birth to some of the most important personalities in European history and culture. Due to their efforts, the town of Nesvizh came to exercise great influence in the sciences, arts, crafts and architecture. The complex consists of the residential castle and the mausoleum Church of Corpus Christi with their setting. The castle has ten interconnected buildings, which developed as an architectural whole around a six-sided courtyard. The palaces and church became important prototypes marking the development of architecture throughout Central Europe and Russia.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (ii): The architectural, residential and cultural complex of the Radziwill family at Nesvizh was the cradle for inoculation of new concepts based on the synthesis of the Western traditions, leading to the establishment of a new architectural school in Central Europe.
Criterion (iv): The Radziwill complex represents an important stage in the development of building typology in the history of architecture of the Central Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. This concerned particularly the Corpus Christi Church with its typology related to cross-cupola basilica.
Criterion (vi): The Radziwill family was particularly significant for being associated with the interpretation of the influences from Southern and Western Europe and the transmission of the ideas in the Central and Eastern Europe.
Encyclopedia Record: Nesvizh Castle
Nesvizh Castle or Nyasvizh Castle is a residential castle of the Radziwiłł family in Nyasvizh (Nesvizh), Belarus. It is 183 metres (600 ft) above sea level. Built originally in the 16th and 17th centuries, throughout its history the site has been sacked, damaged and abandoned repeatedly, and has seen multiple different uses including as a storehouse. Finally it has been extensively rebuilt and restored from 2004–2012. In 2005, the castle, church, and surrounding environment were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The castle and the nearby Corpus Christi Church were instrumental in the development of Central European and Russian architecture.Additional Site Details
Area: Not available
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
(vi) — Directly associated with events or living traditions
Coordinates: 53.22278 , 26.69139
Image
© Dmitry Gerasimov, CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
