Golshany castle

Halšany can not be compared with any of the Belarusian borough. This little world is completely saturated with the legends, became the inspiration for the creation of Vladimir Korotkevich. His famous historical novel, detective story "The Black Castle Olshansky," translated into several languages, spread the mysterious glory of Golshan the world.

The village stands at the crossroads of Novogrudok on Oshmyany and Smorgon. Reason Golshan associated with the legendary Golshey and referred to 1280. According to the "Chronicle Byhovtsa", "... a fourth brother, Grand Duke Narimunda, Golsha, crossed the river and found Viliyu beautiful hill between the mountains and created the city, and called his name Halšany."

The descendants were called princes Golshi Golshanskaya. Rod was an influential and rich. Signatures Golshanskaya were among the first on the most important diplomatic acts of the time. Males of this family held senior government positions, the women visited the grand-ducal and royal thrones.

Golshanskaya owned these places from the XIII to the XVI century. By the middle of the XVI century, they kind of faded away. His last representative of Princess Elena Golshanskaya in 1525 she married Paul Sapieha and brought a dowry of his ancestral estate. After a generation of their grandson - Paul Stefan Sapieha - rebuilt the castle, giving it unprecedented grandeur.

 

From love to death ...

 

The history of the old castle keeps Golshanskaya tragic love story. Once upon a time rootless young man Gremislav Valyuzhinich illustrious princess fell in love with Hanna-Gordislavu Golshanskaya. The girl reciprocated, but their secret meetings knew the princess's father - a proud and vengeful tycoon.

The foundations of the Middle Ages to comply strictly with generic prescribing honor. And a cruel father ordered immure the boy in one of the five-foot thickness of the walls of the castle. From then until the present day through the galleries and cellars of the castle roams the sad shadow of the Black Monk (so nicknamed him the locals), bringing terror to the bystanders.

According to witnesses (and there are, incidentally, quite a few), the ghost appears regularly in the moonlight near the ruined castle walls, protecting them from intruders.

It is known that about 10 years ago, a teacher of one of the schools promised to release inmates early for the holidays, if they bring for the construction of 80 bricks. Without thinking, the students went to Golshany lock. In one of the most diligent collector of brick arch collapsed. Quite a young man died. You say no mystery - just a coincidence? Who knows ...

 

 

Residence tycoon

 

It is difficult to determine which style was built Golshany lock. Some researchers believe - it was baroque, others - are features of the Netherlands Renaissance. At one time he was considered one of the luxurious and magnificent.

In planning the building was a closed quadrangle, which stood at the corners of hexagonal tower. Used in the construction of the Dutch system of ramparts and moats wide.

It was a rich magnate residence with ceremonial halls, wide staircases, large windows. Under the buildings have survived the vast vaulted cellars (now mostly filled up).

The castle, built by Paul Stefan Sapieha in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century, the glittering unthinkable luxury, ceilings and fireplaces with stucco, decorated with rich tapestry walls, exquisite furniture, fine glassware, the best weapon. The windows that went to the castle courtyard, decorated with stained-glass windows of thick glass. The floors were lined with expensive rare mosaics.

The interior is rich murals. All this made it possible to call this Golshany Castle "stone flower".

It lived in a never-ending string of holiday: balls and banquets - all happening on an unprecedented scale. But the habit of living in splendor and luxury - can not afford, which is inherited nephews Paul Sapieha, ended in failure. The debts were repaid only the guys section Golshan among creditors.

 

 

Local "Bluebeard"

 

The identity of the Paul Stefan Sapieha very attracted historians and researchers. This man was a close friend of King Stefan Batory Foundation, participated in many military campaigns of the late XVI - early XVII century. When King Sigismund III Base Paul Stefan did a dizzy political career, becoming the podkantsleraVelikogo Duchy of Lithuania.

In contrast to the public, in private life to Paul Stefan less lucky. It is known that he had the nickname of a local "Bluebeard." However, this was nothing more than conjecture. In fact, the three wives of Paul Stephen - Khaletskaya, Veselin Alzhbeta, Catherine Oslavskaya died early, and the tycoon had no choice as to marry again. Only the last, the fourth wife - Sophia Danilovich - managed to survive her husband, burying him in a tomb in the cathedral of the Franciscans.

Fate did not give an heir to Paul Stephen, from his marriage to Alzhbetoy Veselin he had three daughters. The illustrious magnate grieved: who after his death, his estate will go to? And the fears have not been in vain. Of the three daughters, two - Eudoxia and Theophilus - became nuns. The youngest, Christina, married John Chodkiewicz. And so it happened that after the death of Stephen Paul Golshanskaya estate was divided and went in debt.

Historians consider: Golshany Castle, once the most beautiful in Belarus, has turned into ruins only because Sapieha left no heir, for whom this place would be a generic socket.

Destroyers: War and the people

 

Swept through our land of the war affected the Halšany. During the Northern War the castle damaged the Swedish artillery. And since the nineteenth century, for it begins an era of decline.

After the uprising in 1863 the Russian government gave the castle to his compatriot Gorbaneva. The new owner of the estate ordered, like a vandal - decided to disassemble the twin towers of bricks for building houses. They were strong, were blown up because ...

Against the background of the legend sounds almost blasphemous story about red commander of the detachment which in 1939 entered the town. In search of sleep, he was brought to the castle, recently abandoned owners. But the commander, saying: "I can not let the fuck up this beauty," - the squadron deployed to sleep in the open field.

How reliable this story, now we can only guess. Just know that other Bolsheviks were not as connoisseurs of beauty - in Soviet times, the castle is literally dismantled brick by brick to build a pigsty, and the local House of Culture.

 

 

The museum under the sky

 

Overgrown shrubs with the collapse of the arches of the ruins and dungeons poluzasypannymi still keep its former grandeur and beauty, frightening and bleak in the thick darkness. To this day partially retained two corner towers, the north-eastern and north-western building of the Palace. In contrast seen entering the ruins of the chapel, originally walled in the opposite case.

Today ... all over the world extremely popular with the idea of ​​creating ecomuseums - open-air museums, where preserved or recreated natural historical environment. In this sense, Halšany - the ideal "point" to reflect the traditions of the Belarusian town. Here, in a small area centered set of objects, interesting from a historical, architectural and tourist points of view: the castle, church, monastery, church, chapel, castle, stalls, residential buildings, office building municipality, a water mill.

One of the big pluses Golshan - lack of artificiality, the artificiality, so prominent in the created almost from scratch Skansen - an open-air museums. Halšany - lively town that has preserved its unique flavor.

Unfortunately, there is a threat of loss of a rare ensemble. Several years ago, collapsed and was demolished a brick wall of a castle. Concern and the complexity of conducting tours of the castle in its present condition. And there are many tourists here. On Saturday and Sunday coming up to ten buses per day.

Evening falls on ... Halšany, red walls of the castle are mysterious black. His long history of almost four centuries lies in ruins: heaps of shattered bricks, windows gaping empty eye sockets, a miracle in the air congealed semi-circular arch, ready to collapse at any moment.