Kuhtich or Pervomaisk
To find the estate of Zawishi (the estate of Magdalena Radziwill) in Kuhtich, leaving the city of Uzda you need to keep a direction to Kuhtich, but at the crossroads, you should not turn to the village with that name, but to Pervomaisk. Both the estate of Magdalena Radziwill and the Calvinas collection are located on the territory of the Uzda State Agricultural Professional Lyceum.
Calvinas collection in Kuhtich
The Calvinas collection dates back to the Renaissance, was built in the second half of the 16th century. In total, there are three similar historical monuments in Belarus. One - in Smorgon (it is adapted to the church). The other is in Zaslavl (and now it is the Holy Transfiguration Church). And the third one is here, in Pervomaisk. Now it is closed. There was another Calvin gathering in Dzerzhinsk, but it was destroyed in the era of Bolshevism, in the 30s of last century.
The Calvin collection in Kuhtich is a type of defensive architecture. In the 16th century Calvinism was not particularly widespread, and believers often had to defend themselves against representatives of "more traditional religions". Hence the towers on both sides of the entrance, equipped with loopholes, through which you can shoot back in case of an attack. The walls are also quite impressive - their thickness is more than half a meter.
The Calvin collection in Kuhtich was built by Mateem Kavechinsky. It is known, by the way, that he also published the catechism of Simon Budny. And it is in Kuhtichy. Then the descendants of Kavechinsky returned to Catholicism, and the Calvinistic collection became a burial vault for local landowners and a Catholic chapel.
Further Kuhtich went to the Zavish. Of these, Jan Zawishi is best known - an archaeologist and collector, and his daughter Magdalena Radziwill (Zavisha). Magdalena was a patron of art and financed many publications in the Belarusian language. For example, her money was a collection of Maxim Bogdanovich "Vianok", books by Maxim Garetsky, Yadvigin Sh, Yakub Kolos. In the estate of Zavisha, Yanka Kupala's wife was a frequent visitor.
Nikolai Radziwill, Magdalen's husband, was younger than his wife for 20 years, participated in the Anglo-Boer War. Nikolai died during the First World War (in 1914) and was buried in Kuhtich, just in the tomb (in the Calvin collection). Now at the entrance there is a sign with the name of Nikolai Radziwill. But few people remember the ugly story that happened in 1917. Then just came the power of the Communists. Nicholas Radziwill (who by that time had been dead for three years!) Was dragged out of the tomb and pulled off his boots from expensive leather. These boots stood for a day on the porch of the tomb. Then someone took them to himself.
In the late 70-ies of the last century, the Calvin collection in Kuhtich had to be protected by a group of scientists from the Academy of Sciences - a vocational school was built, and the old building was threatened with demolition. Only in 1978 the building was included in the list of state historical and cultural values of Belarus.
The Manor of the Zawishi or Manor of Magdalena Radziwill
From the once luxurious estate Zawishey in Kuhtich there is not much left.
- Two wings, where lived Magdalena Radziwill. Built in the late XVIII - early XIX centuries.
In the Soviet era, people first lived here, then vocational training classes were held. Now the buildings are in an emergency condition. There is a security sign that the facilities are under the protection of the state. - Mill.
- The river Udzyanka, which once was navigable!
- Stable. In the walls the holes were broken and the gate was made - so that trucks could come in. But the original architecture is being read.
Source: vedi.by
