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Revision as of 16:00, 31 August 2008 editSnigbrook (talk \| contribs)Autopatrolled, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers46,937 editsm Disambiguate Landscape park to Landscape garden using popups ← Previous edit		Revision as of 21:50, 15 September 2008 edit undoAvala (talk \| contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers27,962 edits ← Redirected page to Nesvizh Castle Next edit →
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	{{Infobox World Heritage Site
	\| WHS = Architectural, Residential and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh
	\| Image = ]]]
	\| State Party = {{BLR}}
	\| Type = Cultural
	\| Criteria = ii, iv, vi
	\| ID = 1196
	\| Region = ]
	\| Year = 2005
	\| Session = 29th
	\| Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1196
	}}

	'''Niasviž Castle''' ({{lang-lt\|Nesvyžius}}) is a residential castle of the ] family in ] in ].

	==History==
	The estate was owned by the ] ] family from 1533, when it was awarded to ] and his brother ] after the extinction of the ] family. Since the Radziwills were one of the most important and wealthy clans of the ], it was there that the ] was moved in 1551. In 1586 the estate was turned into an '']''.

	In 1582 ], the Marshal of Lithuania, ] of ] and ] and ] of ], started the construction of an imposing square three-storey ]. Although the works were based on a pre-existing structure of a mediæval castle, the former fortifications were entirely turned into a renaissance-baroque house. Construction was completed by 1604, and they added several galleries half a century later. The chateau's corners were fortified with four octagonal towers.

	In 1706, during the ], ]'s army sacked the castle and destroyed its fortifications. Several decades later, the Radziwills invited some German and Italian architects to substantially renovate and enlarge the chateau. ] decorated its yellow facades with baroque ] work. The 16th-century castle gates were also reconstructed, and the two-storey gatehouse tower was crowned with a helm. It was at this time that the three separate buildings surrounding the central courtyard were joined into a single structure.

	The most important structure in Nesvizh is the ] () (1587 to 1603), connected with the castle by a dam over a ditch and containing coffins of 72 members of the Radziwill family, each interred in a simple coffin made of birch and marked with ]. Designed by the Italian architect ] (1541 to 1605), the church is considered the first ] temple patterned after ] in ], the first domed ] with Baroque facade in the world and the first ] piece of architecture in Eastern Europe.
	Apart from elaborate princely sepulchres, its interior features some late baroque frescoes from 1760s and the Holy Cross altar, executed by Venetian sculptors in 1583.
	In 1770 the castle was seized by Russian forces and the Radziwill family was expelled. Soon afterwards the Lithuanian Archive was transferred to ] (where it remains), while the majority of works of art gathered in the palace were distributed among various Russian nobles. Abandoned both by the original owners and by the Russian army, the palace gradually fell into disrepair. However, it was restored to the ] and between 1881 and 1886 the castle's interiors were renovated by Prince Anton Radizwill and his French wife, Marie de Castellane. They also designed a ] in English style. With an area of more than one square kilometre, the park is one of the biggest such facilities in Europe. ]
	In 1939, the Radziwill family was expelled from the castle by the invading ]. In ] times, the chateau was used a ], while the park gradually fell in neglect.

	In 1994, the castle complex was designated the national historical and cultural reserve. Twelve years later, the castle complex was inscribed on the ]. The ongoing reconstruction has drawn sharp criticism for its "unjustified reconstruction" of several long-demolished structures, notably a bell-tower. In 2002, the upper storey of the residence was destroyed by fire.

	==Other Radziwill residences==
⚫	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
	* ]
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	{{Commonscat\|Niasvizh Castle Complex}}

	==External links==
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	{{World Heritage Sites in Belarus}}

	{{Link FA\|be-x-old}}

	{{coor title dms\|53\|13\|22.36\|N\|26\|41\|30.25\|E}}

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Revision as of 21:50, 15 September 2008

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Nesvizh Castle