The rout: Lida – Biarozaŭka  – Navahrudak – Lubča.

Length: 420 km.

Duration: 11 hours.

There was a time when Belarus was called the Land of castles. Countless enemies that attacked these lands from all directions persuaded the people to build high fortifications from stone, clay, wood or simply the soil. The majority of them stopped their existence. But some of them especially made from stone have remained till nowadays mostly in the form of ruins.

During our tour we will visit 3 castles that date from the period of the Great Duchy of Lithuania. We will know about their destiny and about the destiny of the people who built and hid in them.

The walls of prince Hedymin’s castle have remained in Lida. This castle dates from the beginning of XIV century. For 20 years the castle has been being permanently reconstructed. As a result the castle now looks like it used to look in XV century. The knights have recently settled inside the castle and they will tell you with pleasure how to keep the defense in the castle, how to live in it and play a couple of sketches from the history of the castle.

The ruins of one of the most ancient Belorussian castle wait for us in Navahrudak. Prince Mindovg lived here, the Great Duchy of Lithuania “was born” it this castle, by the walls of this castle once stood German knights, Moskow Cossacks and Sweden regiments. This was the only bastion in the Great Duchy of Lithuania that had 7 towers and that was considered unbreakable till the end of XVI century.

The time and the enemies have had no mercy to the castle of Navahrudak and now there are only mighty ruins. But on the other hand the town itself has preserved very well. On both sides of the market place stay 4 shrines of XVI-XVIII centuries and of different confessions. There is also a house where the outstanding poet and genius of Novogrudok Adam Mickevič spent his childhood in the town.

In ancient town Lubcha, that is to the South from Navahrudak the residence of the Kiška-Radzivils towers on the bank of the Nieman. This castle is one of the least known in Belarus. Only two towers and the palace of ХІХ century have remained from the castle. Once it used to be the center of reformists’ culture in the Great Duchy of Lithuania and the place where the richest collection of Biržai Radivils was kept. Today it is a good example of civil restoration of the monument that is worth visiting. 

Except of 3 castles our tour includes visiting the glass factory “Nieman” in Biarozaŭka. Despite manufacturing scope the tradition of hand glassblowing is still preserved here. And this is really worth seeing. You may also buy the production of the factory in the local shop