The rout: Zaslaŭje – Radaškovišy.

Length: 100 km.

Duration: 6 hours.

Zaslavl is more than 80 years older than Minsk. One of the firs stories about Belarus that is told to children in schools is the story of prince Izyaslav and his mother Rahneda. It was Iziaslaŭ who named the city Zaslaŭje. There are a lot interesting to see in it.

First of all we will visit ancient settlement in the outskirts of the city that is called “Zameček”. Only small earth ramparts have remained here till our days, historians say that princess Ragneda lived here in exile with her son Iziaslaŭ. Everyone in Belarus knows about the destiny of this woman, but this history is very deep and there is still a lot new to know.

Except of the small hills of “Zameček” there are high ramparts of the castle. They tower in the center of the city marking from afar the place where one of the first fortresses in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania used to stay. This fortress was built according to a new Italian system. What is the new Italian system of architecture? We will tell you about it during our excursion.

The fortress was built in the end of XVI century by Minsk starosta Yan Glebovich. Inside of the ramparts he built the palace and Calvinist church ( Glebovich used to be Protestant like many of the gentry in those times ). The palace unfortunately didn’t remain but the former Calvinist church is now the church of the Transfiguration that is open for everyone - the religious and sightseers.

Besides the magnate’s heritage a small islet of peasant culture has survived in Zaslaŭje till our days. Not far from the ramparts the museum of ethnography has been functioning for already 20 years. It is called “Dom Zavoznika”. You will be taken inside of the old steam mill, barn, smithy and the house of Zvoznik where the traditional lifestyle in late 19th - early 20th century Belarus is reconstructed.

In the end of our tour in Zaslavl we will see the ancient cathedral and then will go to the forest where the museum of mythology and forest is situated. Children like this museum most of all. Werewolves, hobgoblins, the queen of grass snakes…

After Zaslaŭje we will visit another small town – Radaškovičy. Unfortunately there are no ancient monuments like in Zaslaŭje. However there is a factory of ceramics in the town. Different types of pottery are made there: cups and plates, jars and souvenirs. You will have an opportunity to go inside of the factory and to see how everything is made there. And of course you will be able to buy souvenirs in manufactures' store