Nesvizh Castle
Nesvizh Castle sits on the right bank of the Usha River in Nyasvizh, Belarus, and stands as the ancestral seat of the Radziwill family, one of the most powerful dynasties of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The foundation stone was laid on 7 May 1583 by Mikołaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł, with Italian architect Giovanni Maria Bernardoni shaping its early Baroque design. Fortified with corner bastions on the Italian system, the castle nonetheless fell to Charles XII's Swedish forces in 1706 before being later restored.
Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, it reopened as a museum following restoration completed in 2012. A 42-metre underground tunnel connecting the castle courtyard to the defensive moat was among the features uncovered during restoration works.
Visitor information
- Location
- Nesvizh
- Country
- Belarus
- Tier
- B (Great castles)
- Coordinates
- 53.2229, 26.6917
- Official site
- http://niasvizh.by/
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Nesvizh Castle?
- Nesvizh Castle is in Nesvizh, Belarus (approximately 53.2229, 26.6917).
- Can you visit Nesvizh Castle?
- Yes — Nesvizh Castle is open to visitors; see the official site at http://niasvizh.by/ for hours and tickets.
- What tier is Nesvizh Castle on the Castle Atlas?
- Nesvizh Castle is rated B tier on the Castle Atlas — Great castles.
- What can you see at Nesvizh Castle?
- Nesvizh Castle sits on the right bank of the Usha River in Nyasvizh, Belarus, and stands as the ancestral seat of the Radziwill family, one of the most powerful dynasties of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The foundation stone was laid on 7 May 1583 by Mikołaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł, with Italian architect Giovanni Maria Bernardoni shaping its early Baroque design. Fortified with corner bastions on the Italian system, the castle nonetheless fell to Charles XII's Swedish forces in 1706 before being later restored.