Stariye Peski

Stariye Peski is a village in Berezovsky district, Brest region, marked on the modern maps as Noviye Peski. You can see several monuments of ancient architecture at once: the Manor, which belonged to the noble Puslovsky family, was their main residence for four hundred years; Holy Trinity Church (1827); a distillery building of the late XIXth century.

HISTORICAL REFERENCE

The village of Stariye Peski has been known since 1503, its history goes back for more than five hundred years ago. It became the property of Dmitry Kiyanin according to the king Alexander’s priviley at that time. The village passed to Yakub Puslovsky as a dowry, carrying the title "Royal oviosny" (a special title, which was appointed in charge of fodder for the stables of the King).

Stariye Peski became known with the grandson of Jacob Puslovsky by name Casimir, who initiated the construction of the estate. In 1843, however, there had been a fire because of servants during the preparation of traditional Lithuanian Krupnik (a hot alcoholic beverage of vodka with spices), and the pristine palace burnt to the ground. Therefore the Palace preserved to our time is a stable rebuilt in the living room.

The son of Casimir died at a young age under mysterious circumstances, going to the military service. He left two sons, but the estate and the village passed into the possession of his brother Frantishek Puslovsky.

Frantishek Puslovsky, wanting to return to the family estate to its former splendor, founded a landscaped park, which had been preserved only in fragments, and was planning to start a construction of a new palace. However, his successors did not support the initiative. The residence of their line was moved to Albertine. Vladislav Puslovsky was the last owner of the Old Sands and the estate until 1939, but he lived in Albertina the whole time.

HISTORICAL MONUMENTS IN THE VILLAGE OF STARIYE PESKI 

Despite the fact that the palace has not been preserved in its original form, Stariye Peski  is worth a visit in order to admire the romantic entrance gate to the palace and park complex of the Puslovsky family. The tower-gate impresses us through its beauty of the neo-Gothic decor, preserved through the centuries: the lancet holes, the niche, the volumetric crosses. The north gate, built in the middle of the XIX century, has been best preserved. The west gate has the modest appearance, and, in contrast to the north gate, does not have towers. The architectural monument has been reconstructed into a shop, an arched passage has been walled up in due time, and now, unfortunately the building is in ruins. However, even with some desolation, the west gate also affects by the rich neo-Gothic decor.

Many species of rare plants, planted Frantishek Puslovsky in the broken out on the territory of the estate park, haven’t survived. But now you can meet unusual for Belarus exotic tree species: red oak, silver maple, red ash planted later.

There is an old wooden Holy Trinity Church on the site of the Old Sands. In 1827 it was built by the concerted efforts of the nobleman Puslovsky and the parishioners instead the church burnt in the same year. That church was not damaged during the great wars of the XXth century. Remarkable, that it had never closed, and the worship service was conducted in the church even at that time when the authorities came to the Soviet militant atheists.

Manor itself is a one-storey building with a four-column portico in the center. This layout is typical of the time when the building has been erected. The manor, originally created in the romantic style, is now in ruins, and its composition is broken. However, it is a valuable architectural heritage of Brest and is an important tourist attraction.