Mir

The Urban-type Settlement of Mir in Belarus

Geographical Location of Mir

Mir is located in Korelichi district of Grodno region. The district center is situated 26 kilometers from Mir. This settlement is situated 100 kilometers from the capital of Belarus – Minsk.  The nearest railway station is Gorodeya, which connects Mir and Stolbtsy. Mir stands on the Miranka (Miryanka) river. It is the administrative center of the village soviet.

History of Mir in Belarus

According to written sources, Mir was first mentioned in the XIV century. In 1486, Mir belonged to the Ilyinich family. The geographical location of the settlement led to frequent battles on its territory. In 1706, Mir was captured by the Swedish troops. In 1795, the settlement was part of the Russian Empire. In 1812, there was a battle of the Russian troops and the soldiers of Napoleon's army. In the 30s of the XX century, Mir belonged to the Duchy of Poland. Only after the Second World War, Mir became an administrative unit of the Baranovichi region. The settlement got the opportunity to develop as a cultural-historical center.

Population of the town of Mir

According to the recent data, there are 2250 inhabitants in Mir. At different times, such famous people lived in Mir.:

  • actor Alexander Ilyinsky,
  • writer Jan Zaprudnik,
  • poet Roman Yakubovich,
  • rosh yeshiva and rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer.

Architecture and sights of Mir in Belarus

A medieval castle is the most famous historical monument in Mir. The Mir castle is a pearl of the architecture of the XVI century. The construction of the family estate was begun by Duke Yury Ilinich. However, during his lifetime, the castle was not built, and his sons began to fight for the right to own the family estate. The youngest son Felix Schastny, the owner of the estate, became a son-in-law of Nicholas Radziwill the Black, so in 1569 the Mir castle belonged to this famous family.

The Mir castle was a witness of many historical events: there was a battle with the Swedish knights; the castle was attacked by the troops of Napoleon; in 1914, the building was burnt. During the Second World War, a ghetto was organized on the territory of the Mir castle. Later on, the liberated from the Nazis territory of the castle became a refuge for many homeless people. Only in the 60s, the last residents left the historical monument. The restoration of the castle was begun in 1983, but by 1992 it was opened for visitors.

The Holy Trinity church is another famous monument of Mir. It was built in the middle of the XVI century. The church is considered historically and culturally valuable for Belarus. A large number of tourists and pilgrims come to see it.

The St. Nicholas Catholic church is also an interesting monument because of its architecture and originality. It was built by the famous Italian architect G. M. Bernardoni.

Many tourists from all over the world come to see the Mir yeshiva, which was built in 1815. It was the largest religious school of Orthodox Judaism.

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