190 kilometers from Vitebsk is a small village of Novy Pohost. It is home to only about a thousand inhabitants. However, despite its small size, the settlement has a rich history and its pride - the Temple of St. Nicholas. It looks very unusual: a blue roof and walls of rubble stone, similar to the fortress walls of a castle. In our article we will describe how the village appeared and how many years of sightseeing, which attracts tourists from all over Belarus.

The history of the village of New Pogost: a place for rest of travelers

The village of New Pogost was first mentioned in written sources as early as 1386. At first, it served as a recreation center for travelers and horses, since it was located at the intersection of Druya-Minsk and Polotsk-Braslav roads. Due to its location, the village gradually developed. In 1499, the Grand Duke of Lithuania Alexander presented New Pohost to his secretary, Jan Sapega, who also contributed to the development of his possessions. The first church was erected here, back in 1593. Since the building was built of wood, it was destroyed several times, but it was constantly rebuilt. The church, located in the village today, appeared here in 1766 (more than a hundred years before the construction of the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas). It is considered the oldest wooden building existing in the Miorschyna, and it also looks quite unusual. So you have at least two reasons to visit the village of Novy Pohost when traveling around the Vitebsk region.

In the twentieth century, the village was part of Poland, since 1939 - as part of the BSSR. Then, like most of Belarus, in 1944, it was under German occupation. Now New Pogost is a small town, which is the administrative center of the village council and is known for its main Orthodox church.

Church of St. Nicholas: the history of the sights

As mentioned above, the Catholic parish in New Pogost has existed for nearly five hundred years. Over time, local residents began to need the construction of an Orthodox church. Therefore, at the end of the XIX century a parish appeared in the village. The parishioners themselves raised money for the construction, and in 1880 the temple opened its doors for them.

An interesting fact: neither in Soviet atheistic times, nor during the German occupation, the temple was not closed. According to testimonies of local residents, there were constantly conducted worship in spite of everything. He did not suffer the fate of most of the churches of Belarus, converted into warehouses and granaries, it was not destroyed and reached our time in excellent condition.

Architectural features of the Church of St. Nicholas in the village of Novy Pohost

The Church of St. Nicholas was erected in a retrospective Russian style. The architectural appearance of the church is characteristic of this area of ​​architecture.

The temple has a volumetric-spatial composition, which consists of the following structural elements:

• a three-tiered hip-bell tower, above which a hip-top drum rises (the base for the dome has eight edges) and an onion-shaped dome,

• low refectory,

• a prayer hall having a cuboid volume

• a semicircular apse (protrusion of the building adjacent to the church on the east side).

The real highlight of the building is its appearance. The church is built of rubble and bricks. The stone gives its walls the appearance of a powerful medieval castle, and the blue roof is associated with striving upwards, towards the sky. Wonderful contrast that leaves no one indifferent!

The main relics of the church in New Pogost

You will pass through the village of New Pogost - be sure to look inside the temple. It contains several unique Christian relics:

1. sculpture «Crucifixion» XVII-XVIII centuries (wooden)

2. icons made in the XIX century: «Mother of God Oditrii», «Archangel Gabriel», «Archangel Michael».

Miorshchina - the land where everyone will find something to their liking. No exception and the small village of New Pogost with its temples and ancient history.