Memorial chapel in the agr. Lesnaya.

The object was built in honor of the 200th anniversary of the victory over the Swedes, most of the memorial complexes and architectural ensembles of Belarus are dedicated to one or another military action. This is not surprising, because for many centuries the territory of Belarus has been the scene of battles and battles between numerous countries and troops. Near the village of Lesnoy, Mogilev region, one of the most significant events in the history of the Northern War took place at one time – the so-called Battle of Lesnaya, also called the "Mother of the Battle of Poltava" (as Peter I himself dubbed it). The battle of Lesnaya took place in 1708 between the Swedish troops numbering about sixteen thousand people, commanded by the famous General Levenhaupt, and losing several times in terms of the number of soldiers, as well as the quality of their weapons and uniforms by the Russian troops, which were controlled by Peter I. The result of such a memorable event in the history of Russia and all of Europe was a crushing victory of the Russian army. So, for comparison, the Swedes lost about ten thousand people, while the Russian troops - only about a thousand. This, in turn, not only strengthened the spirit of the soldiers before the subsequent battles and battles, but also slowed down the activity of the Swedish troops on the outskirts of Moscow for a long time. Pride in such a stunning and unexpected victory was the reason that it was decided to build a memorial complex on the territory of the battlefield, which even today attracts connoisseurs of history and just curious tourists to the territory of Mogilev region. In 1908, the church was founded, the opening of which was on July 12, 1912. on the feast day of St. Peter and Paul. The church was built by architect A. Gauguin. It is made in pseudo-Russian style, it is a stone building of a centric multi-tiered volumetric and spacious composition, completed with a high tent with a bow-like dome. The plan of the church has a square (15x15) with rounded corners. The lower tier of the church is placed on a stylobate with granite blocks, completed with a belt of machicolations. On its southern, northern and western facades there are particular entrance portals, supported by arches and stylized columns. The wall of the eastern facade is cut through with two partial window openings and decorated with a mosaic "Apostle Peter". The second tier is completed with teeth in the form of a swallow's tail, like the Moscow Kremlin. The main facade is decorated with a mosaic "The Mother of God with the Baby". Narrow openings give the structure a defensive character. The walls of the church are lined with yellow ceramic tiles. At the entrance to the St. Peter and Paul Memorial Church there is an inscription: "In the summer of the Nativity of Christ, 1708. Emperor Peter." The frescoes that decorated the Temple have not been preserved to this day. In 1908, festive events were held in this place, organized by the administration of the Mogilev province, the Vilna Military District. Historical readings, solemn worship and memorial service, a military parade with fireworks, folk festivals were held. Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Peter I's victory over the Swedes, on October 12, 1958, a museum of the history of the Battle of Lesnaya was opened in the building of the monument-temple. The museum's exposition featured more than 250 exhibits, including authentic ones (guns, clothing, household items of soldiers, etc.) For a long time the museum was located within the walls of the chapel, but its activities were discontinued after the tragic accident at the Chernobyl power plant. Only relatively recently, after proper restoration and restoration work, at the end of the 90s of the last century, a temple began to operate in the chapel. In 1993, the building was transferred to the use of the Orthodox community of the Parish of St. Peter and Paul Church. In 2008, major repairs of the church building were carried out at the expense of state funds. The state monitors the condition of the entire memorial complex, which arouses such constant interest from residents and guests of nearby regions. So, in the early 2000s, serious restoration work was organized. Today, numerous tourist and thematic tours around Belarus are conducted here, in particular, dedicated to military topics. This legendary place is a must-visit for everyone who appreciates the history of their region and is not indifferent to architectural monuments.