Nothing arouses such an interest and admiration as unique monuments of architecture. There are quite a lot of them in Belarus, and the mansion of Meshchersky princes, located in the town of Klimovichi, Mogilev region, serves as a vivid example.

A few words about the famous kin

A nobleman Nikolay Meshchersky, who served as a collegiate adviser, launched the construction of the mansion in 1866-1867, which was designed for his daughter Maria. The pseudo-Russian style as an architectural solution was chosen since it was popular at that time. It should be noted that there is no other such a model of wooden architecture in Belarus today that has preserved in such a good condition and practically unchanged. The carving and various wooden ornaments are especially impressive. The original building roof and the second level completed a bit later are highly appreciated by many art connoisseurs.

The Meshchersky family mansion was a kind of a center of social life for a long time, as eminent creative personalities – musicians, artists and other representatives of similar professions regularly came to Maria.

Soviet period

With the Soviets advent to power in 1917, the life of Klimovichi significantly changed. The new authorities didn’t pass the famous mansion by. The Bolshevik Committee occupied the house after Meshcherskaya herself was moved to a much more modest house.

The Great Patriotic War turned the Meshchersky family mansion first into a headquarters of fighting against saboteurs and later, after the region was seized by German fascist troops, there was their favourite club-casino. Probably, that saved the wooden structure from destruction.

After the war, the mansion was given under a local school (first № 2, in 1955 – № 3, and since 1966 – a boarding school). There also was a grain storage and a counting department of a machine-accounting station in some years.

Finally, in 1978, it was decided to open a regional museum of local lore in such an original structure. Here anyone can get acquainted not only with the history of the famous family (it was given a separate corner), but also with events from the life of the entire region. It is not surprising that today the Meshchersky family mansion belongs to the number of historical and cultural values of the Republic of Belarus.

It is interesting that the department dedicated to the life of Maria Meshcherskaya has appeared relatively recently in the museum exposition. Today it is a kind of a “tea room”, where the representative of the famous princely family received guests. Antique tables and chairs, mirrors, dishes, candlesticks and other attributes are used as entertaining elements of the interior.

Unfortunately, no detailed information about the noble family’s life has been practically preserved to the present day. This, in its turn, gives the mansion itself a halo of mystery and even some kind of mysticism.

Anyone can visit this example of ancient wooden architecture – the museum is open from 8 to 18 o’clock. Klimovichi itself is included in several largest sightseeing routes around Belarus, so it won’t be difficult to visit the town.