St. Peter and Paul’s Cemetery Church in Shereshevo

Shereshevo is a small but amazing urban village in the Pruzhany district of the Brest region. It is located on the Levaya Lesnaya River, just a few kilometres from Belovezhskaya Pushcha — the national natural wealth of Belarus. However, proximity to the residence of Grandfather Frost and the homeland of the bison has not yet made it a tourist Mecca, although there are really interesting sights here:

  • St. Nicholas Church,

  • Trinity Church,

  • a wooden belfry built in 1799,

  • the ordinary city buildings.

Going on an acquaintance with Belovezhskaya Pushcha, visit Shereshevo. In addition to the listed above architectural monuments, at the old cemetery, there is St. Peter and Paul’s Church, which is as ancient as the cemetery itself. It is noteworthy for being built of ... wood.

Shereshevo and its attractions: history

The history of Shereshevo sights is inextricably linked with the events that affected the village and its inhabitants. It was first mentioned in chronicles in 1380. During its existence, Shereshevo has changed many owners. Among them were the dynasties of Nasuts, the Zbtezinskys, the Ilyinichys, the Flemings. And when Queen Bona Sforza passed through the village, she liked her so much that she immediately became a royal possession.

An interesting fact from VETLIVA: however, Queen Bona Sforza entered the history of Belarus not only as the owner Shereshevo. It is believed that she was the one who stood behind the poisoning of the unwanted Polish princess Barbara Radziwill, whom King Sigismund II Augustus secretly married. Surely she is known as the Black Panna the ghost of Nesvizh Castle. There are enough such stories in Belarus just read our article about Belarusian mysticism.

She also granted the place Magdeburg Law, which allowed the active development of crafts and trade. However, progress slowed down because of the bloody wars of the mid-XVII-early XVIII centuries, when the village was repeatedly destroyed. At the end of the 18th century, through the efforts of the current owners, Shereshevo was no longer a village, but a town and received its own coat of arms (it depicts the archangel Gabriel with a lily in his hand).

Shereshevo also was part of the ON, the Commonwealth, the Russian Empire, Poland, the BSSR, and now it is part of sovereign Belarus. The appearance of the sights of Pruzhany region, which can be seen even now, refers mainly to the XVIII-XIX centuries. In 1760 the Prechistenskaya church was built, and near it — a wooden belfry (1799).

An interesting fact from VETLIVA: the height of the churches is usually measured by the height of the bell towers (just remember the tallest churches from our top). However, the bell towers are usually part of the composition of the church, while the belfry in Shereshevo was originally built separately from the church.

The Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Shereshevo: architecture

The Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Shereshevo is a monument of wooden architecture, in the architectural appearance of which traces of classicism are seen. It was built in 1824.

An interesting fact from VETLIVA: in the popular program Novyya Padarozhy Dyletanta, a hypothesis was expressed that once the temple was in the center of the city village. However, in the 1820s, it was dismantled and transferred to the cemetery.

The building is one block. The likeness of a classic portico is formed by six pillars on the main facade of the church. Such improvisation in wood of traditional techniques and forms of stone architecture was common to Belarusian folk architecture. When Shereshevo buildings were built, the craftsmen were guided by rational designs that were tested by life and time, well familiar to local craftsmen from the practice of everyday construction.

Despite the fact that The Church of Peter and Paul plays the role of a functioning chapel, its condition leaves much to be desired. However, even now, the monument looks interesting and will surely appeal to lovers of ancient architecture.

Source:  https://volitag.livejournal.com/