One of the most popular routes among tourists, rightly replenishing the golden fund of historical and cultural heritage of Belarus, is the Drutsky-Lyubetsky family estate in Shchuchyn, which is definitely worth crossing the whole Belarus and getting into the cozy town in the vastness of Grodno region.

That complex, connected with the once popular and prosperous the Scipio del Campo kin, appeared as back as in the XVIII century. After the wedding of the apartment owner Maria with the Prince of the Drutsky-Lyubetsky kin, the palace ensemble became the property of Prince Francis Xavier, who reputed to be quite an extraordinary and many-sided personality. Participation in Suvorov foreign campaigns is among his main achievements, in addition to the victory in the political arena. The prince was in France on public affairs for a long time, culture and architecture of which he fell in love with. That is why he decided to make a part of personal France in dear to his heart Shchuchyn. The architect Rastvorovsky was invited for those noble goals popular at the time. He kept in his mind the Versailles Palace as a model during the reconstruction of the luxurious estate, which was so loved by Prince Francis Xavier. A landscape park of a stunning beauty was laid out near the palace. The Drutsky-Lyubetsky family estate in Shchuchyn is a magnificent monument of architecture of the XIX century, where such diverse architectural trends as baroque and classicism are combined in the most delicate way.

Shuchyn estate functioned perfectly for a long time, until the beginning of the World War II. During that period, a hospital for wounded German soldiers was within its walls, so the historic building had suffered in the least in those terrible for Belarus years. In postwar period, the estate house was used as officers’ house, and then it came to a tremendous desolation when its spacious rooms were left by people.

The palace ensemble spread out in the northern part of the town, and it is a two-storied rectangular building, visually referring you to the grandiose residence of French kings. The beautiful palace is conveniently located on a raised plinth, to which a massive staircase is attached. The building erected on a grand scale has ample curves, original and unusual for these places, decorated with fretwork, complemented by columns and pilasters. The interior was also exclusive: the living rooms were placed along the main facade, and there was a huge hall with a gorgeous fireplace in the center of it. Expensive furniture was covered with genuine leather, and endless space ceilings were decorated with chandeliers of Venetian masters. All that was verified to the last detail: expensive grand pianos, luxurious portraits and marble sculptures. The palace was incredibly beautiful both outside and inside.

The Drutsky-Lyubetsky family estate in Shchuchyn is an unusual for its place and time historical and cultural ensemble, which has recently been completely restored and solemnly passed to the town. Now its cozy halls gave shelter to the Town Museum and the Children's Creativity Center. The tourists still come to admire the majestic place, which embodies a refined France in the heart of Grodno region.

Source: http://ru.belarus.travel/