Obol is a small urban-type settlement, located on the same-name river in the Shumilino district, the Vitebsk region. If you are going to come to the settlement, it is easy to get there since it is only 23 kilometers from the district center Shumilino and 70 km from the regional center Vitebsk. Besides, there is a railway station in Obol, so you may travel by train. It is worth coming and seeing local sights. After all, there are the ruins of the estate of the Grebnitsky family. It is the largest construction of this type in the entire Shumilino district.

History

According to historical records, the first mention of Obol dates back to the XV century. At that time, its lands were part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Later it belonged to the Rzech Pospolita, after the first division in 1772, it became part of the Russian Empire. When the Riga-Oryol railway was laid through its territory, Obol began to develop rapidly. In Obol, charcoal, alcohol, tar, acetic powder were produced. In addition, a watermill and parochial school were functioning in Obol.

In 1924, Obol became a center of the village council. Five years later a brickworks began to function. By the way, it is quite successfully functioning today and is known as "Obol ceramic factory."

In August 1941, Obol was occupied by the Nazi aggressors. Obol was liberated only in 1944. It was granted the status of an urban settlement in 1968.

Old Estate

The estate of the Grebnitsky family is considered a local landmark, as it was mentioned above, the largest construction of this type in the Shumilino district. It was built in 1852 and belonged to the Grebnitsky dynasty, who owned several other estates.

Nowadays, we can see only ruins. However, in the heyday, there was a two-storey estate house with two four-column porticos. The estate house was surrounded by a magnificent park with a symmetrical-axial layout.

The house is not preserved present days because different organizations housed in its building did not maintain architectural heritage in a proper way. Since 1920, there was a school, and during the Great Patriotic War - the patriotic underground "Young Avengers" occupied the building. When the war ended, the building was used for the needs of the brick factory workers. For some time, it had been abandoned, and later on utterly burned down ... Nowadays, you can only see the outer walls of the estate and one wing. There is a museum, its exhibition is devoted to the heroic Obol underground.