The small village Olshevo is situated in the Myadel district of the Minsk region, several kilometers from the Natural Reserve “Blue Lakes”. Despite its modest sizes the village is remarkable for the preserved ruins of an ancient estate of the Hominskies family.

The historical reference

The lands of Olshevo have a significant role in history of the Myadel district. They are first mentioned in the records of 1420. At the time Olshevo was in possession of the Gashtolds family and was part of their family estate Bakshty. The Gashtolds’ domain regularly changed hands: after them it came to possession of the Kotlas, then Kishkas and later Kozel-Poklevskies. In the XVII century the owner’s daughter Anna Kozel-Poklevsky married Ludwig Hominsky that made Bakshty its residence. During the ruling of the Hominskies family the estate got its finished appearance.

The construction of the residence in the territory of Olshevo was started by Alexander Stanislav Lavren Hominsky in 1881. Five years later after the beginning of the building he moved into the residence under construction though the erection would not end soon. In 1893, at last, a one-storey building with a mansard and two-column porch at the main entry was erected.

The mansion became a family seat during the ruling of the following representative of the dynasty – Stanislav. Thanks to him the estate of the Hominskies became a very popular site; famous artists, poets and writers often were there.

All the descendants of the dynasty were talented and well-educated people. They were famous for their ability to master the house. The family seat of the Hominskies lived its best years during the ruling of Alexander Hominsky. Thanks to him in the territory of Olshevo there were established two plants – a brick-and-tile and lime plant, a stable, a bakery, a tar-distillery, a school and a power station; several ponds were settled by fish. In Alexander’s library there was kept “The Chronicle of Olshevo” – an important historical document of the XVI century containing Polish translations of historical documents.

The family estate of the Hominskies today

Unfortunately, the estate has not survived up to now. Today you can watch only a small part of the manor house of the late XIX century and ruins of the stables. However, even the remnants of the former splendor of the estate impress with well-preserved brickwork. In 1980-1990 it was planned to restore the estate, but it was not carried out.

 Despite the state of neglect, the luxurious park laid out in the territory of the estate is a monument of landscape design. It is several centuries; however, the five terraces on which it is laid out are still clearly seen. Originally it was planned to form only a terrace park, but eventually it was transformed into a landscape one. Limes, poplars and maples left unattended has enhanced and become wild; however that adds charming to the amazing historical corner of our country.