For the architectural pearl – to Vysokoe

Brest region is rich in cultural and architectural heritage. A small town Vysokoe, located 40 kilometers fr om the ancient Kamyanets, can boast of its marvelous architectural monument. Right here you can find a well-preserved Potockye Palace. Its history is inextricably linked with the history of the town itself.

Vysokoe: History Pages

The first mention of Vysokoe was in the chronicles in the XIV century, when the settlement was also called High City (Vysokiy Gorod). However, the transformation of its name did not end there: a little bit later it was called High-Lithuanian (Vysoko-Litovsk), and up to the Second World War it was known under this name.

In 1494 the town was one of the first to receive the Magdeburg Rights, and along with it its own coat of arms (a silver two-storied tower with a tiled roof and two windows on a blue background). During its existence, Vysokoe was part of the prince's lands and of private estates.

Pelageya Potockaya, her maiden name was Sapega, initiated the construction of a luxurious estate in Vysokoe. In 1815 a palace built of stone appeared here. It was a one-story rectangular building with a rich interior.

In addition, next to it there were two outbuildings, which formed the courtyard. Nearby there was another office building. A picturesque park surrounded a palace complex. It was of a landscape style with the area of fifty hectares. The building of the palace and 20 hectares of the park have survived to the present day in fairly good condition. The park is of special value because on its territory there is still an impressive number of rare species of plants and trees, among which one would like to mention the Austrian pine, European larch, crooked oak, northern white-cedar, yellow and white acacia.

The fate of Potockye estate is noteworthy nowadays. For a long time the authorities tried to sell the architectural monument by auction. However, the dilapidated building was so overpriced that a Minsk businessman bought it only after it fell in price several times. The owner of the manor is happy with his acquisition. In the future, after careful restoration, he intends to turn the pearl of Brest region into a hotel-museum, wh ere the guests-rooms will be located on the ground floor. In the outbuildings he wants to open spa complexes. Let us hope that the entrepreneur will be able to make these grandiose plans a reality and he will manage to preserve a wonderful architectural heritage for us.