Red Church

This postcard was sent by Nadya from Belarus via postcarossing [BY-139693]. It shows the Catholic Church of Saints Simon and Helena at Minsk.

Church of Saints Simon and Helen, Minsk (Belarusian: Касцёл святых Сымона і Алены) also known as the Red Church (Belarusian: Чырвоны касцёл) is a Roman Catholic church on the Independence Square in Minsk, Belarus.

The church was built in 1905-1910. The construction was financed by Edward Woyniłłowicz, a prominent Polish and Belarusian civic activist. The church was named and consecrated in the memory of Woyniłłowicz's departed children Szymon (Simon) and Helena (Helen).

In 1923 the church was robbed by the Red Army and in 1932 it was closed down by the Soviet authorities and transferred to the State Polish Theatre of the BSSR. Before the Second World War the church was reconstructed into a film studio.

In 1941 the German occupation administration allowed the church to be used, but after the war it was closed down yet again.

In 1990 the building was given back to the Catholic Church. Since then it was renewed and became an important centre of religious, cultural and social life. It also became a centre for the revived Belarusian Greek Catholic Church. [wikipedia]

Catholic Church of St. Mary in Minsk

This postcard was sent to me by Ihar, a mathematics teacher, from Minsk, Belarus, via postcrossing [BY-129582]. It shows the Cathedral of Saint Virgin Mary.

Cathedral of Saint Virgin Mary (Belarusian: Архікатэдральны касцёл Імя Найсвяцейшай Панны Марыі) is a Roman Catholic baroque cathedral in Minsk. The cathedral was built in 1710 as a church of the Jesuit monastery. In 1793, after Russia's taking over Belarus, the Jesuit order was banned and the church got a local status. Soon, after creation of the Minsk diocese, the church became the local cathedral.

Nesvizh Castle

This beautiful postcard was sent to me by Maria from Minsk in Belarus via postcrossing [BY-118414]. It shows Nesvizh Castle in Belarus.

Nesvizh Castle or Niasvizh Castle (Belarusian: Нясвіжскі замак, Niasvižski zamak) is a residential castle of the Radziwill family in Nesvizh in Belarus.

The estate was owned by the Radziwiłł Polish magnate family from 1533, when it was awarded to Mikołaj Radziwiłł and his brother Jan Radziwiłł after the extinction of the Kiszka family. Since the Radziwills were one of the most important and wealthy clans of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, it was there that the Lithuanian Archive was moved in 1551. In 1586 the estate was turned into an ordynacja.

In 1582 Mikołaj Krzysztof "Sierotka" Radziwiłł, the Marshal of Lithuania, voivode of Trakai and Vilnius and castellan of Šiauliai, started the construction of an imposing square three-storey chateau. Although the works were based on a pre-existing structure of a mediæval castle, the former fortifications were entirely turned into a renaissance-baroque house. Construction was completed by 1604, and they added several galleries half a century later. The château's corners were fortified with four octagonal towers.

Belarus

 This lovely postcard arrived today. It was sent to me by Tacciana in Belarus via postcrossing [BY-90737]. As Tacciana sais, this old record player can be seen at the Belarusian Heritage Museum. Very impressive are the stamps, which "show the national holiday "End of Reaping". The lady in the stamp is wearing a namitka, a pice of white cloth tied in a very tricky way."

I was very happy with this postcard! I didn't know anything about Belarus, and now I know a thing or two! I hope I will receive more postcards from that country :)