Lubcha Castle
Encyclopedia
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
of the Radziwill family on the left bank of the Neman River
Neman River
Neman or Niemen or Nemunas, is a major Eastern European river rising in Belarus and flowing through Lithuania before draining into the Curonian Lagoon and then into the Baltic Sea at Klaipėda. It is the northern border between Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast in its lower reaches...
at Lubcha
Lubcha
Lubcha is a township near Neman River, in Belarus, Hrodna Voblast, Navahrudak rajon, 23 km from Navahrudak.-Sights:* Lubcz Castle of the Radziwill family* Orthodox church of St. Elijah * Catholic church, 1930* Old Jewish cemetery...
near Navahradak
Navahradak
-Early history:First mentioned in the Sophian First Chronicle and Fourth Novgorod Chronicle in 1044 in relation to a war of Yaroslav I the Wise against Lithuanian tribes. It was also mentioned in the Hypatian Codex under 1252 as Novogorodok -Early history:First mentioned in the Sophian First...
.
The castle began its life in the 1580s as a fortified residence of Jan Kiszka
Jan Kiszka
Jan Kiszka was a politician, magnate, patron, and benefactor of Polish brethren in the 16th century Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Kiszka served as Carver of Lithuania from 1569, Royal Deputy Cupbearer of Lithuania and Elder of Samogitia from 1579, castellan of Vilnius from 1588, voivode of Brest...
, a powerful Calvinist magnate
Magnate
Magnate, from the Late Latin magnas, a great man, itself from Latin magnus 'great', designates a noble or other man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or other qualities...
. It had timber walls, a single stone tower
Tower
A tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
, and was surrounded by moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
s on three sides, the fourth side protected by the river.
Lubcha later passed to Janusz Radziwiłł, Great Hetman of Lithuania, who expanded the castle by adding three stone towers. In 1655 it was taken and devastated by the rebellious Cossacks under Ivan Zolotarenko.
Only the barbican
Barbican
A barbican, from medieval Latin barbecana, signifying the "outer fortification of a city or castle," with cognates in the Romance languages A barbican, from medieval Latin barbecana, signifying the "outer fortification of a city or castle," with cognates in the Romance languages A barbican, from...
and one other tower were left standing after the Cossack incursion. The deserted estate changed owners several times, remaining untenanted until the mid-19th century, when a Gothic Revival palace was built on the grounds.
The Lubcha estate suffered much damage during both world war
World war
A world war is a war affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations. World wars span multiple countries on multiple continents, with battles fought in multiple theaters....
s. The palace was reduced to a shell in 1914 and was remodeled into a school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
building by the Soviets in 1947.