The Baranovichi district of the Brest region is especially rich in attractions and interesting places. For example, not far from the M1 highway there is a village Stolovichi, where you can see the only one on the territory of modern Belarus Temple of the Knights of MaltaOriginally it was a church, and today it is the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky.
Stolovichi has a long history, and the place was mentioned in chronicles as early as the 14th century. It is also known that in the first half of the 17th century the Order of the Knights of Malta settled in these parts (What is the Order of Malta? It is a religious knightly order that has quite a wide influence throughout the world), who were invited here by Nikolai Radziwill Sirotka. During the same period, the first wooden church was founded, on the site of which, almost 30 years later, the construction of a stone chapel began.
In 1736, the architect Joseph Fontana III presented his project for a new stone church and soon they began to build the temple. However, the work was difficult and in 1743 the place of the chief architect was taken by the famous master Vilna Baroque - Johann Glaubitz. The project of the future church is partially changed, according to the revisions and comments of Glaubitz. And three years later, the Church of John the Baptist already stood in Stolovichi.
In 1817, the Order of Malta officially ceased to exist on the territory of Belarus. During the period of active struggle against Catholicism (after the defeat of the 1863 uprising), the temple was rebuilt into the Assumption Church. The building was partially rebuilt in 1868, 5 domes were added to give the architecture a traditional Orthodox style.
In its architecture, the former church of the Order of Malta is an excellent example of Baroque architecture. The building has a rather strict, but plastic facade decorated with pilasters. The towers have three tiers and are the same height as the pediment. The walls are cut through with high arched windows, the interior and the space inside are divided into 3 naves.
The Orthodox domes and light drum were dismantled in the first half of the 20th century, when Stołowicze was part of interwar Poland.
Near the temple, pay attention to the memorial stone erected in memory of the battle between the troops of Hetman Oginsky and the Russian army under the command of Suvorov in 1771.
Today, the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky in the village of Stolovichi is active and receives parishioners. The landmark is located on the central street of Stolovichi and is clearly visible even on the approach, below is a point with a mark on the map:
There is another interesting object nearby – Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, I also recommend going to Karchovo.