Rising majestically on the hill church ruins remind of the forgotten history of Oshmyany. At the beginning of the 16th century, the old part of the city (it was called Right Bank) was given to the Franciscans, a Catholic order of monks founded Francis of Assisi. Through their efforts, a wooden church was erected, consecrated in the name of the Virgin Mary, on the site of which a stone version will then be rebuilt.
In one of the many wars taking place across our lands, the temple was badly damaged. The fire destroyed the monastery buildings of the Franciscans, and the church itself burned out almost entirely.
The monks quickly managed to restore their complex on the old foundation. The new church was a building in the construction of which stone and wood were used, with features of Gothic architecture.
However, this temple also suffered a sad fate - in 1812 it was destroyed, presumably by French soldiers.
As you understand, the Franciscan monks did not give up and the next restoration took place in 1822, but this time the building was already completely rebuilt from brick. It is the ruins of the church of that period that can be seen today.
Next to the temple was located Franciscan monastery, but his buildings have not survived to this day. In 1832, the activities of the Catholic order were banned, and the monks were expelled.
All that remains of the powerful church are high walls with narrow window openings, in some places overgrown with grass. On the facade you can see columns with a pediment and crumbling bricks. Nothing remained inside, emptiness and only a walking wind.
Despite its rather abandoned appearance, the former church remains a religious site of the city. The place where the ruins are located, the inhabitants called "Oshmyany Golgotha" and every year a kind of pilgrimage takes place here. Catholics carry a huge cross from church of saint michael and set up on the mountain. This tradition has existed in Oshmyany since the early 90s.
It will be easy to find this city attraction, the landmark is the district hospital, below is the point with the location on the map:
In addition to this abandoned temple in Oshmyany, be sure to visit the unique synagogue. I also recommend visiting Golshany и Boruny.
