urban settlement Svir, located next to the lake of the same name, can really be called a summer attraction point in Belarus. There are many reasons for this, but in this article we will touch on only one - Church of St. Nicholas. This temple is rightfully one of the main attractions of the entire Myadel region; the place has a rich and interesting history.
Svir was mentioned back in the 13th century, and according to legend, the settlement was founded by the Pskov prince - Dovmont. The first wooden church in these lands appeared later - in 1452, through the efforts of Prince Svirsky.
Then there was a period in the history of the town when almost the entire local gentry switched from the Catholic faith to Calvinism. Through the efforts of monks from the Jesuit order, they were able to return the “wrong believers” back to the fold of the correct faith, and also begin the construction of a stone temple.
Work on the construction of the church was completed in 1653, but the Russian-Polish War began almost immediately and the building suffered quite a lot from it. After restoration, the temple was solemnly consecrated in honor of St. Nicholas.
In the middle of the 19th century, the church of St. Nicholas was renovated, and until 1863 everything was relatively calm.
That majestic temple that can be seen today in village of Svir, rebuilt in 1903-08 on the foundation of its ancient predecessor.
Little remains of the old church: part of the bell tower and basement basements.
And this is what the temple looked like according to the 17th century foundation.
Nicholas Church belongs to the eclectic architectural style with neo-baroque elements. The main façade is without towers, has 2 tiers, and is decorated with pilasters, niches, complex cornices and pinnacles.
Inside the temple has 3 naves and a typical baroque interior.
Due to the major restructuring of the 20th century, there is no symmetry in the temple, which is why the architecture of the church seems so unusual (in fact, it is, after all, the building was rotated 90 degrees).
In the 60s, the Svirsky Church was closed for a long 30 years, after which reconstruction and revival of the parish began. The temple is almost in the very center of the village, it can be found without any problems.
What else to see in these parts? On the opposite side of the lake is the town of Zasvir, where a unique church and monastery ruins. A little further is the village Shemetovo with a church and former the Skirmuntov estate. And even more sights of Belarus on our map.
