One of the city's unique attractions Slutsk - this building the oldest school in Belarus, built at the Calvinist church at the beginning of the 17th century on behalf of Janusz Radziwill. The first version of the school was made of wood and was located in the same place as the future stone gymnasium. From the first days of its work, the school was able to set a certain level, which only increased every year. In many ways, this was the merit of strong teachers who came to Slutsk from different countries in search of opportunities for implementation. Often such teachers were ardent humanists, who were not particularly welcome in Europe at that time. In 1630 Slutsk school received the status of a gymnasium, which will remain for a long 300 years.
The stone building of the gymnasium, made in classicist architecture, began to be built in 1828. It is this building that has survived to this day, albeit in a partially rebuilt form.
The list of eminent students and teachers of the gymnasium looks really impressive. For example, a Slutsk student was Edward Voinilovich, fundator "Red" church in Minsk.
Slutsk gymnasium not without reason was considered progressive and innovative. Here they constantly searched for new methods and approaches in pedagogy. Some of the tricks were quite radical: for example, at some point, students were given beer for the successful study of Latin. But still, the methods were based on dialogue and the desire to teach students to think and reflect. Therefore, it is not surprising that many graduates of the gymnasium became famous people.
On an old picture Napoleon Orda draws attention Calvin collection with features of neo-gothic architecture. The history of this building is full of secret gaps that are quite problematic to figure out.
The Slutsk collection was rebuilt in stone closer to 1851, it is believed that according to the project of the architect Casimir Hrshchanovic. On account of which the participation and creation of many objects in Minsk, including: the town hall, Church of Mary Magdalene, governor's house, Pishchalovsky Castle.
During the Second World War, the building of the former Calvin collection was destroyed, only the tower partially survived, which was dismantled in the post-war years.
There is a rather interesting fact: in 1923, Yakub Kolas gave a lecture for teachers at the gymnasium, who then for the first time read out excerpts from his book to an open audience. poem "New Land".
The building of the oldest school in Belarus was restored by 1949 and classes continued here almost immediately. In 1980, the old building was connected to a new brick building, and since 1998 the educational institution has received the status city gymnasium number 1.
It will be interesting to see in Slutsk Cathedral of Saint Michael the Archangel, another old school, as well as a former Bernardine monastery.
