Castle sights in Belarus

1. Novi Zamak

   • Hrodna, Belarus
   • Sights › Castle

   On the opposite side of the bluff to Stari Zamak (Old Castle), and overlooking the river is the Novi Zamak (New Castle), built in 1737 as the royal palace for the Polish king August III. Originally built in opulent rococo-style, it was gutted by fire when the Soviets retook Hrodna from the Germans in 1944 and rebuilt in a yawn-inspiring classical style (notice the Soviet emblem above the columns).

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2. Stari Zamak

   • Hrodna, Belarus
   • Sights › Castle

   Two castles face each other in the city centre, and although not overly impressive, are still worth a look. The Novi Zamak (New Castle) is to the southeast and the Stari Zamak (Old Castle) to the northwest and each houses a branch of the Historical and Architectural Museum. Between the castles is a wooden carving of Vytautas the Great, the Lithuanian leader responsible for Stari Zamak, which was built in the 14th century on a site the Kyivan Rus settlers had established a few centuries earlier.

   The only original remains are the sections of wall to the left as you enter, from which there are nice views across the river. The rest was cheaply refurnished in a pseudomodern…

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