Mir Castle Complex facts for kids
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
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| Location | Mir, Belarus |
| Criteria | Cultural: ii, iv |
| Inscription | 2000 (24th Session) |
| Area | 27 ha |
The Mir Castle Complex is a famous place in Belarus. It's so special that UNESCO has named it a World Heritage site. You can find it in the town of Mir.
Contents
Building a Grand Castle
The building of this amazing castle started a long time ago, near the end of the 1400s. It was first built in the Gothic style, which has tall, pointed arches and strong walls.
Duke Ilinich finished the first part of the castle in the early 1500s. Later, around 1568, the Mir Castle became the property of Mikołaj Krzysztof "the Orphan" Radziwiłł. He added more to the castle, changing its look to the Renaissance style. This style often includes more decorative details and balanced designs. He even built a large, three-story palace inside the castle walls.
A Journey Through Time
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For almost 100 years, the castle was empty and fell into disrepair. It was also badly damaged during the time of Napoleon's wars. But in the late 1800s, people started to fix it up.
In 1813, a woman named Stefania inherited the castle after her father, Dominik Hieronim Radziwiłł, passed away. She married Ludwig zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. Later, their daughter Maria received the castle. She married Prince Chlodwig Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst.
Their son, Maurice Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst, sold the castle in 1895. The new owner was Nikolai Ivanovitch Sviatopolk-Mirskii. His son, Michail Sviatopolk-Mirski, continued the work to rebuild the castle. They followed plans made by an architect named Teodor Bursze. The Sviatopolk-Mirski family owned the castle until 1939.
The Castle During World War II
During World War II, the castle was taken over by the Nazis. It was used as a ghetto, a place where Jewish people from the area were forced to live. After the war, from 1944 to 1956, the castle was used as a place for people to live. This caused some damage to the inside of the castle.
A World Heritage Site
In December 2000, the Mir Castle Complex was officially recognized by UNESCO. It was added to the list of World Heritage sites. This means it's a very important place that should be protected for everyone to enjoy.
Images for kids
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A view of the castle from its courtyard
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Drawing of Mir Castle by Napoleon Orda
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See also
In Spanish: Palacio de Mir para niños
