The building of Jesuit Collegium dates to the XVII century and is one of the symbols of the city.

The building was constructed in 1604 by the order of the chancellor of Grand Duchy of Lithuania Lieŭ Sapieha, was used as the hall for meetings of local sejmiks — local authority body. In six years Polish king and Grand Duke of Lithuania Žyhimont III gave the building to the Jesuits – for creating here the first educational institution. There were educational rooms, a refectory, archives, a library. A bit later the building was decorated with figured decorative towers with clock. Until the end of the next century the Jesuits built a brick wall which enclosed a whole complex in the form of an irregular pentagon and also raised an imposing Church of Saint Archangel Michael from red brick. In 1820 Orša Collegium was closed because of the prohibition on the activity of the order. The building with all adjacent buildings (including the church) passed to the military department, there was made a city prison castle in it. By the way, the building was used as prison until the end of the XX century. The church was totally devastated and unbricked. And only at the beginning of the XXI century reconstruction works on the renewal of architectural monument were began. The restoration of the building was finished in 2008. After a while an art gallery, an exhibition hall and a children's library were opened at the collegium.

Publication date: 18.05.2017.

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