The Catholic Church of St. Barbara is an active Roman Catholic church in Viciebsk, an architectural monument of the 19th century.

The first information about the Catholic church dates back to the second half of the 18th century, when the marshal of the Haradocki District Antonij Kosaŭ in 1785 financed the construction of a wooden Catholic church. In the same year, the church was consecrated in honor of St. Barbara, the patron saint of the good death. In the early 80s of the 19th century, the Parish of St. Barbara numbered about 2000 people, but the church could accommodate only 150 people. There was a need to build a larger Catholic church. As a result, a new Catholic church, which was consecrated on December 4, 1884 under the title of St. Barbara and St. Joseph, was erected on the site of the old one. On the territory of the Catholic church there was a priest's house and a small hospital, which were made of wood.

In 1935, in line with the anti-religious policy of the Soviet government, the Catholic Church of St. Barbara was closed. The monument of neo-Romanesque architecture was adapted to the warehouse of fertilizers. During the World War II, the former church was badly damaged. In 1988, at the end of the Soviet period, restoration work began in the building, it was planned to make an organ music hall here.

In the early 90s of the 20th century, thanks to the Dominican Januš Skenčak, the Parish of St. Barbara was restored. It was officially registered in 1992. In 1993, Archbishop Kazimir Sviontak consecrated the restored Catholic church.

The Catholic Church of St. Barbara is a monument of neo-Romanesque architecture. Three-nave, two-towered basilica of red brick. The main facade stands out by two two-tiered towers, the first tier is tetrahedral, the second tier is hexagonal. Between the towers there is a triangular pediment on the width of the central nave. Decorative bricks are widely used in the decoration of the church: cornice belts, geometric patterns at the end of the tower tiers, etc. The interior is three-nave, the naves are covered with cylindrical arch covers with vaulting cells.

Publication date: 12.02.2021.

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