A unique temple representing five architectural styles at once. These walls remember Kanstancin Astrožski.

Although the temple is dated by 1517–1519 years, in fact it was built much earlier. Archaeological research relates the foundation of the Orthodox church to the XII century. This makes it one of the oldest in Belarus. The modern walls of the temple were built at the beginning of the XVI century. The famous hetman Kanstancin Astrožski, with the participation of the Lithuanian Orthodox Metropolitan Jazep Soltan, was the sponsor. At that time, instead of the Polack and Byzantine techniques, the widespread Gothic and Renaissance styles were used.

Centuries later, the temple passed to the Uniates. Metropolitan Jazep Rucki founded two monasteries at the temple: male and female. The church building underwent changes itself. It was given the features of the Sarmatian Baroque style, fashionable at that time, while retaining certain Gothic elements – buttresses. In one row with the towers, a bell tower was added to the building itself; this gave the temple an asymmetrical look.

Another restructuring awaited the church in the XIX century. After the liquidation of the Uniate Church in 1839, this temple was given to the Orthodoxies. It was rebuilt in a pseudo-Russian style. However, this reconstruction did not end there. While Western Belarus was part of Poland, local authorities tried to give the church its former appearance.

In Soviet times, the temple was closed and used as a branch of the Hrodna archive. But, despite the winding fate, nevertheless the divine services returned to these walls. The church was returned to believers in 1996. The last changes in the appearance of the temple took place in 2010, when domes, unusual for the Belarusian architecture, appeared on the towers.

Publication date: 23.02.2021.

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