26.10.2026
On Saturday, the labor collective of the of the State Enterprise Belarusian Printing House Publishing Co went on an excursion tour “Legacy of the Times”. The route passed through Kossovo and Ruzhany, ancient towns where architectural monuments and places associated with famous historical figures have been preserved. The trip was an opportunity to take a short break from everyday worries, spend time together and get to know the history of their native land better.
Acquaintance with Kossovo began with the Kossovo Palace and Park complex, the former residence of the Puslovsky gentry. Its unusual appearance, towers and expressive architectural details distinguish the palace from other historical buildings in the region. The complex recalls the time when the manor was an important center of the life of the local nobility.
The names of famous cultural and historical figures are associated with the Kossovsky Palace. Over the years, the writer Henryk Sienkiewicz, the artist Napoleon Orda, the writer Eliza Azheska, the historian Vaclav Lastowski and Jozef Pilsudski were among his visitors. These names help to imagine how wide the cultural and social ties that developed around the historical estates were.
During the tour, the participants learned about the owners of the palace, its past and the fate of the complex. Today it remains an important landmark of Kossovo and one of the most recognizable architectural monuments of Polesie. An inspection of the palace allowed us to see how the history of the place consists not only of dates and events, but also of the fate of the people who lived or visited here.
Another significant point of the route is the Merechevshchyna estate, the ancestral home of Tadeusz Kosciuszko, the national hero of Belarus. The early years of his life are connected with this place, and therefore a visit to the estate became a special part of the tour. Here, the conversation about the past takes on a personal scale: the story of a famous figure is revealed through the space in which his childhood passed.
Kosciusko’s name is also associated with the monuments of Kossovo’s sacred architecture. The tour participants visited the Trinity Church, where he was baptized, as well as the church of St. Anthony of the 19th century and the wooden Assumption Church. These temples differ from each other in the time of construction and architecture, but together they show how diverse the religious and cultural heritage of the town was.
The route also includes a Catholic cemetery. Among his graves are the graves of participants in the uprising of 1863-1864, associated with the name of Kastus Kalinovsky. Such places remind us that the history of the region is not only palaces and manors, but also the fate of people whose actions and beliefs have become part of the memory of subsequent generations.
From Kossovo, the tourists went to Ruzhany, a place with a rich history, closely associated with the Sapieha family. This magnate family has played a significant role in the life of the Belarusian lands for centuries. Ruzhany was one of his possessions, and the local palace and park ensemble served as a symbol of the family’s influence and high position.
Today, fragments of the palace complex have been preserved from the once grandiose residence. Even in their current state, they give an idea of the scale of the plan and how significant this structure was during its heyday. The palace has gone through different historical eras, and today its ruins remain one of the main symbols of the ruins. The preserved walls, arched openings and facade elements allow us to imagine the former appearance of the residence and the scale of construction work.
During the walk, the tourists got acquainted with the history of the palace and its owners, and also learned about the importance of Ruzhany in the life of the region. The story about the architectural ensemble helped to see beyond the ancient walls not just a monument of the past, but a place connected with the political, social and cultural history of Belarus.
However, the sights of Ruzhan are not limited to the palace complex. The tour participants visited the synagogue building, the Peter and Paul Church, the former Basilan Monastery and the Trinity Church. Each of these objects complements the historical appearance of the town and tells about different pages of its life.
A special place in the program was occupied by the Peter and Paul Church, where the revered Ruzhanskaya Icon of the Mother of God is kept. It was an opportunity for the guests to learn about local religious traditions and see a shrine significant to the parishioners. Such stops help to understand that the cultural heritage consists not only of famous palaces, but also of temples, shrines and the historical memory of the inhabitants.
The “Legacy of the Times” tour became a rich and informative journey for the staff of the State Enterprise Belarusian Printing House Publishing Co. In one day, the participants saw monuments from different eras, heard stories about the fates of famous people and got acquainted with the architecture that has been shaped over the centuries.
Kossovo and Ruzhany impress in different ways. In Kossovo, attention is drawn to the Puslovsky Palace, the Merechevshchyna estate and places associated with Tadeusz Kosciuszko. Ruzhany is remembered for the ruins of the Sapieha residence and the variety of historical temples. Together, these cities allow us to see how multilayered the history of Belarusian towns is.
The trip also provided an opportunity to spend time outside of the usual work environment, to chat and share common impressions. Such trips help you get to know your native land better and feel connected to its past. And the landscapes of the Belarusian Polesie have become a natural addition to the route – a calm backdrop for a conversation about history, architecture and people.
Returning home, the participants took with them not only new knowledge, but also vivid impressions of meeting places where the past remains a part of today. The tour reminded us that in order to discover interesting pages of history, sometimes it is enough to set off on a journey through our native Belarus.
