Welcome to Belarus!: Bykhov city and Bykhov Castle in Belarus.

Coat of arms of the city of Bykhov.

The first mentions of Bykhov date back to the XIV century.

The history of Belarus is dramatic: battles, divisions of territories, sieges ... Old buildings, peers, and witnesses of these events, are located not only in large cities but also in very small settlements.

One of these towns that keep the memory of the past is Bykhov.

The city belonged to the Lithuanian princes - first the Grand Duke Svidrigailo, then passed to the Gashtold family, in the 16th century Bykhov was the property of the Khodkevich magnates, and in the 16th century, the famous politician and military leader of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Lev Sapega became the owner of the city.

In 1590, the Lithuanian hetman Jan Chodkiewicz, having received a royal charter for the construction of stone fortifications, began the construction of the castle. Under L. Sapega, the construction of fortifications was completed.

The city was turned into a mighty fortress, one of the best at that time. Fortifications and residential quarters were erected according to a well-thought-out plan: the center of the settlement was a castle located above the Dnieper, which protected it from the east.

On the other sides, it was strengthened by moats, earthen ramparts with bastions and ravelins. In front of the castle, there was a large square that served as a parade ground for training the garrison. On both sides of the square were residential quarters with a regular layout.

The castle itself was an architectural ensemble in the Baroque style. The palace and castle complex consisted of several buildings - the main building, outbuildings, barracks, and three defensive towers. The main building contained ceremonial halls and a gallery, as well as living quarters. A high watchtower was located in the center of the outer facade of the castle.

Bykhov had to withstand several sieges. In 1648, the rebellious Ukrainian Cossacks and peasants tried unsuccessfully to take the fortress; during the Russian-Polish war of 1654-1667. the castle was besieged in 1654 and 1659 by Russian troops, in 1661 the tsarist troops surrendered to hetman Czarnecki. During the Northern War (1700-1721), Russian troops twice besieged the fortress, the result of the second siege was the signing in June 1707 of an agreement on the terms of surrender. After that, Russian troops remained in the city for seven years, then during the retreat, the fortifications were destroyed. During the reign of the Sapieha princes, the fortress was partially restored.

In 1772 Bykhov withdrew to Russia during the division of the Commonwealth and lost its strategic importance. However, the castle, despite the destruction, remained an impressive structure for a long time. In 1870 the fortress was repaired and equipped as a barracks. At the beginning of the 20th century, ramparts and ditches were leased to local residents, who dug and built them up. Throughout the XX century, the castle was gradually destroyed. In the 90s, a woodworking workshop was located here, but in 2004 a fire broke out, and the fortress was completely abandoned.

In 2014, the restoration of the citadel began, the two outer towers were restored and the entrances to the castle were closed. In 2016-2018, the Belarusian authorities have promised a new stage of reconstruction.

In addition to the castle, in Bykhov there is another interesting building of the 17th century - a synagogue. The thickness of the walls (about 2m), the presence of a tower located separately in the corner, and loopholes confirm the assumptions about the defensive nature of the building. Of interest is also the Trinity Church, built in the 19th century and is an outstanding example of wooden architecture.