Belarus - Nyasvizh Castle

As many of my official cards got stuck last month, I decided to finally try tagging on the postcrossing forum :) UNESCO tag has immediatelly become my favorite one and I've already received several wonderful cards this way :) My goal of receiving cars showing 100 different UNESCO sites seems to be a bit closer ;)

This card comes from Belarus (And was written in Belarussian! I rarely have any opportunity to practise this language, so I'm always glad about it) and shows the main tower of Nyasvizh castle, which has been a UNESCO site since 2005.



Nesvizh Castle (Belarusian: Нясьвіскі замак, Niasvižski zamak) is a residential castle of the Radziwill family in Niasviž in Belarus.

The estate was owned by the Radziwiłł magnate family from 1533, when it was awarded to Mikołaj Radziwiłł and his brother Jan Radziwiłł after the extinction of the Kiszka family.
In 1582 Mikołaj Krzysztof "Sierotka" Radziwiłł, the Marshal of Lithuania, started the construction of an imposing square three-storey chateau. Although the works were based on a pre-existing structure of a mediæval castle, the former fortifications were entirely turned into a renaissance-baroque house. Construction was completed by 1604, and they added several galleries half a century later. The château's corners were fortified with four octagonal towers.

In 1994, the castle complex was designated the national historical and cultural reserve. Twelve years later, the castle complex was inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Belarus - Belarusian State Open Air Museum

I received this card from a Belarusian girl as a thank-you for official cards that I sent her before (maybe it's not very fair that I always send more than 1 card, when I get addresses from certain countries, but it's not prohibited, is it?) ;) It was a really nice surprise :)

This card shows the Belarusian State Open Air Museum, where you can see, what was the life of Belarusian people like in the past. The houses shown on this card were bulit in the beginning of 20th century and come from different regions.

Belarus - Minsk

I received this card in the Slavic countries RR :) According to the sender, that's the most multiview card that can be find there :) Actually, I've noticed myself, that in East European countries (like Russia or Ukraine) it's much easier to find single view cards than any multivew.
As I've written here some months ago, I'd like to go to Belarus someday... But that would be much easier if I didn't need a visa.

Belarus - New Year card

Here's a colorful New Year card from Belarus :)
"З Новым Годам" (Z Novym Hodam) means "Happy New Year" in Belarussian language :)

Belarus - Minsk

Here's another card from Belarus (a country that I've never been to, but I'm learning the language and I hope to go there someday) :) It shows the City Hall and Svaboda (Freedom) Square in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. I've received this card from my penpal :)

Belarus - Pruzhany (BY-5409)

I think I'm quite lucky, because I've already received 2 official cards from Belarus, which doesn't have so many active postcrossers... This card makes me think I'm even more lucky, because it was written in Belarussian! :) As I've written in one of my previous posts, most of people in Belarus speak Russian instead of Belarussian, so I'm really glad that someone decided to write me in this beautiful language!

This postcard shows the Catholic church in Pruzhany (Пружаны), a town in Brest Region.

BY-5409

Belarus - Minsk

I received this wonderful postcard showing the National Library of Belarus in Minsk in Slavic countries & Rest of the world RR :) And it's written in Belarussian! :))) Вялікі дзякуй, Марына!

Belarus - Mahiloŭ

Here's another postcard from Belarus :) I received it from my penpal, who lives there. It shows the Art Museum in Mahiloŭ (Магілёў in Belarussian or Могилёв in Russia). Mahiloŭ is the 3rd largest city in Belarus and the it's the centre of Mahiloŭ region. I haven't been there. But I'd like to :)

Belarus - Baranavichy (BY-4499)

It's my first official postcard from Belarus :) It shows central square in Baranavichy (Баранавічы in Belarussian, or Барановичи in Russian). I was really glad to receive it, because I've been learning Belarussian language for 2 years (although I haven't been to Belarus yet). What makes me sad is that some Belarussian people that I've met told me, that I spoke Belarussian better than most of Belarussians. Is my Belarussian really so excellent? No, it's not. Probably I'm on advanced level, but I'm not sure, because I haven't taken any test. The problem is that most of Belarussian people speak Russian as their 1st language and, as far as I know, there's no university, where Belarussian students could learn in Belarussian language. There are many reasons of this situation - historical and political... and I don't think that's the right place to discuss it... But I hope that at least some people will talk to me in Belarussian, when I finally go to Belarus :)

BY-4499