Niasviž

General view of Nesvizh.

Niasviž (Cyrillic: Нясьві́ж, Nesvyžius; Lithuanian, Нясві́ж; Russian: Несвиж, Nesvizh; Polish: Nieśwież) is a city in Belarus. It is the administrative center of the Niasviž District (rajon) of Minsk Province and location of a UNESCO World Heritage Site entitled Architectural, Residential and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Niasviž .

Niasviž was first documented in 1223. In the 15th century, while still a minor town, it passed to the great Radziwiłł princely family. Since then and until 1939, the foremost branch of that illustrious family developed Niasviž as its family nest. In 1562, shortly before Grand Duchy of Lithuania joined the Kingdom of Poland in personal union to create Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the first book in Belarusian language was allegedly printed there (no Belorussian language in conventional sense existed at that time).

The Corpus Christi Church (1587-93) was one of the earliest (if not the earliest) Jesuit church in the world and the first baroque structure in Poland. Its Italianate design exerted immense influence on architecture of Belarus, Poland and Lithuania.

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