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4. Chechersk - "Tiny St. Petersburg"

Chechersk - "Tiny St. Petersburg"

Welcome to the town of Chechersk!

Throughout its history, Chechersk was alternately part of Kievan Rus, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Polish-Lithuania Commonwealth and at last of the Russian Empire at the end of the 18^th century. Catherine the Great presented the town to the Count Chernyshev, future Governor General of Moscow. It was under him that the town flourished amazingly. He adored St.Petrsburg wherefrom he came to live in the town and was eager to make from Chechersk a tiny copy of St. Petersburg.

Town Hall

Town hall is a visiting card of the town. This is the only Town Hall in Belarus which has 5 towers instead of one. Moreover, they are all made from wood. The towers have battlements at the top, symbolizing the fact that the royal people visited the town. Those included Catherine the Great, emperors Alexander II and Nicholas I. Inside, in the center of the building, there is a huge column which is the trunk of a huge oak, onto which during the construction the whole building was strung. "The Crowned Beauty" is the highest buiding in the town. It has been a winess of all important events and the most exciting festivities in the life of the town.

Russian Orthodox Church of the Resurrection

It is only in Chechersk and nowhere else in Belarus where a round temple - the rotunda can be found. This is the Transfiguration Church which is one of the four religious buildings built by order of the Count Chernyshev.  And  it is also the only one that survived. The consecration ceremony was attended by Catherine II herself.  A remarkable thing is that the temple was intended for ordinary people of the town and the surrounding area. Inside the church one can still admire miraculously preserved  ancient icons of Italian masters and local artist Yan Sankovich.

Estate of Chernyshevs-Kruglikovs

The estate started to be constructed by the count Zakariy Chernyshev as soon as he received the settlement of Chechersk as a gift from Catherine the Great in 1774. The architecture of the palace clearly traces the features of late Gothic and romanticism. In the exterior Eclecticism dominates profoundly. The structure acquires its final appearance only in 1860, after numerous reorganizations and modifications. The estate had been the center of cultural and social life of the entire region within two centuries. The serf theater and an orchestra used to perform with a great success here. The palace was visited by the poet Aleksandr Pushkin. It is said that Catherine the Great herself stayed in the estate during her visit to the town.