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3. Minsk
4. Slutsk - centre of the famous silk sashes production

Slutsk - centre of the famous silk sashes production

Welcome to Slutsk!

The town of Slutsk is located in the central part of Belarus, 105 kilometers from Minsk. This is one of the oldest towns in Belarus, which is mentioned in the ancient annals in 1116. In the 15th century painting, jewelry making and bone carving developed in the town. In 1624, one of the oldest schools in Belarus, the Slutsk Gymnasium, was opened in Slutsk, which had strong ties with the University of Konigsberg, Berlin, Frankfurt on the Oder. At the beginning of the 18th century, a professional theater, a ballet school, and the “Batleika” theater operated at the court of Prince Radziwill. The most famous became Slutsk factory manufacturing silk sashes with gold and silver threads, which had operated from 1736 to 1844. Currently, residents of Slutsk revive and develop centuries-old traditions and crafts of their area. You will be convinced of it having become acquainted with this town closer. 

St.Mikhail Russian Orthodox Cathedral (18th century)

Slutsk sightseeing includes:

The cathedral was built in 1786. This is the only surviving building of the many Slutsk shrines and the only example of the Slutsk school of Polesye wooden church architecture of the 18th century, which has no direct analogues in Belarus. Everything else looked the same as today:  the multi-tiered volumes, crowned by octagonal light drums with baroque domes, and the closed gallery surrounding the temple, only the floor in the gallery was brick. The internal area of the church was 20 square fathoms, and the altar - 5. Then the temple was decorated with an ancient four-tier iconostasis, with white gilded cornices, it had 14 icons of “old painting” and 6 - “new”.

Temple of Bezserebrennikov Cosmas and Damian of the Female Monastery in Honor of the righteous  Sofia, princess of Slutsk

The revival of the spiritual life in the country began in the late 1992 - early 1993, with the blessing of Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret, it was decided to create another Orthodox community in the city. The Slutskiy executive committee approved on June 26, 1993 the name of the new parish in honor of the holy martyrs and unrequited people of Cosmas and Damian of Rome, who suffered in 284. Having learned the art of medicine, the holy brothers healed people from diseases with the assistance of the grace of God. They did not take rewards from anyone for healing - for this they were called "medical doctors without payment."

Monument to Anastasiya Slutskaya 

Anastasiya Slutskaya is one of the most famous persons of the 16^th century and a symbol of great love and sacrifice for her Motherland. At the beginning of the XVIth century Slutsk was repeatedly besieged by Crimean Tatars. In 1503, the Slutsk prince Semyon died, and the control of the town passed to his beautiful wife Anastasia, since their son was still too small. The princely wife put on armor, she herself led the defense of the city, and Slutsk managed to resist the Tatars. Anastasia often attracted the attention of her contemporaries, and many legends, including romantic ones, were associated with her personality. It was rumored that one prince was besieging Slutsk, only to conquer Anastasia’s heart. In any case, she managed the town with dignity and after her son Yuriy grew up she passed Slutsk into his hands.

Monument to St.Sofiya Slutskaya

Princess Sofiya Slutskaya became a last representative of the famous Olelkoviches family. At the age of 2 she remained without parents, and soon lost other close relatives. When the girl was 15 years old, she was married to Prince Janusz Radziwill, who was Catholic. She devoted her life to strengthen the Orthodox Church in her area of Slutsk and actively participated in charity work and helped the church. Her private life was tragic, however. First, her daughter and son died in nfancy. At 26, the princess gave birth to a dead girl, and she herself died during childbirth. Her husband Janush Radziwill did his best to preserve Orthodox churches in the town of Slutsk, not a single one was converted into the Uniate church, in spite of the fact that he himself was Catholic. In subsequent centuries the Radziwills, owners of the town, managed to defend Orthodoxy in Slutsk and the area, strictly following the traditions of St.Sofiya.

Architectural value present buildings of the past centuries such as the House of the Nobility's Assembly, theological school, men's gymnasium and a. post station.

Museums

Museum of the history of Slutsk sashes

The production of sashes at the Slutsk manufactory was established in the second half of the 18th century; around 200 belts of the finest work a year were manufactured. The museum is dived in several zones. In the zone "Slutsk sashes" the original and a copy of the Slutsk sash are presented. Sashes were made of silk, gold and silver threads. One sash could contain from 65 to 200 grams of precious metal. Sashes were made one-sided (with the reverse side), two-sided (both sides were the front ones). The four-sided Slutsk sashes were considered the most valuable - each side of the belt was divided into two parts with different colors, the sash folded in half.