Church of Yurij in Polonechka

Polonechkovsky church of St. George - neo-gothic architectural monument, built in 1899 by architect Karl Voytekhovsky funded Albert Radziwill.

The church square with two towers on the main facade. Decorated patch details.

Inside the temple is decorated with carved wooden altar, icons XVIII - XIX centuries. The temple served as the burial place of the Radziwill family, the last owners of the estate in Polonechke.

The church was conceived as an example of neo-Gothic, although the chosen material wood is not consistent with this style. First of all, this Gothic defensive style. Here it was not a beauty, but first of all in the reliability and the ability if necessary to survive under the pressure of the enemy.

Belarusian Gothic is a special phenomenon in our culture. Flaming stained glass, cutting through the walls of the church is Gothic French, German. Belarusian Gothic is often thick stone walls, narrow lancet windows, which if necessary can be used as a loophole.

Why gothic, if it was clear that the building will be made of wood?

Firstly, the Gothic style was used by the Belarusian Catholics to re-erected after the repression period churches were not like the Vilna baroque almost all Catholic churches in this style have been transferred at the time of the Orthodox Church. Gothic emphasized the reference to the history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the time when the most widespread religion was Catholicism. Just because it gave the opportunity to have closer ties with the enlightened Europe and easier to find common ground with the Europeans.

Secondly, he emphasized the Gothic grandeur of the temple, doing architectural design more elegant and memorable. For the Radziwill family that was very important. Let the race to the end of the XIX century, has lost many lands and estates, but the pursuit of "uncrowned kings" to demonstrate their dignity is not diminished.

Even an indispensable attribute of Gothic churches Gothic Rose (round stained-glass window above the main entrance) managed to make out of wood! Stained wood! But what today seems impossible for our ancestors was not. Because they knew exactly the life of previous generations is measured primarily by the fact that they left behind.

Polonechkovsky church of St. George valid today. And, as in any church, there is always remember those whose efforts the church was built.