The Franciscans appeared in the region in 1323 on the personal invitation of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas. However, it had taken about a hundred years for the Catholic monastic order to build its temple in Novogrudok - St. Anthony Church. In the beginning it was made of wood, and in the late Baroque era - of stone. The architecture of St. Anthony church had certain asymmetry but despite this the church was very compact.
All construction works were completed in 1780. But in 1831 the Franciscans had to leave the monastery. Later it was given to the Orthodox Church. In 1846 St. Anthony Catholic church was turned into St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, named in honor of the Russian Tzar Nicholas I.
Soon there was a fire in the temple, and it was reconstructed in 1852. At the same time St. Nicholas church has preserved its baroque basis - a three-nave basilica with a three-sided altar part. And the original low belfry tower was rebuilt: it got a cupola characteristic of the Orthodox church. Two twisted ladders hidden deep in the walls led to the belfry.
Near St. Nicholas church there is a monastery - a two-storey building with a garret in its southern flank, where there is a stone staircase leading to a second floor. The premises of the monastery are corridors with cross and cylindrical vaults. Now the sisterhood is located in the building.
