If you would like to learn more about the IAEA’s work sign up for our weekly updates containing our most important news Non-serial Publications Download PDF (13.83 MB) The Radiological Accident at the Irradiation Facility in Nesvizh Download to:EndNote BibTeX*use BibTeX for Zotero How to Access IAEA e-books Orders and requests for information may also be addressed to: Publishing SectionInternational Atomic Energy AgencyVienna International CentrePO Box 100 Tel.: +43 1 2600 22529, +43 1 2600 22530Email: sales.publications@iaea.org Download order form This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The World Heritage Centre is at the forefront of the international community’s efforts to protect and preserve World Heritage partnerships for conservation Ensuring that World Heritage sites sustain their outstanding universal value is an increasingly challenging mission in today’s complex world where sites are vulnerable to the effects of uncontrolled urban development Our Partners Donate Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information Residential and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh is located in central Belarus who built and kept the ensemble from the 16th century until 1939 gave birth to some of the most important personalities in European history and culture the town of Nesvizh came to exercise great influence in the sciences The complex consists of the residential castle and the mausoleum Church of Corpus Christi with their setting The castle has ten interconnected buildings which developed as an architectural whole around a six-sided courtyard The palaces and church became important prototypes marking the development of architecture throughout Central Europe and Russia résidentiel et culturel de la famille Radziwill à Nesvizh se trouve en Bélarus central qui construisit et conserva cet ensemble du XVIe siècle à 1939 sont issues certaines des plus importantes personnalités de l’histoire et de la culture de l’Europe Nesvizh devint un lieu crucial d’influence dans les différents domaines de la culture de l’artisanat et de l’architecture Cet ensemble se compose d’un palais et de l’église mausolée du Corpus Christi Le château est constitué de dix bâtiments mitoyens qui ont évolué comme un seul et même ensemble architectural autour d’une cour hexagonale ainsi que l’église du Corpus Christi sont devenus d’importants modèles qui ont marqué le développement de l’architecture dans toute l’Europe centrale et la Russie يقع المجمّع الهندسي والسكني والثقافي لعائلة رادزيفيل في نيسفيز، في بيلاروسيا الوسطى ومن سلالة رادزيفيل التي بنت وحافظت على هذا المجمع العائد إلى القرن السادس عشر حتى 1939 يتحدّر بعض أهم الشخصيات في التاريخ والثقافة الأوروبية وبفضل جهودهم، أصبحت نيسفيز مكاناً مهماً للتأثير في مجالات الثقافة المختلفة والمجالات العلمية والفنية والحرفية والهندسية تتألف المجموعة من قصر وكنيسة جسد المسيح (كوربوس كريستي) ويتألف القصر بدوره من عشرة مبانِ مشتركة تطوّرت كمجموعة هندسية واحدة من حول فناء سداسي الشكل وقد أصبحت القصور وكنيسة جسد المسيح (كوربوس كريستي) نماذج مهمة أثّرت على تطوّر الهندسة المعمارية في كل أوروبا الوسطى وروسيا 涅斯维日的拉济维乌家族城堡建筑群位于白俄罗斯中部，由拉济维乌王朝(the Radziwill dynasty)从16世纪开始建造，到1939年完工。拉济维乌王朝诞生了许多欧洲历史和文化领域的重要人物，由于他们的努力，涅斯维日在科学、艺术、工艺和建筑方面产生了巨大影响。建筑群包括寝宫、基督圣体教堂及相应的环境景观，宫殿内有10座相连的建筑，形成一个六边形庭院建筑体系。宫殿和基督圣体教堂这样意义非凡的建筑原型，显示了整个欧洲中部和俄罗斯的建筑发展。 жилой и культурный комплекс Радзивиллов в Несвиже находится в центральной части Беларуси представители которого выстроили и сохранили этот ансамбль с ХVI в известен рядом крупнейших деятелей европейской истории и культуры Несвиж оказал большое влияние на развитие науки Фарный (приходской) костел Наисвятейшего Божиего Тела и окружающие их постройки Замок состоит из десяти взаимосвязанных зданий которые образуют единое архитектурное целое вокруг шестигранного двора Постройки этого замка и костел стали прототипами оказавшими большое влияние на развитие архитектуры в этой части Европы и в России antaño perteneciente a la familia Radziwill que construyó este conjunto en el siglo XVI y lo conservó hasta 1939 proceden algunas personalidades eminentes de la historia y la cultura del Viejo Continente la ciudad de Nesvizh ejerció una gran influencia en las bellas artes la artesaní­a y la arquitectura El conjunto comprende el palacio y la iglesia del Corpus Christi El primero se compone de diez edificios distintos adosados que han llegado a constituir un solo conjunto arquitectónico Las mansiones que integran ese conjunto y la iglesia del Corpus Christi fueron modelos que influyeron en la arquitectura de toda Europa Central y Rusia Residential and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh in central Belarus exercised great influence in the sciences crafts and architecture of Central and Eastern Europe which built and kept this ensemble of buildings and their associated landscape from 1583 until 1939 and which included some of the most notable personalities in European history and culture who introduced novel concepts based on a synthesis of Western traditions led to the establishment of a new Central European school of architecture The Radziwill family complex - and in particular the domed basilica Corpus Christi mausoleum-church represents an important stage in the development of building typology in 16th and 17th century Central European architecture The Radziwill family complex consists of a residential castle and the Corpus Christi mausoleum-church The compact castle has ten interconnected buildings all of which were developed as a single architectural ensemble around a six-sided courtyard The buildings are set within the remains of 16th century fortifications comprised of four bastions and four curtain walls in a rectangular plan An earthen dam with a stone bridge connects the castle to Corpus Christi Church in the adjacent urban area of Nesvizh interspersed by artificial reservoirs and canals of the river Usha is in a picturesque 100 ha landscape that includes a series of thematic parks and ponds Over the centuries the Radziwills supported activities in various spheres of science and culture and also invited important cultural personalities artists and craftspersons to the small town of Nesvizh These interactions introduced the latest architectural innovations from Southern and Western Europe and became seminal in synthesizing and transmitting these trends to Central and Eastern Europe An architectural school emerged here that consisted of artists from Belarus and Germany who developed sophisticated construction and building techniques The buildings of the Radziwill family complex became important prototypes in Central Europe and exercised considerable influence in this region Residential and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh was the cradle for the introduction of new concepts based on the synthesis of Western traditions leading to the establishment of a new architectural school in Central Europe Criterion (iv): The Radziwill complex represents an important stage in the development of new a building typology and in the history of Central European architecture during the 16th and 17th centuries this concerns Corpus Christi Church with its domed basilica typology Criterion (vi): The Radziwill family was particularly significant for its association with the interpretation of influences from Southern and Western Europe and the transmission of ideas within Central and Eastern Europe All the elements that sustain the Outstanding Universal Value of the Architectural Residential and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh are located within the boundaries of the 120 ha property The property is therefore of adequate size to ensure the complete representation of the features and processes that convey its significance The state of conservation of the interrelated elements is good The overall historical authenticity of the property has been maintained regarding its location and setting The territory of the castle complex and the surrounding natural landscape have largely been preserved Drawings and maps of Nesvizh from the 16th to the 18th centuries reveal a high degree of authenticity in the design of the complex The castle and the church-mausoleum include construction materials The fortifications were destroyed in the 17th century and more recently there has been some reconstruction (e.g with its romantic features dating mainly from the 19th century though it has been subject to some clearing and replanting in recent decades the landscape has maintained all its essential components especially in the immediate surroundings of the castle and the Corpus Christi Church The castle's Eastern Gallery was demolished and rebuilt in 2006-2010 and a heating system has been planned for the mausoleum-church both without benefit of an overall conservation plan Some concerns have been raised about these and other recent rehabilitation and modernization works and in general about the balance between repair and renewal the church-mausoleum and the causeway that links them are in state ownership while the causeway is under the management of the Nesvizh Region Executive Committee Residential and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh which is a Property of National Significance is administered by the National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve "Nyasvizh" formed in 1996 in accordance with a Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus all activities related to the protection of the property are coordinated by the Department for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Heritage and Restoration in the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus The Nesvizh General Plan (2007) controls the central part of the town and insures that the scale of development and the adaptation of buildings respect the character of the historic buildings There is a Management Commission for the property established in 2005 and a Management Plan adopted by the decision of the Methodological Council on Historical and Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Culture in 2006 The Management Plan seeks to organize the collective work for the protection of the Nesvizh urban landscape and the visual impact of interventions on the integrity of the urban environment within the property's buffer zone The Management Plan for the property requires revision to respond to a very significant increase in the number of visits to the property and other pressures Sustaining the Outstanding Universal Value of the Architectural Residential and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh over time will require revising the Management Plan to address the significant increase in visits to the property and to clearly set out approaches for conservation in particular concerning rehabilitation and modernization works as well as to ensure that appropriate planning measures (such as a conservation plan) are in place and adopted in order to prevent interventions that could have a negative impact on the values authenticity and integrity of the property your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt This feature of Postcards brings us to Nesvizh castle near Minsk The site is on the UNESCO World Heritage list and attracts thousands of visitors every year The palace was built in the 16th century by the Radziwill family It reflects the history of Belarus and the region around it As a result it has a distinct Italian style largely influenced by the early baroque period the palace features a number of other architectural styles as well including renaissance The family stayed at Nesvizh until 1939 when they were removed by the Red Army After World War 2 it was used as a medical centre for people with chronic illnesses In 1994 it was assigned status as a national historical and cultural reserve It was home to one of the largest libraries in Eastern Europe in the 17th and 18th century When the palace was seized by Russian forces in 1770 the Lithuanian Archive was removed and sent to Saint Petersburg where it has stayed Much of the artwork was passed around to Russian nobles as well said the castle is culturally very important: "This castle reflects the history of not only Belarus The owners of this castle - the Radziwills - were related to the royal families all across Europe: House of Hohenzollern The castle has ten interconnected buildings which surround a six-sided courtyard It has become an important landmark in tracing the development of architecture throughout Central Europe and Russia The Radziwills supported a range of activities in the spheres of science and culture They invited important cultural personalities artists and crafts-persons to the town of Nesvizh they brought their ideas from Southern and Western Europe and the town became a centre for distributing these styles to Eastern Europe Eventually an architectural school developed with artists coming from Belarus You don't have permissions to access this page Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker EU hits out at move that Kremlin says is response to countries’ failure to pay in roubles Europe appears to be on the brink of an energy crisis that could further drive up household bills after Russia halted gas supplies to two EU countries and threatened others in a move condemned by European leaders as blackmail The immediate consequence of Gazprom’s decision to stop supply to Poland and Bulgaria while warning other nations opposed to Russia’s war in Ukraine that they could soon be hit was a 20% rise in the wholesale gas price was justified by the Kremlin as a response to a failure of the two countries to comply with demands for payments to be made in roubles It has led, however, to a dangerous standoff as Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said any EU country giving in to Russia by paying for gas in roubles would be in breach of the bloc’s sanctions regime with which the UK and others have acted in lockstep “Gazprom’s announcement that it is unilaterally stopping gas delivery to certain EU member states is another provocation from the Kremlin,” Von der Leyen said “But it comes as no surprise that the Kremlin uses fossil fuels to try to blackmail us.” While the initial rise on the wholesale market pared down to 8% later on Wednesday the price of gas remains nearly seven times higher than a year ago and experts warned of potential further pain for consumers should the supply crisis escalate Britain has reduced the supply of gas from Russian gas fields to below 5% but the privatisation of UK supplies in the North Sea ties consumers to international energy markets a senior market analyst for the UK and Europe at the foreign exchange company OANDA said: “This may be a warning sign to others in the hope that they don’t follow suit the standoff could play havoc with energy prices With the Kremlin putting itself in a position where it must apply the same punishment to all if they don’t comply Europe may find itself without Russian gas or looking weak.” In an address in St Petersburg, Vladimir Putin said any countries attempting to interfere in Ukraine or creating “unacceptable strategic threats for us” would be met with a “lightning-fast” response from Moscow He claimed he had “all the tools for this – ones that no one can brag about … We will use them if needed We have already taken all the decisions on this.” arrived in Ukraine committing to evacuate civilians and seek a diplomatic way to end the war after his controversial meeting with Putin and the Russian foreign minister the acting commander of the 36th marine brigade in the besieged port city of Mariupol said hundreds of civilians including children were living in unsanitary conditions and running out of food and water The interior ministry of Moldova’s breakaway region of Transnistria issued a statement claiming it had come under attack from Ukraine raising fears that the country would now be dragged into active conflict Despite the risk to Russia’s own economy from the standoff over energy said on Wednesday that other countries could also lose supply if they followed Poland and Bulgaria in refusing to pay in Russia’s currency The EU imports about 40% of its gas from Russia Putin is seeking payments in roubles in order to bolster the value of the currency which has slumped to record lows since the imposition of sanctions officials conceded that the development was a cause of worry A spokesperson for the German economic ministry said: “We are seeing with concern that there has been a stop of deliveries to European partner countries. We are coordinating closely within the European Union to consolidate the situation.” Opposition MPs in Germany called on the government to enact an embargo of Russian gas now in anticipation of further stops. “Russia needs to know: when they hit one of us, we all respond,” tweeted Norbert Röttgen, of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). “Therefore an oil and gas embargo is now also a question of European solidarity.” Von der Leyen sought to calm concerns, saying the EU had reached a deal with Joe Biden’s White House for an increased supply of liquefied natural gas from the US this year and in the coming years. In response to claims from Gazprom on Wednesday that 10 unnamed European companies had already agreed to pay in roubles, Von der Leyen said this would be a breach of the bloc’s sanctions regime. Hungary’s foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, said his government had struck a deal to pay into a euro-denominated account with Gazprombank, which in turn would deposit the amount in roubles to Gazprom Export. He claimed that Slovakia had reached the same agreement. Von der Leyen said she was coordinating with European capitals to maintain a unified position. “This latest aggressive move by Russia is another reminder that we need to work with reliable partners and build our energy independence,” she said. “Today the Kremlin failed once again in this attempt to sow division between Europeans. The era of Russian fossil fuels in Europe will come to an end. Europe is moving forward on energy issues.” Bulgaria’s energy minister, Alexander Nikolov, said Russia was weaponising its dominant position in gas and oil supply. He said: “It is clear that at the moment the natural gas is being used more as a political and economic weapon in the current war.” Putin said in March that countries that were “unfriendly” over the war in Ukraine would have to change their method of payment for gas supplies. By refusing to switch to roubles, European governments were opting to “punish Russia at any cost to the detriment of their own consumers, taxpayers and producers”, a spokesperson for Putin said on Wednesday. The European Commission has said companies should continue to pay Gazprom in the currency agreed in their contracts, about 97% of which are in euros or dollars. Russia supplies about 55% of Poland’s annual demand of about 21bn cubic metres of gas, but Poland is far more reliant on coal to heat homes and fuel industry, with gas accounting for only 9% of its overall energy mix. The Polish gas company PGNiG confirmed that supply had stopped but a spokesperson said its clients were still getting the fuel in line with their needs. The company said: “Cutting gas supplies is a breach of contract and PGNiG reserves the right to seek compensation and will use all available contractual and legal means to do so.” Russian imports account for more than 90% of the country’s gas needs but the government insisted on Wednesday that no restrictions would be imposed on domestic gas consumption for the moment Nikolov said: “As long as I am a minister and responsible for this Bulgaria will not negotiate under pressure and with its head bowed Bulgaria does not give in and is not sold at any price.” Gazprom said it would also stop moving gas through Poland and Bulgaria to others such as Germany if it discovered any withdrawal of volumes from pipelines “Bulgaria and Poland are transit states,” Gazprom said “In the event of unauthorised withdrawal of Russian gas from transit volumes to third countries supplies for transit will be reduced by this volume.” Best in Travel is here! Discover 2025’s destinations The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025 Plan your trip with Elsewhere, by Lonely Planet See where a Lonely Planet Membership takes you Subscribe to our weekly newsletters to get the latest travel news, expert advice, and insider recommendations Explore the world with our detailed, insightful guidebooks Stay ahead of the curve with our guidebooks Uncover exciting new ways to explore iconic destinations Every month, we release new books into the wild Search Search Close search menu Explore Best in Travel 2024 Africa Close menu Countries Antarctica Antarctica Close menu Regions Asia Asia Close menu Countries Australia & the Pacific Australia & the Pacific Close menu Countries The Caribbean The Caribbean Close menu Countries Central America Central America Close menu Countries Europe Europe Close menu Countries Middle East Middle East Close menu Countries North America North America Close menu Countries South America South America Close menu Countries St Nikolaiv Church in Brest © Greg Bloom / Lonely Planet Belarus is off the radar of most travellers but this rarely explored corner of eastern Europe has just given them the legislative equivalent of a come-hither glance: loosening entry requirements to allow citizens of 80 countries to visit visa-free for up to 30 days as long as you arrive and leave by air via Minsk airport In recent years Belarus’ lively capital, Minsk, has caught on as an alternative weekend break While Minsk’s worthwhile museums and impressive dining and nightlife scene make for a thoroughly enjoyable experience visiting for even just five days allows you to cut your teeth on provincial Belarus forgotten schtetls (Jewish villages) and enchanted forests but with careful route-planning you can cherry-pick a few of the best spots Assuming you’ll want a day or two in Minsk you’ll be left with three or four days to explore the provinces There are some great day-trip options to fill a couple of days using the capital as a base head to the pleasant western Belarusian city of Brest The major rental car agencies are well represented in the Belarusian capital road rules are straightforward and provincial roads organised and traffic-free Top on your hit list should be a pair of 16th-century castles that lie within a 90-minute drive southwest of the capital – Mir and Nyasvizh Its five towers reflected perfectly in an adjacent pond the castle has become the poster-child for Belarus tourism The two castles are just 35km from each other It’s also easy to combine your visit to Minsk with a stay in Brest for a couple of days Save time and money on accommodation by taking a night train – an experience in its own right Or you can take the daily business-class express train which leaves Minsk in late afternoon and gets you to Brest in less than four hours Brest is easily the most interesting Belarusian provincial capital centuries-old churches and leafy parks provide a perfect antidote to monolithic Minsk the Bug River forms the border with Poland; the locals will often approach you to make conversation in broken English Brest is a great place to spend a day or so with excellent restaurants and unpretentious bars and clubs Enjoy a cosmopolitan meal at the city’s top restaurant then join the lively crowd for shots and no-holds-barred dancing at Coyote Bar or Korova You can walk to the Brest Fortress in about 30 minutes from vul Savetskaya a boulevard lined with trees and quirky statues built into gas street lamps – collectively known as Alleya Fonary https://shop.lonelyplanet.com/products/lonely-planets-best-in-travel-paperback-2019 and other exhibits are on display at the Palace of the Grand Dukes in Vilnius lent by the Radziwiłł family estate and monasteries from seven European countries The exhibition covers a 400-year history told through various artefacts: from embroidered tapestry immortalising the moment of Radvila the Black receiving the title of grand duke to centuries-old documents and personal belongings had to fill the power vacuum of the Grand Duchy,” said Vydas Dolinskas head of the museum at the Palace of the Grand Dukes Family portraits that decorated the Nesvizh residence in present-day Belarus will be on display along with a symbol of power held by Jonušas Radvila (Janusz Radziwiłł) that was kept at the family treasury before being brought to the Russian tsar gave the power symbol to one of the Radvilos women who was beautiful and knew how to speak with him,” says Dolinskas Big part of the portrait gallery is dedicated to the Radvilos women Radvilos daughters would be married off to various European houses The most famous among them is arguably Barboba Radvilaitė (Barbara Radziwiłł) the wife of the King of Poland and the Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund II Augustus A separate gallery will be dedicated to the golden Radvilos generation of the 16th century Helmets belonging to Radvila the Black were brought from museums in Krakow and Paris One of the more precious exhibits is a letter of permission given to Mikolajus Kristupas Radvila Našlaitėlis (Mikołaj Krzysztof "the Orphan" Radziwiłł) to travel to the Holy Land One of the surviving descendants of the dynasty says it is important for the family to have this exhibition held in Vilnius The 30 remaining Radziwiłł descendents in the world were willing to lend exhibits to “Among the things precious to us is the portrait of Our Lady which was found after the great battle in Vienna in 1683,” says Maciej Radziwiłł “It decorated the Nesvizh palace for several hundred years.” “Also the 18th century Radziwiłł banner which is draped on the coffin whenever a Radziwiłł passes away.”