The radzivills

THE RADZIVILLS

 

1. Pay attention to the following words. Pick out sentences with these "words 
from the text and translate them into Russian:

The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Russian Empire — Польско-Литовское содружество и Российская империя;

the Queen of Poland and Duchess of Lithuania — королева Польская и княгиня Литовская;

the Grand Duchy of Lithuania — Великое княжество Литовское;

governor (voivode) of Vilno (capital of the Great Duchy, nowadays Vtklus, the capital of Lithuania) — глава (воевода) Вильно (столица Великого княжества, сегодняшний Вильнюс — столица Литвы);

Kounia (nowadays Kaunas in Lithuania) — Коуниа (сегодня. — Каунас в Литве)

 

2. Practise saying the following proper names:

Radzivill	[rqdzi'vil]	Радзивилл
Lithuania	["liTjV'einiq]	Литва
Bierescie	[bq'restjq]	Берестье, Брест
Neswizh	['nesviZ]	Несвиж
Zyhimont II August	[Zihi'mOnt ]	Жигимонт II Август
Nickolay Radzivill Chorny	[nikq'lai rqdzi'vil 'CLni]	Николай Радзивилл Черный
Nickolay Kristof	[nikq'lai kris'tOf]	Николай Кристоф
Radzivill (Sirotka)	[rqdzi'vil si'rOtkq]	Радзивилл (Сиротка)
Franciska Ursula Radzivill	[frqn'siskq ' E:sjVlq]	Франсиска Урсула Радзивилл
Michail Kazimir Radzivill (Rybonka)	[maikl kqzi'mir]	Михаил Казимир Радзивилл (Рыбонька)

 

3. Read these international words and try to guess their meaning:

Encyclopedia, culture, education, empire, political career, agrarian an d economic reforms, legal principles, priority, integration, sponsorship, publishing center, architecture, autonomous municipal administration, campaign, historian, comedies and dramas, operas and ballets, restoration.

 

4. Read out the following words and memorize them:

imprint (n)	['imprint]	отпечаток, след
endeavour (n)	[in'devq]	усилие, попытка
meticulously (adv)	[mi'tikjVlqsli]	дотошно, скрупулезно
preserve (n)	[pri'zE:v]	сохранять
weapon (n)	['wepqn]	оружие
entire (adj)	[in'taiq]	полный, совершенный
aspiration (n)	["xspi'reiSn]	стремление, желание
triumphant (adj)	[tra'iAmf(q)nt]	блистательный
strengthen (v)	['streNTn]	силивать, укреплять
ardent (adj)	[Rdnt]	горячий, страстный, ревностный
travelogue (n)	['trxvqIOg]	книга с описанием  путешествий
drastic (adj)	[`drxstik]	решительный, радикальный, крутой
renowned (adj)	[ri'naVnd]	знаменитый
prosperity (n)	[prq'sperqti]	процветание, благосостояние
secular (adj)	['sekjVlq]	светский
implement (v)	['implimqnt]	осуществлять, претворять в жизнь

 

5. Read out these phrases several times till you remember them:

to fill a post — занимать пост;

with one's own money — за свои  собственные деньги;

to pursue a firm police — проводить  твердую политику;

due to — благодаря;

to grant the right to — даровать (давать) право на;

to issue orders to do smth. — издавать  приказ (указ) сделать что-либо;

to exert every effort — прилагать все усилия;

to encrust with — инкрустировать

 

6. Match the English words and their Russian equivalents:

1. cache                                       2. suite                                         3. consistent                                 4. to fill a post                              5. aspiration                                 6. prosperity                                 7. to strengthen                             8. triumphant                               9. grandeur                                   10. ardent

а. желание, стремление b. процветание с. тайник d. ревностный е. укреплять f. занимать пост g. блистательный h. свита i. последовательный j. великолепие

 

7. Combine the words with the help of the preposition of:

1. the history                               2. wide variety                            3. the Grand Duchy                    4. culture                                    5. the Queen                               6. governor                                 7. a firm policy                           8. the sovereignty                       9. parcels                                    10. the architecture

a. the Belarusian state b. Belarus с Radzivill palace d. human endeavours e. land f. Lithuania g. strengthening h. their nation i. Vilno j. Poland

 

8. Give the three forms of the following verbs:

To leave, to lead, to issue, to build, to do, to preserve, to burn, to hide, to begin.

 

9. Give the comparative and superlative of the following adjectives:

High, close, beautiful, renowned.

 

10. Give the plural of:

Family, encyclopedia,.enemy, taste, woman, men, career, right, opera, drama.

 

11. These words can be used both as verbs and nouns. Make up your own sentences to show the difference in their usage:

Influence, taste, base, fight, grant, care, search.

 

12. Gjve the derivatives of the following words:

Lead, weapon, strength, sovereign, found, publish, continue, administration.

 

13. Read these expressions and find their English equivalents in the text:

Известные семьи; ни одна из них не была более известна; скрупулезно  собирали; другие редкие и ценные вещи; в летописях указывается; любовное приключение века; в течение всей политической карьеры; благодаря ему; возглавил борьбу против; почти столетие; ему пришлось терпеть все лишения в одиночку; основала первый; инкрустированные множеством драгоценных камней; никто не может обнаружить; посылали специальные поисковые отряды.

 

14. Read the text and get ready to speak about the Radzivill family:

 

THE RADZIVILLS

There were a lot of noble families in the history of Belarus; however none was more renowned than the Radzivill family. The story of the members of this family occupies many pages in the modern encyclopedia of Belarus. The family left its imprint on a wide variety of human endeavours—from public and political life to culture and education. Members of the family were leaders in wars against the enemies of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and later of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Russian Empire. For centuries they had been meticulously collecting and preserving books, documents, paintings, weaponry, and other rare and valuable objects that could fill entire museums. With their own money, the Radzivills built painting shops in Bierescie (nowadays Brest), Neswizh, and other Belarusian cities. Not only did they influence politics, economics and culture of their nation, but they often did it according to their own needs, aspirations and tastes. History has preserved a lot of names of the Radzivill family. Let us recollect some of them here.

Barbara Radzivill (1520-1551), the Queen of Poland and Duchess of Lithuania was the most beautiful woman of her time. It is written in the chronicles that she was "triumphant in her beauty and love affairs". Indeed, the loVe she awoke in the heart of the Polish King Zyhimont II August was called "the love affair of the century".

Nickolay Radzivill Chorny (The Black) (1515 — l565) filledhighandresponsiblepostsintheGrandDuchy of Lithuania: great chancellor, governor (voivode) of Vilno (capital of the Great Duchy, nowadays Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania), major of Bierescie (nowadays Brest), Kounia (nowadays Kaunas in Lithuania) and Borisov and administrator of Livonia. Throughout his entire political career he pursued a firm policy of strengthening the sovereignty of the Belarusian state, and skillfully implemented agrarian and economic reforms. Due to his consistent political positions, our state reached its highest prosperity with its public life based on legal principles. As chancellor, Nickolay Radzivill wisely defined new priorities for our state's foreign policy in the 16^th century that led to a closer integration with Western and Northern Europe. His efforts and sponsorship led to the establishment of large publishing centers in Belarus. Duke Nickolay Radzivill was fluent in the Belarusian, Polish and other European languages.

His son Nickolay Kristof Radzivill Sirotka (1549—1616), an ardent Catholic, headed the fight against Cajvinism and issued orders to burn books published by Calvinist printing houses. At the same time, he exerted every effort to make the architecture of the Radzivill palace in Neswizh equal to that of contemporary European cities. He was famous as the author of a detailed travelogue describing his journey to Jerusalem, Syria, Egypt and other "exotic" countries and places.

In 1586 Neswizh was granted the right to an autonomous municipal administration (the so-called Magdeburg right), which added a lot to the grandeur and power of Neswizh. For over a century, the town had been growing and strengthening in a time of peace. But in 1706, Neswizh was drastically ruined after one of the war campaigns of the Swedish King Karl XII. For nearly 20 years Neswizh had to face its sufferings all alone: at the time the Radzivills were preoccupied with "big politics" and lived in Krakow, Warsaw and Vilho. Only in 1726 Prince Mikhail Kazimir Radzivill (Rybpnka) (1702-1762) began to take care of his estate and land again. The historians suggest that it was Prince Mikhail who had rebuilt the town and the castle in Neswizh. He filled high state posts, possessed the largest (at that time) parcels of land, and was a close friend of King August II (and later, of King August HI). He was a powerful magnate and Neswizh

was turned into a center of his estate.

In those years, his wife Franciska Ursula Radzivill (1705-1753), who was writing comedies and dramas, established the first Slavic secular theatre in Neswizh. Dramas, operas and ballets were staged there. Slutsk ballet school was attached to the theatre. This theatre was in action till 1760. That was also the time of restoration of book printing in Neswizh.

The suite of the Polish King was astonished by the golden bars they had seen in the Radzivill castle. "There were tons of gold, encrusted with numerous precious stones,” wrote one of them. By now no-one has been able in liml out where the treasures had gone. It is supposed that they are hidden in the Ncswizh caches, though during World War II the Nazis sent special search parties with field engineers to look for them.

 

15. Answer the questions:

1. Were there many noble families in the history of Belarus? 2. What family left its imprint on a wide variety of human endeavours? 3. What had they been doing for centuries? 4. What did they build? 5. What members of the Radzivill family do you know? 6. What posts did Niekolay Radzivill Chorny (Black) fill in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania? 7. Due to what did our state reach its highest prosperity at that time? 8. What languages did Duke Niekolay Radzivill know perfectly well? 9. Who headed the fight against Calvinism? 10. What orders did he issue? 11. What was Nikolay Kristof Radzivill Sirotka famous for? 12. Who ruined Neswizh in 1706? 13. Why did the Radzivills neglect the town of Neswizh for 20 years? 14. When did Prince Mikhail begin to take care of the town? 15. Who was the founder of the first Slavic secular theatre? 16. The Radzivill castle was richly decorated in gold and precious stones, wasn't it? 17. Where are the treasures now?

 

16. Agree or disagree with the following statements:

1. The Radzivill family was the oldest and the richest family in the history of Belarus. 2. The members of the family were great scientists. 3. They published books and had their own museum of paintings, weaponry and precious stones. 4. The Radzivills built printing houses in Brest, Neswizh and other Belarasian towns. 5. Barbara Radzivill (1520-1551), the Queen of Poland and Duchess of Lithuania was the most beautiful woman of her time. 6. Niekolay Radzivill Chorny (Black) was the head of the Belarusian army. 7. As chancellor, Niekolay Radzivill built a new palace for his family. 8. Niekolay Kristof Radzivill Sirotka was notorious for his cruel attitude towards his servants. 9. Niekolay Kristof Radzivill Sirotka was the founder of the first Slavic secular theatre.

 

17. Put in the right prepositions where necessary:

1. The Radzivill family left its imprint... a wide variety … human endeavours —... public and political life … culture and education. 2. The members ... the family were leaders … wars against the enemies . . . the Grand Duchy … Lithuania. 3.... their own money, the Radzivills built painting shops ... Bierescie (nowadays Brest), Neswizh, and other Belarusian cities. 4. Throughout his entire political career Niekolay Radzivill Chorny followed a firm policy.. .strengthening the sovereignty ... the Belarusian state. 5. Due ... his consistent political endeavours, our state reached its highest prosperity ... its public life based ... legal principles. 6. Duke Niekolay Radzivill was fluent.. . the Belarusian, Polish and other European languages. 7. His son Niekolay Kristof Radzivill Sirotka headed the fight ... Calvinism, 8. He was famous... the author... a detailed travelogue describing his journey... Jerusalem, Syria, Egypt. 9. … 1586 Neswizh was granted the right... an autonomous municipal administration (the so-called Magdeburg right), which added a lot ... the grandeur and power ... Neswizh. 10. Only ... 1726 Prince Mikhail Kazimir Radzivill Rybonka began to take care ... his estate and land again.

 

18. Choose a word from the box to put into each gap:

1. It is said in many books that the family of Radzivills was the most... and rich in old times. 2. They were famous for their big ... of books, weaponry and other rare and ... objects. 3. Niekolay Radzivill Chorny pursued a firm policy of strengthening of... of the Belarusian state throughout his entire political .... 4. Due to his consistent political position, our state reached its highest... with its public life based on.. principles. 5. At this time the Radzivills were preoccupied with ... and lived in Krakow. 6. It is said that there were golden bars in the castle but no one has been able to find out where ... had gone.      

 

legal, valuable, treasures, sovereignty, noble, prosperity, big politics, collection, career

 

19. Fill in the table with the main events from the text:

1520-1551
1515-1563
1549-1616
1586
1705-1753
1706
1726
1702-1762
1760

                                              .

20. Draw the family tree of the Radzivills:

 

THE RADZIVILLS

 

21. Work in groups. Find out from your partners:

— what members of the Radzivill family they know;

— who founded the first Slavic secular theatre in Neswizh;

— what policy Nikolay Radzivill Chorny followed;

— what Nikolay Kristof Radzivill Sirotka was notorious for;

— who rebuilt the town of Neswizh;

— whether the treasures of the Radzivill's castle have been found.

22. Comment on:

— the treasures that the family of Radzivills had;

— the political views of Nickolay Radzivill Chomy;

— the fight against Calvinism.

 

24. Prove that:

— the Radzivill family was the most famous family in the history of Belarus;

— Barbara Radzivill was the most beautiful woman of her time;

— the Radzivills were very rich.

 

25. Imagine that:

—You are a guide in the local museum. One of the visitors is interested in the life of Nikolay Radzivill Chorny. Role-play a dialogue with your partner on the topic.

— Your teacher of history is ill and she asks you to give a Jesson to younger pupils instead of her. What are you going to tell them about the Radzivills?

 

26. Comprehension check. Choose the best alternative according to the text:

1. The family of Radzivill was

a) the richest in Belarus;

b) the most renowned at that time;

c) the poorest in Belarus.

 

2.  The family left its imprint

a) only on the political life;

b) on all the spheres of social and political life;

c) on the sphere of education only.

 

3.  For centuries they had been meticulously collecting and preserving a lot of rare and valuable objects

a) with the aim to give them to one of the famous museums;

b) to create their own museum;

c) with the aim to hide them in the Neswizh caches.

 

4.  The Radzivills built painting shops

a) with their own money;

b) and then sold them to other rich families;

c) with the money from the state budget.

 

5. Barbara Radzivill, the most beautiful woman of her time,

a) married the Polish king Zyhimont II August;

b) was the Queen of Poland and Duchess of Lithuania;

c) issued orders to burn books.

 

6. Nickolay Radzivill Chorny

a) filled high and responsible posts in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania;

b) collected old books and jewelry;

c) was the head of the Radzivill family.

 

7.  Throughout his entire political career he

a) tried to strengthen the sovereignty of the Polish state;

b) tried to weaken the sovereignty of the Belarusian state;

c) tried to strengthen the sovereignty of the Belarusian state.

 

8. As chancellor, Nickolay Radzivill wisely defined new priorities for our state's foreign policy

a) in the 18^th century that led to a closer integration with the countries of Asia and Africa;

b)  in the 16 ^th  century that led to a closer integration with.the countries of Western and Northern Europe;

c)  in the 17 ^th century that led to a closer integration with the countries of Eastern and Northern Europe.

 

9.  The efforts of Nickolay Radzivill led to

a) the creation of a new theatre troupe in Belarus;

b) the development of higher education;

c) the establishment of large publishing centres.

 

10.  Duke Nickolay Radzivill knew

a) the Belarusian, Polish and other European languages;

b) the Belarusian, English and German languages;

c) many European languages.

 

11. Nickolay Kristof Radzivill Sirotka headed

a) the struggle against the Swedish King Karl XII;

b) the fight against Calvinism;

c) the movement against burning books published by Calvinist printing houses.

 

12. Nickolay Kristof Radzivill Sirotka made great effort

a) to build a new family palace in Grodno;

b) to update the architecture of the Radzivill palace in Neswizh;

c) to build a new palace for his wife in Neswizh.

 

13. Nickolay KristofRadzivillSirotka was famous as                    

a) the architect of his family palace in Neswizh;                         

b) the author of many plays in the Belarusian language;

c) the author describing his journey to different countries.

 

14.  Under the Magdeburg right the citizens of Neswizh

a) suffered from the exploitation by foreign invaders;

b) lived in a time of peace;

c) were in state of war with Poland.

 

15.  The Swedish King Karl XII

a) ruined Neswizh completely;

b) bought a castle in Neswizh;

c) was a great friend of the Radzivills.

 

16. For about two decades the Radzivills

a) were in state of war with the Swedish King Karl XII;

b) were interested in politics and lived in other cities;

c) lived in Russia.

 

17. Prince Mikhail Kazimir Radzivill Rybonka

a) rained some Swedish towns;

b) was the governor of Vilno;

c) rebuilt Neswizh and the castle.

 

18. Franciska Ursula Radzivill was famous as

a) a writer of comedies and drama;

b) a great actress of a local theatre;

c) the most beautiful woman of her time.

 

19.  The founders of the first Slavic secular theatre were

a) Franciska Ursula Radzivill and her husband Nickolay Kristof Radzivill Sirotka;

b) Duke Nickolay Radzivill and his son Nickolay Kristof Radzivill Sirotka;

c)  Franciska Ursula Radzivill  and her husband Mikhail Kazimir Radzivill Rybonka.

 

20.  The suite of the Polish King was astonished by

a) the golden bars they had seen in the Radzivill castle;                

b) the beauty and richness of the Radzivill castle;

c) the amount of the books and rare things they had seen in the Radzivill's castle.

 

21. Everybody thinks that the treasures are

a) taken by the heirs of the Radzivills;

b) hidden in the Neswizh caches;

c) found the special search parties; which were send by the Nazis.

 

NESWIZH: THE RADZIVILLS' CAPITAL

 

1. Pay attention to the following words. Pick out sentences with these words from the text and read them out:

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania — Великое княжество Литовское;

the Magdeburg right — магдебургское право;  

the Church El Jesus — храм Иль Джезу в Риме;

the Farny Cathedral — Фарный (бывший иезуитский) костел в Иесвиже.

 

2. Practice saying the following proper names:

Varangian	[vjTraericrjian]	варяг
Greeks	[Яп'-Щ	греческий
Slutsk brama	[slutskч Ьгзэтэ]	Слуцкая брама
Franzishka Ursula	[fren'tsifka '3:sjuls]	Франсиска Урсула
Karol Stanislaw	[fkasral sta'nislav]	Кароль Станислав
Hungary	[Ьлодэп]	Венгрия
Giovanni Maria                Bernardoni	[^оЧзеш       тэ'пэ [Ьзтэ'ёши]	Джованни Мария Бернардони
Michelangelo	[ишкэГагпбзэЬи]	Микеланджело
SymonBudny	[sf тип "budni]	Сымон Будный
Rembrandt	[f'rembraentj	Рембрандт
Maria de Kastelyan de     Taleiran	[гпэ'пэёэ   kasstsljan datalefrEen]	Мария де Кастелян де Талейран

 

3. Read the international words and try to guess their meaning:

Legend, magnate, administration, autonomous, campaign, politics, centre, comedy, drama, history, collection, bronze, statuette, visit, park, architect, design, Catholic; construction, pioneer, philosopher, regional, musical.

 

4. Read out the following words and memorize them:

grandeur (n)	["дгагпёзэг]	величие, великолепие
drastically (adv)	[pdrasstiksli]	решительно, круто
rampart (n)	[4rsempa:t]	крепостной вал
estate (n)	[rsteit]	поместье, имение
parcel of land (n)	[fpa:sl av laend]	участок земли
descendant (n)	[df sendsnt]	потомок
contemporary (adj)	[кэпЧетргэп]	современный
armour (n)	[ча:тэ(г)]	доспехи
sledge (v)	[sleds]	кататься на санках
harness (n)	[fhcunis]	упряжь
apprentice (n)	[a'prentis]	ученик, подмастерье
claim (v)	[kleim]	утверждать
inaugurate (v)	[fno:gjureit]	открывать

 

5. Read out these expressions several times till you remember them:

to be granted the right                      — предоставлять право

to take an oath of faithfulness to sb     — присягать на верность к.-л.

to be preoccupied with sth                  — быть занятым ч.-л,

to be equipped with sth                       — быть оснащенным ч.-л.

 

 

6. Match the English words and their Russian equivalents:

1. restoration                          2. outstanding                         3. to establish                         4. cutlery                                10. dedicated                            6. to erect                               7. heritage                              8. sights                                 9. a native                               5. a feast

а. возводить b. самозабвенный, беззаветный с. наследие d. достопримечательности е. местный житель f. учреждать, создавать g. столовые приборы h. выдающийся i. восстановление, возобновление  j. празднество

 

 

 

7. Combine the words with the help of the preposition of:

1. the times                            2. the members                        3. an oath                                4. the parcels                           5. the restoration                     6. the wonders                         7. the Cathedral                       8. the collection                       9. the architect                        10. the successor

a. St. Peter b. art and science с book printing d. the Radzivills' family e. the water rout f. faithfulness g. land h. the castle i. statuettes j. the pioneer

 

8. Give the comparative and superlative of the following adjectives:

Big, high, powerful, new, large, pure, remarkable, famous, great, slow, beautiful, old.

 

9. Give the three forms of the following verbs:

To come, to become, to see, to occupy, to grow, to say, to burn, to rebuild, to establish, to equip, to admire, to announce, to visit, to bring, to bear, to take.

 

10. Give the plural of:

Right, campaign, comedy, drama, statuette, statue.

 

11. Write the derivatives, of the following words:

To settle, gold, to suffer, power, to print, to entertain, a theatre, public, to construct, to travel, an industry.

 

12. These words can be used both as verbs and nouns. Make up your own sentences to show the difference in their usage:

Address, wonder, ruin, grant, roll.

13. Read these expressions and find their English equivalents in the text:

Во времена водного  пути "из варяг в греки"; автономная муниципальная администрация; присягать на верность королю; быть озабоченным большой политикой; купаться в роскоши; современные чудеса искусства и науки; родовая усыпальница;  преемник известного первопечатника;  подобные зеркалу водоемы; изумительный замок.

14. Read the text and get ready to speak about Neswizh:

 

NESWIZH: THE RADZIVILLS' CAPITAL

One of the legends reads that an ancietit settlement was founded during the times of the water rout "from Varangians to Greeks", which ran from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. But for the first time Neswizh was mentioned as a town with strong fortifications in the chronicles of 1224.  But its golden age came after it had become the Radzivills" estate in the 15^th century. The Radzivills' family was the greatest and most outstanding magnate family that lived on the lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania; The story of the members of the Radzivills' family occupies many pages in the modern encyclopedia of Belarus.

Neswizh and its renowned castle were built in a comparatively short period of time (1584-1616) with the help of some Italian architects and taking into account all the latest means of protection. There were stone gates with towers called 'bramas' in different parts of the town. Bramas looked like fortresses which were intended to protect the town from different directions. Nowadays one can see Slutsk brama which used to be a part of the protection system. Next to the brama there was also a dam which made up a lake. On the ground floor of the brama there was a room for the guards and on the first floor there was a chapel.

In 1586, the town was granted the right to an autonomous municipal admi-nisfl-ation (the so-called Magdeburg right), which added a lot to the grandeur and power of Neswizh. But in a century Neswizh faced hard times connected with war campaigns of the Swedish King Karl XII (during the Swedish-Russian war). Only in 1726, did Prince Mikhail Radzivill begin to take pare of his estate and his land again. His wife, Franzishka Ursula, who was writing comedies and dramas, established a theatre in Neswizh. That was also the time of the restoration of book-printing in Neswizh.                  

A descendant of Mikhail and Franzishka — Karol Stanislav, whom history describes as 'Mister Dear' (he was fond of calling anyone he addressed as 'my dear'), filled life in the Neswizh castle with a new feeling. Under his rule, the castle rolled in luxury, and was decorated and equipped with all the possible contemporary wonders of art and science. For instance, the castle had one of the richest libraries, with close to 10,000 volumes in Latin, French and Polish; a large art gallery with nearly 1,000 paintings; a collection of statuettes and statues; and various bronze and steel armours. The cutlery used in the castle was made of pure gold. Mister Dear enjoyed entertainment, and his castle often received numerous guests. The last Polish King Stanislaw August used to come to the Neswizh castle. The guests admired theatrical shows, feasts with hundred-year-old wines from Hungary; then they sleighed off on sugar white hills, riding in sledges harnessed by bears. Once, during one. of such visits, the king publicly announced that Mister Dear lived better than the king.

Nowadays the Radzivills' heritage consists of the palace, a church and a number of parks. Historians have proved that it was Giovanni (Jan) Maria Bernardoni, an Italian architect who designed the Neswizh palace, the park ensemble and the Catholic Jesuit Church (which was erected in 1584-1593 following the pattern of the principle Jesuit Order Chdrch El Jesus in Rome). Researchers suppose that Bernardoni vrasfail apprentice of.Viniola, who, in his return, worked with Michelangelo, and participated in the construction of the Cathedral of St. Peter in Rome. Today, the Farny Cathedral is one of the remarkable sights of Neswizh. It is also a patrimonial tomb of the Radzivills. 

A monument to Symon Budny, successor of the famous Belarusian printing pioneer Francisk Skorina and a famous educator and philosopher is located near the Cathedral. In 1562, Symon Budny published a book in Belarusian for the first time. This monument is modern; it was established in the 20 ^th century.

An old legend claims that Rembrandt visited Neswizh, when one of the richest art galleries was inaugurated. This version might have come into being due to the painting of the great artist. However, there is no other evidence of the Neswizh voyage of Rembrandt.

As for the parks, they make the unique blue-green heritage of Neswizh, along with the mysterious magic mirror-like ponds. And only a leisurely slow traveler or a native can appreciate their real, everlasting beauty. People say that the first . saplings of the park were grown from seeds brought from the gardens of the Berlin palace of the Radzivill Princes. Maria de Kastelyan de Taleiran, wife of Antony Radzivill, was the most dedicated amateur of parks. Now Neswizh Park (together with its aquatic part) occupies nearly 106 hectares, where the land takes 45 hectares. Certain parts of the park bear their original names, like Castle Park, Lake Park (Old Park), Park of Marysia.

Neswizh is a treasure of Belarus. It is one of the most beautiful regional centres in Minsk region with its outstanding history, a marvelous castle (during Soviet times there was a recreation centre there), old parks and artificial ponds* It takes about an hour to get to Neswizh from Minsk. New buildings, musical festivals and industrial people of Neswizh write nowadays a specia} modern history of the town.

 

15. Answer the following questions:

1. When was Neswizh mentioned in the chronicles for the first time? 2. Is it the time of its foundation? 3. When did Neswizh have its golden age? 4. When did it become the Radzivills' estate? 5. When was the Radzivills' palace built?-6. What buildings were used to protect the town and the castle? 7. What other elements of the protection system were there in Neswizh? 8. When did Neswizh get the Magdeburg right? 9. Who started to take care of the estate and the land after the Swedish-Russian war? 10. Who established a theatre in Neswizh? 11. What way of life was characteristic of the Neswizh castle during the times of Karol Stanislaw? 12. What wonders of art and science did the Neswizh castle have at that time? 13. Whatrthings does the Radzivills' heritage consist of nowadays? 14. Who is supposed to have, built the Catholic Jesuit Church in Neswizh? 15. What legends of Neswizh do you know? 16. Where were the first saplings of Neswizh Park brought from? 17. What is the territory of Neswizh Park? 18. What was the Neswizh castle during Soviet times?