Sapieha family palace in Ruzhany

Sapiehas’ palace in Ruzhany: Five facts about “Belarusian Versailles”

1. One of the most influential men of the Great Duchy of Lithuania, the creator of the outstanding specimen of legal and political European thought – the Statute of the Great Duchy of Lithuania – Chancellor Lew Sapieha was the founder of the ancestral home of the Sapieha family in the town of Ruzhany in the late 16th century. He began his civil service career as a clerk in the Orsha city administration.

2. The new residence in Ruzhany was initially built as a defensive castle with three towers. But after getting destroyed by military clashes it was restored in the second half of the 18th century to become a magnificent palace in the age of Aleksander Michal Sapieha. The palace became known as Belarusian Versailles later on.

3. Ruzhany Palace has been famous not only for its exquisite architecture and fine decor, but… a deep multilayered basement. It was used to store a rich collection of weaponry, precious state documents, and even the treasury of the duchy in addition to archive records of the Sapieha family. The place was also used to store a collection of rare wines in addition to all that.

4. Ruzhany Palace acquired a court theater of its own in 1765. Specialists from various countries were invited to stage operas, ballets, and drama performances. The same specialists taught future actors – peasant children – in a local school. The two-tier theater had a deep stage with seven interchangeable drop cloths for the rapid replacement of sceneries. There were 31 isolated lounges where guests could fully appreciate the performances in comfort. Aleksander Michal Sapieha truly made Ruzhany a center of the noble life: dignitaries often dropped by on their way to Saint Petersburg and back, pompous balls, performances, and fireworks were arranged for them.

5. The most intriguing legend says that there was an underground tunnel between the Sapieha family residence in Ruzhany and the palace of the Puslovsky family in Kossovo. A coach pulled by three horses could travel along the tunnel. However, historians and archeologists have been unable to confirm or disprove the story.