Mir Castle Complex, Belarus

The Mir Castle Complex is a 16th century castle located near Mir in the Karelichy District of the Hrodna voblast, Belarus. The first castle in Gothic style was built between the end of the 15th century and beginning of the 16th century by Duke Ilinich but in 1568 the Mir Castle passed to Duke Radzivil who ordered the completion of the castle in the Renaissance style. Despite numerous destructions and a severe damage that the Mir Castle suffered during the Napoleonic invasion in Russia in 1812 the Mir Castle Complex presents an excellent example of an Eastern European castle with a design reflecting splendid Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles. As an unique monument of Belorussian architecture was in 2000 the Mir Castle Complex also inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage sites.