Norviliskes Castle

Norviliškės, Lithuania

Norviliškės Castle (a former monastery, also called Norviliškės Manor) is a Renaissance style castle. It was first mentioned in 1586. In 1617 the owners donated part of the real estate land to Franciscans. Around 1745 they built a monastery and a church in Renaissance style. The monastery was reconstructed at the end of the 18th century by Kazimieras Kaminskis. After the November Uprising of 1831, Russian authorities closed the monastery and turned it into barracks for soldiers, and later to a boarding school for girls. The Church of St. Mary Compassionate Mother was closed at the same time as the monastery. A new wooden church was built in 1929.

For a long time the former manor stood abandoned. In 2005, reconstruction was started by an entrepreneur, Giedrius Klimkevičius, from Vilnius. The project is supported by funds from the PHARE program. The hopes are that the Norviliškės Castle will become a tourist attraction. It offers hosting for business conferences or weddings, hunting, shooting practices, and other activities, including music festivals.

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Address

3915, Norviliškės, Lithuania
See all sites in Norviliškės

Details

Founded: 1586
Category: Castles and fortifications in Lithuania

More Information

www.norviliskiu-pilis.lt
en.wikipedia.org
www.visitlithuania.net

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Vilnius Cathedral (59,3 km)
Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania (59,3 km)
St. John's Church (59 km)
Gediminas' Tower (59,3 km)
Vilnius University (59 km)
National Museum of Lithuania (59,4 km)
Vilnius Town Hall (58,6 km)
St. Anne's Church (58,9 km)
St. Casimir's Church (58,5 km)

User Reviews

Dalia Balionyte (2 years ago)
Nice people, cosy
atiliuke (2 years ago)
I really advise to experience a medieval dinner here on Sundays. Very interesting and the time really well spent. Also the nature is so nice and peaceful.
Danielius Bolotinas (2 years ago)
Norviliškės Castle is a Renaissance castle in Norviliškės, Lithuania. It is located in the appendix of Lithuania, near the border with Belarus. Absolutely necessary to have your passport or ID card. It is one of several castles that can accommodate you through the night as it functions as a guest house too. Near the castle you will find old orthodox church and cemetery. Actually not much to do around there but surroundings are peaceful and beautiful.
Jurgis Bee (2 years ago)
Nice old castle with history almost 50m from Belarus border.
Evaldas Borcovas (2 years ago)
Norveliskiu castle is one of the oldest castles in Lithuania. It is unique by its architecture. Also the location is really interesting. It Is at the border of Belarus. There is also a nice old church next to it. Which is fully functional. The best view for the castle is looking from far away. This way you can see the full beauty. Although it is not too big but it worth to visit at least ones if you are planing to visit this region.
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Czocha Castle

Czocha Castle is located on the Lake Leśnia, what is now the Polish part of Upper Lusatia. Czocha castle was built on gneiss rock, and its oldest part is the keep, to which housing structures were later added.

Czocha Castle began as a stronghold, on the Czech-Lusatian border. Its construction was ordered by Wenceslaus I of Bohemia, in the middle of the 13th century (1241–1247). In 1253 castle was handed over to Konrad von Wallhausen, Bishop of Meissen. In 1319 the complex became part of the dukedom of Henry I of Jawor, and after his death, it was taken over by another Silesian prince, Bolko II the Small, and his wife Agnieszka. Origin of the stone castle dates back to 1329.

In the mid-14th century, Czocha Castle was annexed by Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia. Then, between 1389 and 1453, it belonged to the noble families of von Dohn and von Kluks. Reinforced, the complex was besieged by the Hussites in the early 15th century, who captured it in 1427, and remained in the castle for unknown time (see Hussite Wars). In 1453, the castle was purchased by the family of von Nostitz, who owned it for 250 years, making several changes through remodelling projects in 1525 and 1611. Czocha's walls were strengthened and reinforced, which thwarted a Swedish siege of the complex during the Thirty Years War. In 1703, the castle was purchased by Jan Hartwig von Uechtritz, influential courtier of Augustus II the Strong. On August 17, 1793, the whole complex burned in a fire.

In 1909, Czocha was bought by a cigar manufacturer from Dresden, Ernst Gutschow, who ordered major remodelling, carried out by Berlin architect Bodo Ebhardt, based on a 1703 painting of the castle. Gutschow, who was close to the Russian Imperial Court and hosted several White emigres in Czocha, lived in the castle until March 1945. Upon leaving, he packed up the most valuable possessions and moved them out.

After World War II, the castle was ransacked several times, both by soldiers of the Red Army, and Polish thieves, who came to the so-called Recovered Territories from central and eastern part of the country. Pieces of furniture and other goods were stolen, and in the late 1940s and early 1950s, the castle was home to refugees from Greece. In 1952, Czocha was taken over by the Polish Army. Used as a military vacation resort, it was erased from official maps. The castle has been open to the public since September 1996 as a hotel and conference centre. The complex was featured in several movies and television series. Recently, the castle has been used as the setting of the College of Wizardry, a live action role-playing game (LARP) that takes place in their own universe and can be compared to Harry Potter.

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