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 (3 years ago)
Nice people, cosy
atiliuke (3 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 (3 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 (3 years ago)
Nice old castle with history almost 50m from Belarus border.
Evaldas Borcovas (3 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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Palazzo Colonna

The Palazzo Colonna is a palatial block of buildings built in part over ruins of an old Roman Serapeum, and has belonged to the prestigious Colonna family for over twenty generations.

The first part of the palace dates from the 13th century, and tradition holds that the building hosted Dante in his visit to Rome. The first documentary mention notes that the property hosted Cardinal Giovanni and Giacomo Colonna in the 13th century. It was also home to Cardinal Oddone Colonna before he ascended to the papacy as Martin V (1417–1431).

With his passing, the palace was sacked during feuds, and the main property passed into the hands of the Della Rovere family. It returned to the Colonna family when Marcantonio I Colonna married Lucrezia Gara Franciotti Della Rovere, the niece of pope Julius II. The Colonna"s alliance to the Habsburg power, likely protected the palace from looting during the Sack of Rome (1527).

Starting with Filippo Colonna (1578–1639) many changes have refurbished and create a unitary complex around a central garden. Architects including Girolamo Rainaldi and Paolo Marucelli labored on specific projects. Only in the 17th and 18th centuries were the main facades completed. Much of this design was completed by Antonio del Grande (including the grand gallery), and Girolamo Fontana (decoration of gallery). In the 18th century, the long low facade designed by Nicola Michetti with later additions by Paolo Posi with taller corner blocks (facing Piazza Apostoli) was constructed recalls earlier structures resembling a fortification.

The main gallery (completed 1703) and the masterful Colonna art collection was acquired after 1650 by both the cardinal Girolamo I Colonna and his nephew the Connestabile Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna and includes works by Lorenzo Monaco, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Palma the Elder, Salviati, Bronzino, Tintoretto, Pietro da Cortona, Annibale Carracci (painting of The Beaneater), Guercino, Francesco Albani, Muziano and Guido Reni. Ceiling frescoes by Filippo Gherardi, Giovanni Coli, Sebastiano Ricci, and Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari celebrate the role of Marcantonio II Colonna in the battle of Lepanto (1571). The gallery is open to the public on Saturday mornings.

The older wing of the complex known as the Princess Isabelle"s apartments, but once housing Martin V"s library and palace, contains frescoes by Pinturicchio, Antonio Tempesta, Crescenzio Onofri, Giacinto Gimignani, and Carlo Cesi. It contains a collection of landscapes and genre scenes by painters like Gaspard Dughet, Caspar Van Wittel (Vanvitelli), and Jan Brueghel the Elder.

Along with the possessions of the Doria-Pamphilij and Pallavacini-Rospigliosi families, this is one of the largest private art collections in Rome.

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