Liahavichy Castle, Medieval castle ruins in Liahavičy, Belarus
Liahavichy Castle is a fortified stone structure that once stood on a hill near the Vedz'ma river in this region. The site features remains of thick defensive walls, a water-filled moat fed by a dam, and traces of a central residential building where residents lived.
The hetman Jan Karol Chodkiewicz built this fortress in the late 16th century to strengthen the region's defenses. During the Eastern conflicts of the 1654-1667 period, it remained unconquered while other fortresses fell.
The castle's architectural design reflected European military engineering principles of the period, featuring a two-story palace at its center.
The ruins sit on a hilltop and require walking through grassland to reach them. The site is open and accessible, though you need to look carefully at ground-level remains to understand how the old defensive layout functioned.
In 1706 Swedish troops took control after the Radziwill family had removed the fortress's cannons to defend another location elsewhere. This reveals how regional power struggles sometimes weakened individual strongholds.
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