Photo excursion to Ashmjany and Smarhon’ Districts 2017 (II/V): Zaskavichy, Aljanjets, Zaljes’sje, Mikhnjevichy, Katy, Kjeuly, Vjasjen’njaja, Pasinki, Tsary, Sjaljets, Milidaushchyna, Rakautsy.
Фотавандроўка па Ашмянскім і Смаргоньскім раёнах 2017 г. (II/V): Заскавічы, Алянец, Залесьсе, Міхневічы, Каты, Кеўлы, Вясеньняя, Пасінкі, Цары, Сялец, Мілідаўшчына, Ракаўцы.
Former estate of Mikhal Kleafas Ahinski, Zaljes’sje (Smarhon’ District).
Былая сядзіба Міхала Клеафаса Агінскага, Залесьсе (Смаргоньскі раён).
Mikhal Kleafas Ahinski (Міхал Клеафас Агінскі, 1765-1833) played a prominent role in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth/Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He participated in the failed 1794 revolt of Tadevush Kas’tsjushka (Tadeusz Kościuszko) against imperial Russian and Prussian occupation, after which the Russians confiscated his estate and he went into exile. Ahinski later returned and swore fealty to the Russian emperor. The emperor returned his estate, on which Ahinski built the manor, known to his contemporaries as the “Athens of the North”, which we see today. Ahinski was also a splendid composer, renowned for his Polonaise “Farewell to My Homeland” (“Raz’vitan’nje z Radzimaj” — “Разьвітаньне з радзімай“, in Polish “Pożegnanie Ojczyzny“): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmG2UlmfItk.
Ahinski’s estate in Zaljes’sje near Smarhon’ mouldered under the Soviet regime and afterwards, as one sees in this photo from 2001…
…Nevertheless the space remained alive with concerts and performances thanks to the efforts of Sjarhjei Vjeramjejchyk and others. One such performance from 2001:
Thanks to diligent local efforts, supported by EU grants, the estate was carefully restored and reopened as a museum and center for cultural events in 2014…
…including the family chapel…
…and the interior…
…as well as the (redesigned) orangerie…
…whose space looked like this in 2001…
Stone in honor of Tadevush Kas’tsjushka (Tadeusz Kościuszko)…
