Ashmyany

Ashmyany is a town in Grodno Oblast, Belarus. The town played a noticeable role in the Feudal War of 1430s, but no monuments survive from that period. The town centre, despite consisting of mostly new buildings, preserves the typical street pattern of an old market town, dating back to at least the 16th century.

Get in

Ashmyany is reachable from Minsk by bus or by car.

The Ashmyany train station is on the Minsk-Vilnius railway, but it is more than 10 km from the town.

See

The recognisable facade of St. Michael's with its slender towers close together.

• 1 St. Michael Church. A huge renovation in 1905 resulted in the present Baroque Revival church, barely leaving anything visible from the previous building. It is the only active Roman Catholic church in town. 
• 2 Church of the Resurrection. An active Orthodox church built in 1875 in Russian Revival style. The building was restored in 1988-90. 
• 3 Franciscan church. This ruined church is a mix of three architectural styles at least. The damaged late gothic walls in the eastern half date back to the 16th century, being thus the oldest surviving construction in Ashmyany. Some alterations to these walls belong to the Baroque period. The rest, including the facade, comes from 1822 neoclassical restoration of the church, following the damage in 1812 in the course of the Napoleonic Wars. The area where the church stands is known as the Old Ashmyana. Archeological evidence suggests that the original 14th-century settlement of Ashmyana (Oszmiana, Oszmiena) was on the low hill next to the church. 
• 4 Synagogue. A brick building from the early 20th century. The synagogue is no longer active, but quite well-preserved, including the unusually shaped roof. 
• 5 F. Bahuszewicz Museum of Local History. A small museum dedicated to local history, and in part to the poet Franciszak Bahuszewicz, one of the founders of the modern Belarusian literature, who spent his last years in a village nearby. 
• 6 The house of the Strugacz Family. Lejba Strugacz, a wealthy entrepreneur of Jewish descent, is remembered as the founder of the local yeast factory still active today. The family house built in the early 20th century is a fine example of modern architecture. 

Do

Ashmyany is one of the usual locations of motocross competitions in Belarus.

Eat

• 1 The Old Town (Стары Горад), 92 Savietskaya St. A cafe and restaurant in the centre. Belarusian cuisine. 

Sleep

• Grad Hotel, Ulitsa Sovetskaya 82, ☏ +375 44 485-12-11. Nothing too exceptional here, except you can play a game of table tennis. Comfortable lodging with wifi. 
• Kafe-Motel' "Zolotaya Podkova" or "Golden Horseshoe", M-7 Hwy., 127km, 2, ☏ +375 29 633-46-75. A nice place because you can have some pies and main courses at their restaurant. $23. 

Go next

The historic villages of Halshany and Kreva with ruined castles are nearby. Lida is not too far away either.