Žyličy - is the agrotown of the Kirawsk district, Mogilev region of Belarus. The main attraction of the village of Žyličy is a palace and park ensemble of the first half of the 19th century. The central place in this ensemble is the palace, the construction of which was started in the 1830s. This magnificent and outstanding palace was built in several stages, and as a result, by the beginning of the 20th century, it was a closed rectangle consisting of a main palace building, a greenhouse, a palace chapel, additional buildings and pavilions, offices and an archway located opposite the main building.
The interior of the palace in the village of Žyličy was distinguished by its luxury, richness and aesthetic sophistication. The interior of many rooms of the palace was characterized by rich decorative design and careful finishing. Each front room had an original interior solution. The halls were decorated with gilt stucco, small sculptural plastics, paintings, decorated with fabrics and mirrors. And the ceilings of some halls of the palace in the village of Žyličy looked like real works of art.
The total area of the palace and park complex in the village of Žyličy, combined with the economic part, was no less than one hundred hectares, of which about twenty occupied a picturesque park. This park was a unique example of landscape art for Belarus. The park was crossed by a small river. Many avenues of the park consisted entirely of exotic plants. The park was decorated with sculptures, pavilions, bridges. On the territory of the park there was a small lake with two islands that were connected to the shore by bridges. On these islands there were gazebos. On the shore of the lake there was a separate pavilion for swimming.
Around the palace in the village of Žyličy was built a very extensive economic complex with several factories and a mill, which also included dozens of other production, residential and auxiliary buildings. In 1888, the estate was also equipped with one of the first meteorological stations in Belarus. A considerable part of the complex's territory was occupied by a fruit garden.
In Soviet times, the building of the palace in the village of Žyličy first housed an orphanage, then a technical school. During the Great Patriotic War in the palace was a German hospital. At that time the greenhouse was completely dismantled. It is this greenhouse that lacks a palace in the village of Žyličy in our time to a rectangle closed in plan. Since 1945, an agronomical school has started working here, which was replaced by an agricultural technical school. Part of the premises of the palace in the village of Žyličy was also residential. In the 1950s and 1960s, the interior of the building was badly damaged. Until the 1970s, the dormitory hostel housed the building of the palace.
By the early 2000s, the condition of the palace in the village of Žyličy had greatly worsened, the roof was leaking, the floors were being destroyed. Nevertheless, in general, the palace remained a strong structure. Since 2008, the palace is undergoing restoration work. The works are financed within the framework of the state investment program. The purpose of restoration is the complete restoration of the historical appearance of the palace in the village of Žyličy. Restoration is slow, but true, soundly and at a high level. With the utmost care and attention, the smallest details of the palace's exterior and interior decoration are restored. The work is conducted on the basis of numerous photographs of the palace in the village of Žyličy of the early 20th century.
In 2011, the first stage of restoration works was completed. Part of the north and west lines of the palace were adapted for the work of the children's art school. In 2013, the south-western wing was rebuilt, part of the premises occupied by the museum. The rest of the palace is being restored in the village of Žyličy. After the restoration works are completed, the museum will function in the main building. Part of the south-eastern wing will be occupied by the library. The southern line of the palace will be restored as a greenhouse, according to its original purpose.
The park surrounding the palace in the village of Žyličy is still in a state of neglect. Most of the park is densely overgrown with local plant species. The lake is completely dry, but a small river still flows through the park. In the park there is a mass grave of soldiers who died during the Great Patriotic War. In the future, the park is planned to be improved.
The extensive farmyard of the palace and park complex in the village of Žyličy was exploited until the end of the 1970s. Many buildings that made up the economic part of the complex continued to be used for their original purpose, some others were converted for housing, or, for example, under a club. Unfortunately, at present most of these buildings are in emergency condition or in the form of ruins. Most of the farm buildings that belonged to the estate are concentrated at a certain distance from the palace and constitute a separate complex of the farmyard. There are no specific plans for the rehabilitation and operation of these buildings.
But in the immediate vicinity of the palace in the village of Žyličy there are only the buildings of the former stables and cellar. Restoration of the cellar is already underway, it is likely that the stable will also be upgraded someday, and then these buildings together with the restored palace and park in the village of Žyličy will make up one of the most memorable and interesting tourist complexes in Belarus. The palace and park complex in the village of Žyličy is already one of the most important architectural monuments and one of the most interesting sights of the whole region. And after the completion of all restoration works, this complex will become one of the key attractions of all Belarus.
Sketches of Napoleon Orda, Žyličy:
