The 16th-century Gothic castle with its red-brick towers and white walls sits at the heart of this small town. The castle's museum displays medieval armor and furniture.
Mir, a small town 85 kilometers southwest of Minsk, draws visitors to its medieval castle with red brick towers, the historic St. Nicholas' Church, and stone memorials marking its Jewish heritage. This town of 2,238 people preserves buildings from its past as a major horse trading center along the Miranka River.
Exploring Mir Castle Complex
The 16th-century Mir Castle Complex dominates the town center with its massive red brick towers and white-painted walls. Inside, you'll find meticulously restored rooms including the great hall with period furniture, bedchambers with tapestries, and formal dining rooms. Climb the towers for views of fields and forests stretching to the horizon. The castle grounds include a 1930s garden with geometric flower beds and an artificial lake that mirrors the castle's walls.
Getting Around Mir Today
A marked walking path connects the castle to the town center. You can explore the main historical areas in about two hours. The path takes you past stone buildings along the Miranka River and through what remains of the pre-war town layout.
Religious Sites in Mir
St. Nicholas' Church continues to hold regular services in the town center. Its stone facade and bell tower from the early 1900s remain intact. Throughout the town, stone memorials mark the former Jewish quarter, including the location of the Mir Yeshiva that operated from 1815 until 1939. These monuments tell the story of Mir's Jewish community, which once made up half of the town's population.
Historical Horse Trading Center
Before 1939, merchants from across Eastern Europe gathered in Mir for horse trading fairs held twice yearly during Saint Nikolaus feast days. These four-week markets in May and December filled the streets with traders exchanging horses and goods. The regular fairs brought money and new cultural influences to Mir, shaping the town's development through the early 20th century.
