Hvizdets: Bernardine Monastery

1734

The town was first mentioned in Hvizdets Polish property acts in 1373. The Catholic community existed in this region since at least the 15th century. First Bernardine Monastery in Hvizdets was wooden, it was founded in 1715. But after 13 years the church burned down and in its place in 1734 built new brick monastery. At the same time, the town Hvizdets built a large wooden synagogue, since more than half of its inhabitants were Jews. And they are quite peacefully coexisted with the Catholics. This is due to the Polish rulers of the city.


   Unfortunately, the synagogue has not survived to our time, most of the Jewish population died in hvizdets ghetto during the Nazi occupation. But monastery, also repeatedly burned and destroyed,  remains to this day. However, its modern look and finish it acquired in the early twentieth century, when the bell tower was rebuilt and monastery tower.

Monastery of the Discalced Carmelites (Berdychiv)

The monastery was founded in 1627 by Janusz Tyshkevych - Kyiv governor and chief steward of the Kyiv region. First, he gave the monks his castle, and in 1634 by strong walls, construction began on the church walls. For 8 years, in 1642 the monastery was built, but in 1648 the Carmelites were forced to leave and go in Lviv, fleeing the troops of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, , which freed Berdychiv and surrounding cities.

In the early 18th century after the rebellion barefoot monks returned to the monastery and rebuilt and reinforced fortress and built a new church in the Baroque style. Led construction architects from Poland and Germany, and attracted to painting artist from Italy. From the mid-18th century the monastery was active printing, which became known issue "Berdychivsky Calendars". 1768 Moscow army destroyed the fortress, and in 1832 by order of the Russian tsar closed convent school and printing. 1866 Russian governor-general expelled monks and monasteries located in the police and army. In the early 20th century, Catholics began rebuilding abandoned buildings of the monastery, and after the Civil War they were again damaged. 1925 the Bolsheviks founded the fortress historical museum, the monastery was saved from total destruction. Finally in 1991 he was again returned to the Catholic monks.