Press releases

29 Jul 2026

From medieval weddings to cinematic nights: Lida Castle reveals its most popular projects

An archive photo

MINSK, 29 July (BelTA) - Lida Castle runs many projects, Anna Nekrashevich, head of the Lida Castle branch of the Lida Historical and Art Museum, told a press conference, BelTA has learned.

Lida Castle is one of the main examples of medieval architecture in Belarus. It was founded in 1323 by Duke Hiedymin to protect the Grand Duchy of Litva (Lithuania) from the Crusaders. Today, the castle is the first-category historical and cultural site and serves as a tourist hub. According to Anna Nekrashevich, Lida Castle welcomed 160,000 visitors in 2025, which was 60,000 more than in 2024. “In 2017, we had 38,000 visitors. We need to keep growing and make sure people want to come back and find it exciting,” she emphasized.

In her view, a major factor behind the site's growing tourist appeal has been the active involvement of visitors and a strong focus on interactivity.

“We have developed specialized programs: quests and museum educational sessions for schoolchildren. The School of Archaeology and the quest-excursion ART & FACT are particularly popular, along with other projects. For family audiences, we offer various animation programs, such as A Journey into the Past and the interactive zone Fascinating Things of the Middle Ages. These give visitors the chance to try on elements of armor and medieval costumes,” the speaker explained.

The inclusive project Lida Castle for Everyone ensures that the historical heritage is accessible to people with disabilities. Events are held on specially equipped premises, which helps with social adaptation and engagement for this category of visitors.

Young people especially enjoy the project A Family Portrait Against the Backdrop of History, a medieval-style wedding ceremony. “It broadens the castle's target audience and fosters new cultural traditions. We invite a civil registry officer to register a new family right on the grounds of this architectural site," the expert added.

The castle runs exhibitions such as Historical Events and Personalities and Pages of History which are built around authentic finds uncovered during archaeological research. “These materials are not only displayed but also serve as a foundation for the research work of our museum staff, enhancing the academic value of the site,” Anna Nekrashevich noted.

Lida Castle boasts a rich calendar of events, which helps shape its tourism image. the signature project Castle Hospitality runs from May through August. “On the castle grounds, we organize Magic of Fire and Light, Medieval Culture Day, and Cinema Night at Lida Castle, which is a new project,” she said.

The museum invites Belarusian theaters such as the Belarusian State Academic Musical Theater. “We have seen the productions of Tristan and Isolde and One Thousand and One Nights. Locals were very grateful that they didn’t have to travel to Minsk to see a performance. Visitors coming from different countries are often surprised. They expect Lida Castle to be all about knighthood and battles, but instead they find musicals and ballet here,” Anna Nekrashevich said.

The institution also works closely with more than 50 travel agencies and engages in international cooperation, including with the Smolensk Fortress museum which helps expand the geographic reach.

“Recently, I had the opportunity to present the tourism potential of our region and country at an exhibition at VDNKh in Moscow. Everyone noted that Belarus is a very clean and beautiful country with many historical sites. For the convenience of guests, we also offer audio guides in Belarusian, Russian, and English,” Anna Nekrashevich added.