There are many historical and cultural architectural monuments in Belarus. No matter what city curious travelers go to, they will meet different sights at every step and will definitely find one that will touch their hearts and remain a pleasant memory of this amazing country. The city of Novogrudok has numerous delightful attractions. But one of its rarest gems is the Church of St. Michael the Archangel, a bright example of the Baroque style.

The magnificent Catholic church was built for the centenary of the former monastery of the Dominican order in 1724. The Dominican monastery and church appeared there in 1624 thanks to the magnate and castellan, Krzysztof Chodkiewicz. He invited monks to the city and built a monastery for them. The church was originally made of wood and named after St. Hyacinth (the patron saint of the Lithuanian province), a missionary and Dominican monk canonized by the Catholic Church.

The new church was stone and even more majestic. Unfortunately, it suffered a sad fate in 1751. As a result of a severe fire, it was almost destroyed and restored only half a century later. At the same time, the church got a bell tower and was consecrated in honor of St. Michael the Archangel. The special veneration of this saint began during the Russian-Polish war of 1654-1667, when the city was saved from total destruction.

That was not the end of the misfortune. The Catholic shrine was wrapped in flames again in 1831. In 1832, the tsarist authorities closed the monastery school. By the joint efforts of the city council and parishioners, the church was restored. It also got new decorative elements in the late classical style. However, it has not survived to this day: the Dominican monastery was finally closed in 1853.

The modern Catholic Church of St. Michael the Archangel has also undergone many changes. It was converted into a cathedral in 1922, but in 1948, it was closed and turned into a warehouse. Only in 1992, the building was returned to the Catholic Church, underwent a five-year restoration, and finally hosted the first mass.