THE WARDROBE OF MARIE JOSE OF SAVOY AT THE MONA BISMARCK FOUNDATION

If I make it to Paris in the next few months as I plan I will definitely go see the exhibition of the wardrobe of Marie Jose of Savoy (who was briefly the Queen of Italy) at the Mona Bismarck Foundation:

http://www.monabismarck.org/current.html

PALACES AND VILLAS IN BELARUS

I'm planning a trip to Paris soon (I hope it's soon) but am also thinking of other places I'd like to go someday. I'd love to go to Eastern Europe--like seriously EASTern Europe: Belarus, Romania, Ukraine. I started peeking around the internet and was fascinated to discover that their are some great historic houses in Belarus--who knew they had palaces there? Highlights below; more details and more palaces and villas at:
http://www.eng.belarustourism.by/

Snov:

On an open terrace of the bank of the small river Snovka there rests a monument of classical architecture — the Rdultowski Family Residence. The palace-and-park ensemble was built in 1827 by architect Tychetski. The palace has a very impressive look — it was 140 metres long with 100 rooms and a spacious hall. There was an English park around the palace with a small artificial water pond. The park was cut into groves by a system of water channels. Today the Palace of Snov is recognized cultural and historical value in Belarus.

Snov:

Loshitsa:

The Farmstead of Loshitsa is one of the most romantic places of the Belarusian capital. Visitors are equally attracted to the beauty of the park and the mystery of the place. Loshitsa was first mentioned in the chronicles in 1557 as the land of the Drutski Count Family. In 1582 they built a stone house at the juncture of the River Svisloch and the River Losha. In 1719 the place was bought by Jerzi Antoni Prushinski. The Pruzhinskis had been in ownership of the farmstead for over 150 years. Each proprietor would add something to the place to make it one of the most beautiful residences in the neighbourhoodThe last owner of the farmstead was Yevstafi Liubanski, who turned a provincial house into modern residence for his bride Jadwiga to enjoy. The life story of Yevstafi Liubanski is a sad one ― in 1905 Jadwiga drowned at the most beautiful place in the park. To commemorate his wife the inconsolable Yevstafi planted near the mansion a Manchurian apricot-tree ― the only such tree in Belarus. Legend has it that since then at night during the apricot blooming season in the park of Loshitsa one may come across the White Lady ― the ghost of the drowned beauty. They say she is keen on prophesying the fate of loving couples that happen to wander into the park at night.

Loshitsa:

Zhemyslav:

The Zhemyslavl farmstead on the left bank of the River Gavia, an 18-19th century architectural monument, looks very much like Lazenki — the residence of Poland’s last King Stanislaw August. Lazenki is also known as the Isle Palace. The palace-and-park ensemble was built by the Umestowski Count Family, who acquired ownership of the place in 1805. In 1828 the governor of Oshmyany District Kazimierz Umestowski got down to rebuilding the big wooden tiled roof baroque house he had bought along with the farmstead. He added two brick pavilions with pillar-resting porticos, a cellar, a hothouse, stabled and a manege. After Kazimierz died in 1863 his wife Yuzefa continued rebuilding the house. Mrs. Umestowski hired one popular architects of the time — a certain Marconi — to make a copy of the Lazenki Royal Residence, built in 1784-1795.
It was a classical two-storied building with arch windows and stained glass in them. There was one open loggia resting on four pillars above the central entrance. On both sides of the palace there were balconies. The inside of the building was also copied from the royal residence. The rooms were heated with marble wood-burning stoves, Paris style. The walls were decorated with oak panels and frescos. There was a small English park around the residence with a boat station. The park was set up on both sides of the river, so one has to make a boat trip to get to the warehouses, the stables, the family chapel, the winery or the cheese mill. During WWI in 1914 the Germans would convert the place into a rehabilitation centre for army officers. After the end of the civil war and the armed conflict between the Soviets and Poland the farmstead found itself on the territory of Western Belarus that had not become part of the USSR till 1939.
The last owner of the farmstead, Wladislaw Umestowski donated the place to the University of Vilnius to be used as a scientific base for land exploration and agriculture. The farmstead along practically all buildings have survived all through the wars and upheavals of the 20th century.

Zhemyslav: