OLD CASTLE (ЗАМОК СТАРЫЙ)

Built in the ^14th and ^15th centuries by Prince Vytautas the Great, the old castle dominates the Niemen River from its hilltop position. From the second half of the ^16th century, it became the residence of King Stefan Batorij. In 1579, the Italian architect Scotta rebuilt it, transforming it into the king's palace. When Stefan Batorij died suddenly on December 14, 1586, the royal court's Italian physicians, Bucello and Simoni, performed the first autopsy in Belarusian history. The Northern War (1700-1721) and the fire of 1735 completely destroyed the castle. Rebuilt in the late ^18th century, it has housed the Archaeological Museum since 1925.