Description of the attraction
The Museum-Estate of Tadeusz Kosciuszko is located near the town of Kossovo in the Mereczowszczna farm (Mereczowszczyzna - Polish). Here on February 4, 1746, a man was born who is considered their national hero by Belarus, Poland, Lithuania, France and the USA - Andrzej Tadeusz Bonaventura Kosciuszko.
After receiving a theological education at the monastery of the Order of Public Relations in the city of Lyubyashov, Tadeusz Kosciuszko entered the Stanislav Poniatowski Knight School in Warsaw and received a military education. He chose the specialty of a military engineer and already in his early years amazed teachers and fellow students with his intelligence, will, dedication and asceticism.
Having found application of his knowledge in his homeland, Tadeusz Kosciuszko left for America in 1775, where he took part in the war of independence of the North American colonies. His knowledge of fortification brought obvious benefits to the rebel army. Tadeusz ended the war with the rank of brigadier general of the American army.
Returning to his homeland in 1792, he took part in the war on the side of the Commonwealth in the army of Jozef Poniatowski, where he distinguished himself in several battles. In 1794, Tadeusz Kosciuszko, together with other patriots, led the national liberation uprising, which was suppressed by Russian troops, and Kosciuszko was captured in the Peter and Paul Fortress.
After the death of Empress Catherine II, Kosciuszko was honorably released from prison. Given his desire to leave the country, Emperor Paul I gave him generous gifts.
Kosciuszko settled near Paris. Napoleon offered him to lead the Kingdom of Poland, but Tadeusz was adamant in his desire to restore the territorial integrity of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and did not accept Napoleon's offer.
The name and fate of the hero was remembered in many countries and cities of the world. His name has been immortalized in the names of the streets. However, the house where he was born was burned down by partisans during the Great Patriotic War. In place of the house, only pegs remained, enclosing the remains of the foundation and a memorial stone.
In 1999, it was decided to restore the estate, where the national hero was born, based on the surviving engravings and lithographs. In 2004, the estate museum was inaugurated. The museum has restored the atmosphere of the time when Tadeusz Kosciuszko lived here; the exposition also displays a lot of rare objects and documents.
