Among representatives of well-known familial households of Orda in Belarus, particularly Napoleon Orda, who was named in honour of the French emperor, gained world attention. Following the Rebellion of 1830-1831, in which he participated, he was forced to leave Russia. Finding himself abroad, he managed to become well educated in the areas of music and art. His work entitled “Grammar of Music,” published in 1873, was considered over several decades to be one of the better textbooks on the subject. His travels covered half of Europe and as a result of his 30 trips he produced a series of drawings of old castles and city streets. Following Czar Alexander II’s amnesty, he returned to his homeland and for 25 years traveled about Lithuania, Poland, Volyn drawing sketches and trying to include in them every possible important historical and architectural monument. His drawings were passed on to Krakovsky National Museum where they have been kept for almost 100 years. In 1977 some 1000 reproductions of his work were printed. Over 300 of them are scenes taken from Belarus, her cities, cultural treasures which were lost in the horrors of wars and social changes that occurred during the course of our suffering-filled 20^th century. This Master, as it were, won back for us lost architectural cathedrals and destroyed places within Belarus.

Categories: Асобы, Культура, Нацыя Беларусы, Uncategorized