In early 2019, the National Library of Belarus signed an agreement with the public figure and collector, Vladimir Likhodedov, to create the Foundation of Vladimir Likhodedov. The foundation’s purpose is the identification, return and preservation of the documentary heritage of Belarus.
Vladimir Likhodedov is the winner of the Presidential Award "For Spiritual Revival" (2006), founder of the historical-educational project “In Search of the Lost”, author of twenty books in eight languages, and the owner of a large collection of rare books (about 100 thousand items). The cooperation agreement provides for the gradual transfer of his private collection to the National Library of Belarus.
The exhibition presents the most precious objects of the first acquisitions: a unique handwritten documents, maps, incunabula and rare books, periodicals.
The exposition features rare publications of the 16th–17th centuries including Sigismund III Vasa King’s Privilege to the Uniate monastery in Minsk (1617); unique hand-written registration books of religious institutions of the 17th–19th centuries (metrics, books of premarital examinations and others); the unique manuscript of the Belarusian Tatars (Kitab); printed books of the 18th century. The 1841 issues of the Grodno Provincial Gazette – one of the first Belarusian newspapers of the 19th century – are also on display.
Francysk Skaryna’s Book of Genesis, reconstructed in 2014 by Vladimir Lihodedov’s team with the use of the technology of the 16th century, is of special interest.
The exhibition runs from June 20 to September 20 in the manuscripts, early printed and rare books reading room (348).
The opening hours of the exhibition correspond to the library’s opening hours.
Admission is by library card or by ticket of the library's social and cultural center. Information and tickets may be obtained at the registration desk.
Bibliology Research Department
