St Barbara's Church, Berdychiv
The church of 1826 where Honore de Balzac married Eveline Hanska.
The wooden church on the eastern outskirts of Berdychiv was built in 1759–1782 at the expense of Barbara Radziwiłł, in honour of her patron saint. Next to it a masonry church was erected — a three-nave Baroque basilica completed in 1826; the old building was dismantled in 1828, and in 1878 a stone bell tower was put up. On 14 March 1850 at 7 in the morning Prelate Wiktor Ożarowski married Honoré de Balzac and Ewelina Hańska of Verkhivnia here: their acquaintance began with a letter in 1832, and five months after the wedding the writer died. The church was closed in 1937–1941 and 1950–1991: it housed a warehouse, then a sports school; in 1969 the entrance was walled up and the organ and altar were destroyed. On 24 June 1992 the first Mass since its return was celebrated here. On the wall are a plaque of 1966 about Balzac's “visit” and a plaque of 1999 about the wedding, which gives the date 2 March 1850.
A working church (25 Yevropeiska Street): Masses Mon–Fri at 8:00 and 18:00, Sat at 8:00, Sun at 8:00, 10:00, 12:00, 13:30 and 18:00 (2026). The Balzac plaques are on the wall of the church.