Russia’s neighbor is popular among our tourists: you can get here from Moscow in about an hour by plane or overnight by train or car. Visitors note the cleanliness of Minsk and the “spirit of the USSR,” which is a bit of a shame for Belarusians – the city of two million is still developing, even if the benefits of modern megacities appear with a delay of at least several years. By the way, in the title the country is spelled correctly – Belarus, not “Belorussia”. Locals will never pronounce the longer version; If you heard “Belarus”, you are definitely looking at a person from another country. We have compiled a list of places where you can not only have a good time, but also learn the history of the country, as well as get acquainted with its culture.
Nesvizh Castle
This is one of the two most famous castles in Belarus, it is located in the city of Nesvizh. The palace and castle complex was founded at the end of the 16th century. The castle belonged to the richest Radziwill family. Russian troops tried to take it in the mid-seventeenth century, but only the Swedes succeeded in doing so in 1706. Subsequently, the castle was also often besieged. During its existence, it was periodically remodeled: something was destroyed, something was completed. The last restoration was completed in 2012.
You will be offered a tour of the palace complex; a full tour will take more than two hours – if you are pressed for time, you can choose a shortened version, without visiting the archive and library. By the way, on the territory of Nesvizh Castle there is a hotel with 22 rooms and 4 separate VIP rooms.
Mir Castle
And here is the second of the two most famous castles in the country. The Gothic style building was built in the 16th century. Mir Castle, like Nesvizh Castle, had a hard time due to the frequent wars that took place on the territory of Belarus. The complex began to be restored in the early 2000s, and restoration is still ongoing at a slow pace. But the castle is open to visitors.
Any old castle must have its own legends. There are stories around Mirsky about the ghost of the White Virgin who walks around the castle. There is also talk about a secret passage between the Mir and Nesvizh castles, and that many valuable items are supposedly stored there. It is still unknown whether the tunnel actually exists. The castle is worth a look at least for its monumental appearance. The complex’s employees offer several excursions that reveal the history of the castle and its owners. There is also a hotel with air conditioning, Wi-Fi and a jacuzzi in the rooms. The Radziwills themselves would have envied such amenities – by the way, they were the owners of not only Nesvizh Castle, but also Mir Castle.
Puslovsky Palace
The complex began to be built in 1838, but only ruins have survived to this day. Restoration work started in 2008, and in the near future the palace will not be inferior to the Nesvizh and Mir castles – it is planned to create a hotel, as well as restore the entire structure and open a museum.
The Puslovsky Palace, which is also called the Kossovo Castle, was built with an interesting idea – as much light as possible should penetrate into the premises. There are not just large windows here, but also special architecture. Each of the rooms is fully illuminated by the sun on certain days of the year. The owner of the castle was the governor Kazimir Puslovsky. It didn’t work out to leave the palace in the family: his grandson lost the castle at cards – it’s both funny and sad.
Stalin Line
This historical and cultural complex is located about twenty kilometers from Minsk. The “Stalin Line” was opened in 2005, on the sixtieth anniversary of the end of the Great Patriotic War. There is a museum with many models of military equipment, a cafe with soldiers’ food and a “front stack”, and a shooting range where you can shoot with various weapons.
Both ground vehicles, such as trucks, tanks and artillery units, and aircraft are represented. The exhibits belong to different historical periods; there are more modern airplanes and helicopters that did not yet exist in the forties. In addition to them, on the “Stalin Line” you will see quite rare equipment, such as a military bridge layer and a trench machine. A leisurely exploration of the complex will take three to four hours. Themed events, such as battle reenactments, are also regularly held here.
Dudutki
This is a museum complex dedicated to folk crafts. You will learn about what tools and devices were used by craftsmen in the old days, how the daily life of ordinary people was structured, and you will probably be glad that progress has left all these things in the distant past.
On the territory of the complex there is a stable, a zoo, a cheese factory, a forge, a small collection of vintage cars and much more. There is also a 14-meter windmill, which was built at the beginning of the 20th century. “Dudutki” is the best place to get acquainted with Belarusian handicrafts.
Struve arc
The Struve arc was intended to clarify the size of the Earth and its shape. The network of points stretches for almost three thousand kilometers, the facilities are located in ten countries. The large-scale chain of triangulation points included 265 objects, only 34 have survived to this day. They are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
There are about ten objects of the Struve Arc in Belarus, they are located in the west of the country, near the settlements of Osovnitsa, Belin, Dokudovo, Lyaskovichi, Osovnitsa, Tyupishki and a couple of other places. Surveyors often organize tours of the places where points on this line are established.
Upper city of Minsk
In the center of Minsk there is the Upper Town – a place with historical buildings and a large number of establishments. You will find old houses in the Trinity Suburb, now there are mainly cafes and offices. Also nearby is the Church of the Holy Spirit, and right behind it are several streets with many bars and restaurants.
Excursions from local residents in Minsk
Herzen and Zybitskaya streets especially stand out – there are establishments in almost every building, so you can choose a place to suit any mood and purpose: for a quiet dinner, or for a noisy get-together with cocktails.
Brest Fortress
The Great Patriotic War began with the attack on the Brest Fortress. Founded in 1836, the fortress was the first to receive an attack from German troops on June 22, 1941. The invaders’ plans went awry almost immediately. Contrary to expectations, the surrounded Red Army soldiers were in no hurry to surrender, although they had few options – the surrounded fortress was constantly shelled and bombed. The defenders of the structure held the line for about a month and a half – until August. Almost two thousand Soviet soldiers died within the walls of the Brest Fortress, German losses amounted to almost a thousand people.
The memorial complex makes a rather difficult impression: bricks with traces of bullets, walls melted by a flamethrower, the inscription “I’m dying, but I’m not giving up! Goodbye, Motherland. 20/VII-41″ of an unknown soldier who died here. On the territory of the complex there is a large sculpture of a soldier who reaches with his helmet to fetch water from the river – the water supply and warehouses with provisions were destroyed during the German attack, the Red Army soldiers died not only from enemy bullets, but also suffered from dehydration and hunger.
Relaxation on the lakes
The most famous lakes in Belarus are the Braslav lakes, they are part of the national park of the same name. There are dozens of lakes, four recreation centers and an abundance of places that will give you an unforgettable vacation in pure nature. You will be offered ATV safaris, hunting tours and cozy guest houses.
In addition to the Braslav lakes, holidays in Naroch and Svityaz are popular. Near Naroch there is a five-story 3* hotel, and Svityaz, in addition to the hotel, offers accommodation in real village houses – agritourism in its purest form.
