White Russia ... How much grandeur and purity in the name of the country. The Slavic state in the very center of Europe went through a difficult and thorny path of history of its formation.
Friendly and hospitable people are rightly considered the main pride of Belarus, but the republic also boasts historical, architectural and natural sights.
In memorable places of the Republic of Belarus, the monuments of Orthodox Russia, the Catholic Principality of Lithuania and the Commonwealth harmoniously harmonize. We will go on an excursion and visit the most beautiful places in Belarus, amazing and diverse.
1
Lake Svityaz
The most beautiful lake is located in the central part of the Novogrudok Upland. The picturesque shores of the lake are overgrown with a majestic forest of centuries-old oaks, spruces, maples and ash trees.
From ancient times, the legend has survived that in ancient times the city of Svityaz stood here, the defenders of which did not submit to the enemy. During the siege, women and the elderly set fire to their homes. At this moment, the city was swallowed by water, and an amazing lake was formed. And the inhabitants of the legendary settlement turned into flowers. And the enemies were dying, touching beautiful plants.
2
Mir Castle
There is an old Russian city in the Grodno region with the unusual name Mir. And everyone understands its meaning - "peace, the absence of war and hostility between peoples."
And in the town to ensure calm at the turn of the XVI – XVII centuries, fortifications and a castle were erected. For many centuries, the fortress was the residence of noble families of the Principality of Lithuania.
A beautiful architectural building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is protected by the state.
And if you want to see the rating of the most beautiful castles in the world, the editors of most-beauty.ru took care of this by preparing an interesting article for you.
3
Grodno
In the photo: Farn Church of the XVI century
Grodno, immersed in greenery, in the tourist community is called the city of royal palaces and Orthodox churches.
One of the oldest Slavic cities harmoniously blended into the untouched natural landscape.
In addition, Grodno is the only city where the outlines of the historical part have been preserved unchanged. Tourists from all over the world go to see the Borisoglebskaya Church, the Royal Palace of the 18th century, the numerous architectural monuments of the period of Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian period.
Among the Catholic shrines, it is worth noting the monumental architectural monument of the Farny Church of the 16th century.
4
Borisoglebskaya church
In the photo: Borisoglebskaya church. Author: Lipilin Alexander. Source: https://lipilin2010.livejournal.com/48638.html
The rare Borisoglebskaya church is the only monument of Black Russian architecture of the Russian period.
The church, set up during the time of the Grodno princes Boris and Gleb or their children in the tract Kolozhany. In ancient times, kolozhan meant a place where multiple springs hit.
In architectural terms, the church is a cross-domed church. The walls are lined with plinth; in some elements of architecture, red brick was used for decorative purposes.
Included in the list of cultural and historical heritage of the Republic of Belarus.
5
Spaso-Evfrosinievsky monastery
Szeder László [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
In Belarusian Polotsk, a masterpiece of old Russian architecture is located Spaso-Evfrosinievsky Convent.
It was founded in 1125 by Princess Euphrosyne of Polotsk, and today it is one of the oldest monasteries in Europe. During the seizure of the monastery by the Jesuits, the Soviet period was also closed, but nowadays it is functioning again.
In 1941, the altar gilt cross of the monastery disappeared without a trace. Historians and local historians of not only Belarus, but also leading Russian search and historical organizations are engaged in his searches.
6
Central Botanical Garden
But this miracle of the republic is the work of human hands. The Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus is one of the largest in Europe.
On the territory of 153 hectares more than 9,000 different plant species have been collected. Most of them bloom year-round.
Park workers managed to create unique flower collections. Here 311 species of peonies and more than 220 species of beautiful roses are collected.
Trees and shrubs collected in various natural zones of the Earth are planted in the park’s arboretum.
7
Nesvizh Castle
The palace and castle complex in the city of Nesvizh is an object of pilgrimage for tourists from all over the world.
The residence of the Radziwill clan was built in the 16th century. Unfortunately, the story did not preserve the names of the architect and author of the project.
The uniqueness of the castle is in the special structure of the defensive walls and ditches around the castle, into which the water of the Ushi River was launched. Over time, a whole system of dams was built in the vicinity of the fortifications, due to which ponds and floats formed.
8
Braslav lakes
Hundreds of lakes and a picturesque landscape left to the delight of Mankind the last ancient glacier. It was his melting that formed the unique natural complex of the Belarusian Lake District.
In 1995, by Presidential Decree, the Braslav Lakes and surrounding areas became a national park where rare animals and birds live, and about 1,900 plant species grow.
The park, rare in its beauty, has enormous recreational potential. In the vicinity of lakes with clear water, 4 recreation centers have been built.
9
Bykhov castle
On the banks of the Dnieper, the outstanding commander Jan Karol Khodkevich erected a defensive castle. Unfortunately, time did not spare the structure, and part of this complex was destroyed.
But, despite the destruction, the fortress is of interest to tourists and specialists in various fields of science. The fortress was built taking into account the latest achievements of the fortification construction of that time.
Multiple secret passages, ditches and earthen ramparts are saturated with antiquity, and they will tell a lot from the history of the XVII – XVIII centuries. Now restoration works are being carried out in the fortifications to preserve a rare architectural monument for posterity.
10
Palace of the Rumyantsevs and Paskevichs
If you will be in Gomel, the editorial office most-beauty.ru highly recommends that you visit the palace and park ensemble of the Rumyantsev and Paskevich palace.
In addition to a beautiful architectural monument, the unique complex includes a winter garden and a chapel, around which an old garden spans.
The former residence of aristocratic families today is one of the most visited museums of the republic. The magnificent palace halls amaze with splendor, and the collection of exhibits tells a lot about the history of the Belarusian lands.
11
Ski center "Silichi"
The state has recently invested heavily in the development of sports infrastructure and mass physical education. A real visiting card of Belarus is the Silichi ski resort.
Everyone knows that there are no high mountains in the country, but Silichi, located in the hilly area of Logoisk region, is a real paradise for lovers of skiing and snowboarding.
In summer, the wellness center is used for playing tennis, cycling and other popular outdoor activities.
By the way, you can find out about the most beautiful tennis players in the world in our article.
12
Brest Fortress
Visiting Belarus, one cannot help but come to Brest to look at the Brest Fortress.
The construction of the defensive structure began in the 80s of the XIX century, and the fortress acquired its final form in 1913. During the First World War the place became the center of the defensive line of the Russian army fortifications.
At the beginning of World War II, the fortress garrison held the defenses for a month, holding down the great forces of the German army.
For many generations, the fortress has become a symbol of courage, stamina and courage, selfless love for the motherland.
13
Belovezhskaya Pushcha
Biosphere Reserve is one of a kind natural object. Only in this region of Europe did the largest remnant of the primeval plain forest remain.
The reserve is inhabited by rare species of animals, including bison. It was here that this rare species of large mammal was preserved.
Note that Belovezhskaya Pushcha is the oldest nature reserve in Europe. Forests in this part of Russia are mentioned in the Ipatiev Chronicle under 983.
Of the man-made monuments here are the House of Nature and the estate of Santa Claus. Let us take the liberty and declare that this reserve is the most beautiful place in Belarus.
Conclusion
As you can see, Belarus is really an amazing country with many unique historical and natural attractions. The founding years of some Belarusian cities coincide with significant events in the history of Slavic peoples. For example, Turov was laid in the year of the baptism of Russia, and Polotsk was founded in the year of the reign of the legendary Rurik in Novgorod, who became the founder of the dynasty of Russian princes.
But as they say, it is better to see once. We hope that our list will be a motivating factor for many to buy a ticket and go on a visit to kind and hospitable Belarusians.
For your convenience, we will place an interactive map showing all the places that were discussed in our article:
The editors of most-beauty.ru asks you to write in the comments what other beautiful places in Belarus should be on our list. We also ask you to share your impressions of the sights of this country that you saw.