Belarus is undeservedly not very popular among tourists. And completely in vain! Belarus, whose beautiful places cannot be put on one list, is very rich in interesting and impressive objects worthy of attention. Let's try to determine the places that you definitely need to see when you come to this country.
Tourism potential of Belarus
Despite the fact that in Belarus there is no sea or mountains - the most attractive objects for tourists, the country is very interesting for travelers. You can list beautiful places in Belarus that are definitely worth a visit for quite some time. After all, the country has a very high tourist potential, it is rich in cultural, historical and natural attractions. A number of objects are included in the list of cultural and natural heritage of UNESCO. What can not be missed?
Belovezhskaya Pushcha
At the mention of Belarus, first of all, Belovezhskaya Pushcha is recalled. This country shares this unique biosphere reserve with Poland. A relict forest has been preserved on its territory, which has practically not changed its appearance since the time of the dinosaurs. In the reserve you can see rare plants, for example, the oldest 43-meter Tsar Oak, as well as rare animals. So, here lives the world's largest bison population.
Belarus, whose beautiful places attract more and more tourists, organizes excursions to the reserve. Moreover, its part of the Bialowieza Forest is larger and also remains more untouched than the Polish one. In the reserve there is a museum of Santa Claus, several trails for hiking and cycling are laid.
Lake Svityaz
Belarus, the beautiful places of which strike untouched pristine nature, is famous for its lakes. One of them - the legendary lake Svityaz - was sung by the Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz, who told the legend about the reservoir in poetic form.
The lake arose, according to myth, on the site of the city of Svityaz, which Prince Tugan ruled. During the war, enemies approached him, and the population had no opportunity to escape, then the city fell underground and became a lake. And the inhabitants of the city turned into flowers and avoided shame.
The lake, as proved by geologists, has karst origin. It is surrounded by a dense ring of emerald forest massif, and the rarest preglacial plant species have been preserved in it. The lake is small, its diameter is just over five kilometers. In a few hours, you can go around it. It is interesting that Svityaz maintains the water level regardless of the time of the year and looks really magical.
Minsk
The capital of Belarus can rightfully be included in the list of beautiful places of the country. Archaeologists find very ancient settlements in this place, but official documents contain the first mention of it in the description of the battle of 1067.
Now Minsk is one of the ten largest cities in Europe. Many historical and cultural attractions have been preserved here, the list of which is extremely long. The most beautiful places usually include:
- the Christian Cathedral of the Descent of the Spirit, built in 1642, in which the sacred relic is stored - the Minsk icon of the Mother of God, painted in the 1st century;
- Church of the Virgin Mary (1700);
- Upper city with buildings of the XVIII-XIX centuries;
- Church of St. Simeon and St. Helena, its construction in 1910 is made in the Gothic style and has an unusual red color;
- Trinity Suburb - a district that emerged in the XII century, which to this day retains medieval buildings and a special atmosphere.
Mir Castle
When asked where the most beautiful places are in Belarus, one can almost always hear the answer - in the World. This castle or fortress was erected in the XVI-XVII centuries and played an important role in the history of this territory. He participated in all wars, his appearance changed slightly over time, but in general, the spirit of the Middle Ages is preserved in him to this day.
The castle was laid was the representative of the leadership of the Principality of Lithuania Yuri Ilyinich, the construction of the complex was continued by Nikolai Razdville. Famous castles of Europe - Schönbrunn, Versailles, Chambord became a model for the design of the territory. The history of the Mir Fortress is shrouded in various legends and secrets. Its spectacular elevation above the pond water still makes an indelible impression. Films were repeatedly shot in the castle, and high-quality infrastructure for recreation was created here.
Grodno
Grodno is one of the oldest cities that Belarus is rightfully proud of. Beautiful places here are filled with the history and spirit of the Middle Ages. The heart of the city is the Borisoglebskaya Church, founded in 1183. In addition to it, tourists certainly need to see the church of St. Francis Xavier (XVII century). Its rich decoration with a wooden altar and frescoes is a real masterpiece of temple architecture.
The Old and New castles give a special charm to the city. The first was built in the XI century, and its remnants today amaze with power and reliability. The new castle is a royal baroque residence erected in the 18th century. The historical center of Grodno is the most preserved ancient building in the country.
Polotsk
The ancient city with a rich history and spiritual center of the country is Polotsk. The first mention of the capital of the Principality of Polotsk dates back to 862, although archaeologists prove the existence of a settlement in this place long before this date.
The city is a stronghold of the Orthodox faith. So, the St. Sophia Church was first founded here in 1044, today an 18th-century building rises on the site of an ancient foundation, but the place is still revered as holy. And the Spaso-Efrosinievsky monastery has been operating since 1125. Here pilgrims go for help to the relics of St. Euphrosyne.
There are many interesting sights and beautiful places in Polotsk, and the city itself captivates with its cozy, patriarchal atmosphere and tradition.
Nesvizh Castle
Incredibly beautiful and interesting places in Belarus are located in the ancient city of Nesvizh. So, the princely residence of an influential family of Radziwills began to be built back in the 16th century, and it acquired its present appearance in the 19th century. Together with the Farny Church, the castle complex is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The castle has preserved rich interiors, the park has been restored.
But another historical architecture is of great interest in the city - these are the gates of Slutskaya Brama, the house of an 18th-century artisan, and the 16th-century Benedictine monastery. Nesvizh is a small and very cozy city where you can comfortably spend several days.
Braslav lakes
Listing the most beautiful places in Belarus, one cannot forget the Braslav Lakes. They rightfully occupy the first place among amazing natural objects. This group of water bodies includes about 50 lakes surrounded by groves, forests and flood meadows. On their shores there are many rest homes, resorts and camps for children.
The Braslav Lakes National Park impresses with the pristine nature, there is amazing silence here. Tourists go to the lakes to immerse themselves in nature, go fishing (there are many valuable fish in the ponds), swim, ride a boat, meet sunsets and sunrises of unprecedented beauty.
Full list of natural objects
Composing the rating “The most beautiful places in Belarus for recreation”, tour operators included ten most impressive natural sites in the list, these include:
- Braslav lakes.
- Lake Naroch (the largest lake in Belarus) and the Blue Lakes Natural Park.
- The Berezina River is one of the largest in the country, with beautiful nature along the banks.
- The Sorochansky Lakes Nature Reserve, where 14 lakes form an amazing chain of ponds surrounded by magnificent landscapes.
- The Viliya River and the Vileika Reservoir, the expanse of which is excellent for walking and kayaking trips.
- The Pripyat River, its tortuosity and power rightly cause associations with the Amazon.
- The Augustow Canal, walks through which are excellently combined with visits to cities such as Grodno and Augustow.
- The Neman River, which is rightly called the symbol of Belarus. This powerful, long aquatic artery impresses with its stately beauty.
- Lake Svityaz.
