What can please the tourist in the central part of Belarus? We will tell you about the most interesting sights of the Minsk region. Photos and detailed descriptions of the most famous monuments of antiquity, culture and nature of this region can be found in this article.
Minsk region: general information
The region occupies a central position in Belarus. Its total area is 40 thousand square meters. km, the population is about 1.5 million people. Minsk region was established in 1938. In administrative terms, it is divided into 22 districts. The Minsk region is directly adjacent to all other regions of the Republic of Belarus. However, it has no borders with other states.
The relief of the region is diverse: in the north is the Narochano-Vileika lowland, in the center is the Minsk Upland with the highest point - Mount Dzerzhinsky (345 meters), in the east - the Central Berezinsky Plain, and in the south - the Polesskaya Lowland. In the southwestern part of the region, the Kopyl ridge stretches with maximum heights of 200-240 meters. The main rivers are the Neman, Viliya, Berezina. There are a lot of lakes in the region. The largest of them is Lake Naroch with an area of 80 square kilometers. A third of the area of the Minsk region is covered with forests.
The largest cities of the region: Salihorsk, Borisov, Molodechno, Slutsk, Zhodino. Minsk, although it is the administrative center of the region, is not included in its structure.
The main attractions of Minsk and the Minsk region
If you plan to visit the Minsk region as a tourist, be sure to list cities and towns such as Nesvizh, Zaslavl, Slutsk and Budslav. Here you will definitely find many interesting objects for yourself. If you want to improve your health - go to one of the resorts of the region (Logoisk, Silichi, Naroch), where you can relax and get healthy at any time of the year.
Do not ignore the capital of Belarus - the city of Minsk. Here you can stay in one of dozens of hotels (the choice of hotels is wide enough), and make radial one-day trips to other settlements of the region. However, in the capital itself there is something to see. Here are just the most important sights of the city of Minsk:
- The red church.
- Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater.
- Upper city (historical part of the city).
- Cathedral.
- Square of victory.
- Island of tears.
- Museum of the history of the Great Patriotic War.
- Monument to five thousand dead Jews.
- Museum "Country Mini".
- Dolphinarium "Nemo".
The sights of the Minsk region are, first of all, magnificent palace and park ensembles, military memorial complexes, ancient castles, Orthodox churches and monasteries. In addition, there are 20 museums in the region. The richest collections are kept in the regional museum of local lore located in Molodechny.
The main attractions of the Minsk region (list):
- Zaslavsky castle.
- Nesvizh Palace.
- The memorial complex "Khatyn".
- Church of the Icon of Our Lady of Budslav (the largest in Belarus).
- Manor Gutten-Chapsky in Stankovo.
- Museum of ancient crafts "Dudutki".
- Monument to the Bison (the largest in the world).
- Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Borisov.
- Vozdvizhensky Gothic Church in Vileyka.
- The Stalin Line (Zaslavl).
Some of the above objects will be described in more detail below.
Sights of the Minsk region: Nesvizh palace
One hundred kilometers from Minsk is the old Nesvizh. It was here that the excellent palace and park ensemble - the residence of the Radziwills, a chic baroque church and the oldest town hall in the Minsk region - has been preserved. Sights of Nesvizh are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Nesvizh castle-palace was built in the XVI century, and then - was rebuilt and modernized several times. Over the years of its existence, he was repeatedly besieged by enemy troops. In the XVIII century, the archives of the Principality of Lithuania were located here, as well as a huge private library of 20 thousand volumes. In 2012, the palace and park complex in Nesvizh was overhauled and opened for visitors. Today it is one of the most popular attractions of the Minsk region.
The memorial complex "Khatyn"
Auschwitz, Buchenwald, Khatyn are objects of the same order, because they are all connected with the bloodiest and most cruel event of the twentieth century - World War II. Khatyn is a symbol of the tragedy and martyrdom of the Belarusian people.
In March 1943, Belarusian partisans from the village of Khatyn fired at an enemy German convoy. In punishment for this insolence, the village and almost all of its inhabitants were destroyed by the Germans in one night. Only a few managed to escape. The memorial complex at the site of a terrible tragedy was created in the 60s of the last century.
Museum "Dudutki"
Want Belarusian Authenticity? Then go to the village of Ptich, which is forty kilometers from Minsk. It is here that the unique museum of ancient crafts and technologies is located. He has been working since 1993. In the museum you can plunge into the atmosphere of the Belarusian province of the XIX century, to understand how the villagers lived and what they did in that distant time.
The main goal of the museum is to acquaint its guests with ancient Belarusian crafts. Moreover, tourists here can try themselves as potters, blacksmiths or bakers. The Dudutki Museum is open daily (except Mondays), from 10:00 to 16:00. The complex has its own hotel, a bathhouse and several cafes with dishes of traditional Belarusian cuisine.
Monument to the Bison
On the international highway Moscow - Brest, near the village of Petkovichi is one of the most unusual sights of the Minsk region. This is a metal sculpture of a bison of impressive size, mounted on a hill in the middle of the field. The height of the figure is 20 meters, and its weight is about 70 tons!
The sculpture was installed here in 2003. About 170 thousand dollars were spent on its manufacture.