Grodno is the Belarusian cultural capital. Located on the banks of the Neman River, near the border with Lithuania and Poland. 368 thousand people live in the city. The foundation date is 1128. Already in the XIII century, the city was part of the Principality of Lithuania. In 1795 it passed into the possession of the Russian Empire, but this did not last long, until 1920, when it came under Polish control. In 1939, Soviet troops entered the city.
5 reasons to visit the city
The sights of Grodno made the city a real Belarusian Mecca. Tourists come here not only from the former USSR countries, but also from Western Europe, America and Asia.
- This is the only city in the country where, despite the frequent change of power, it was possible to preserve the historical center. Several cultures and eras are mixed here, from palace complexes to modern buildings of the last century.
- It is in Grodno that two royal castles stand nearby, and not as ruins, but preserved in good condition.
- The city has many ancient temples. The main pride is the church of Boris and Gleb, which is already more than VIII centuries. In some shrines, obscure signs have been preserved to this day, while other churches are half built of wood and half of stone.
- Grodno has a huge number of museums, but the most famous is historical and archaeological. The city has a museum of religion, a museum of prison life, the Kunstkamera and others.
- The Augustow Canal, built between 1820 and 1830, connecting the Neman and the Vistula. Although wars made ruins of the canal, not so long ago, local authorities found funds and restored it.
old lock
It is impossible to describe Grodno without this attraction. The castle is located on a high hill near the Neman River. It was built in the XI century. It was destroyed several times, but it was restored. Inside the palace complex, the ruins of the church, which was erected in the same period as the castle, are preserved. The surviving temple - the Upper Church - was erected in the XIV century.
New castle
Another attraction of Grodno. The castle was built in the XVIII century, not far from the old castle, now together they represent an integral complex of historical architecture, connected by a bridge over the Neman River. The architect of the project was Karl Friedrich. The building was erected in the rococo style. At the time of construction, the castle was supposed to house King Augustus III and his family. Outside, the building is not particularly noticeable, but inside - magnificent decoration.
One part of the castle was supposed to be inhabited, and in another, seymas were held. It was in these halls that an agreement was signed on the division of the Commonwealth between Russia and Prussia.
Pharmacy Museum
Another unique attraction of Grodno is the operating pharmacy museum. The first mention of it is in the annals of 1687. Then the pharmacy was located in the building of the Jesuit monastery.
Today the museum occupies 3 rooms where you can learn a lot of interesting things about the development of pharmaceutical business. Most of the exhibits date back to the 19th-20th centuries. Here you can see how quickly the methods of treating the most common diseases have changed.
Water towers "Kasia" and "Basia"
Many tourists will not immediately understand how ordinary water towers with such strange names can be the sights of the city of Grodno. One of the towers was built in 1890, the other - from 1905 to 1910. This is a vivid example of industrial architecture of that period. Each of them reaches 22 meters in height and has an eight-slope roof.
It is believed that the South Tower was erected first, but it is decorated more modestly in comparison with the North. Which of the towers has the name "Kasya", and which - "Basya", no one will tell, since there are many versions. One of the most common is that the female name is given to the tower where the accounting department used to be located, where one of the employees had the name Basya, and the second served as a manager with the name Kasia.
Iron Museum
A fairly new museum and, by the way, the only private museum in the whole country. It was opened by two collectors who collected irons for many years. At the same time, two people absolutely did not know each other, and each had its own collection. At some point, the two enthusiasts met and decided to open a museum where they could show their collections. Today the exposition consists of more than 1 thousand things. In addition to irons, there are exhibits that were once objects that facilitate the life of a person.
Teratological Museum
One of the unique sights of Grodno is the Kunstkamera. The exposition was opened in 2012. The exhibits are presented by the Department of Human Anatomy at the Grodno Medical University. They gathered almost 100 years, throughout the XX century. It is believed that today it is impossible to collect such specimens, since it is possible to identify pathology already in the early stages of pregnancy. The museum building itself was built in the XVIII century, and once it housed the gallery of King Augustus II.
According to the creators of the exposition, the Kunstkamera should be a kind of propaganda for a healthy lifestyle. The museum has two rooms, in one of them exhibits with normal pathology, and in the other with deviations from the norm. Throughout the tour, visitors are told how to behave so that the child is born without developmental disabilities.
Holy places
Indeed, it is impossible to imagine Grodno without temples and churches. One of the main business cards of the city is the Farny Church, or St. Francis Xavier Cathedral. By the way, the word “far” is derived from the word “paraphial,” that is, the main temple. The church is built in the Baroque style, and the altar is the height of a 7-storey building. One of the marble columns still has an ancient clockwork.
The church was consecrated in 1705, and among those invited to the opening of the shrine were August II and Peter I. Later, the Jesuits in the vicinity of the church erected a pharmacy, monastery and collegium.
The Lutheran Church of St. John is the only church in the whole city, and it is functioning. The building was granted in 1779 to German craftsmen who worked at that moment in royal manufactories.
Borisoglebskaya or Kolozhskaya church. The building dates from the XII century, is a monument of pre-Mongol times. Even the fire of 1183, which destroyed almost the entire city, did not damage the church. In 1853, part of the temple wall collapsed into the water due to a landslide. A few years later, the shore was strengthened and the wall was restored. To date, the church is included in the world list of UNESCO.
Bernardine Church and Monastery is one of the most unique sights of Grodno, Belarus. This is an active Catholic church, the construction of which dates back to 1494. Neither time nor Soviet power could destroy the shrine.
The Great Choral Synagogue is a fairly modern building in relation to other shrines, it was built from 1902 to 1905. Until that time, the synagogue was erected several times, but the buildings were on fire. In 1940, the temple was closed, and only in 1991 he returned to the Jewish community.
Modern entertainment
Another attraction of Grodno (photo below) is Zhiliber Park. It was founded by the French physician and biologist Jean Gilibert in 1775. At that time, the park was recognized as the best in all of Europe. After the departure of the botanist, the park became desolate, only recently restoration work has begun, which allowed to restore the former greatness to the alleys, bridges and arbors.
Another interesting attraction of Grodno and its environs is the zoo. It was founded by naturalist Jan Kokhanovsky in 1927. Although the Botanical Garden was originally created, at which a zoological department was opened. The collection of animals constantly grew and turned into a real zoo. During the Second World War, the collection was severely damaged, almost all animals were exported to Germany, although even the remaining animals had nothing to feed. After the war, a gradual restoration began, and by 1989 the collection consisted of 326 representatives of the animal world. Now the zoo pleases not only children, but also adults.