The hero-city of Brest is known to everyone who has studied the history of the Great Patriotic War. His heroic deed in the first weeks after its beginning forever included Brest in the lists of the most courageous cities that resisted the conquerors of all times and peoples. Today tours to Brest are a tribute to the memory of the feat of the grandfathers who overshadowed the bright future of mankind and did not allow fascism to win in that distant war.
History with geography
Brest is located in the south-west of Belarus in close proximity to the border with Poland. The Mukhavets River flows into the Western Bug here. The history of the city begins at the beginning of the 11th century, when the city is mentioned in chronicles. The name comes from the word "birch bark" and in the "Tale of Bygone Years" Brest appears in connection with the struggle of the Kiev prince Svyatopolk with his brother Yaroslav the Wise.
The famous fortress was built here after the end of the 1812 war. It was then that the Russian military began to build a system of fortifications on the western borders, and in the spring of 1842 the opening ceremony of the fortress took place. It was she who was to play such an important role in the defense of the borders in the summer of 1941. Instead of several hours, which the Nazi command allotted to capture the city, the Germans got bogged down here for a whole week, and some centers of resistance to the invaders existed for almost a month.
Briefly about the important
- The moderate continental climate forms a rather mild weather in the city both in winter and in summer. In July, the air temperature can reach +30 degrees, but usually thermometers show +24. Winters are warm, but snowy, and January temperatures average around -5.
- Brest is an important railway junction in Belarus. Dozens of trains from different European countries arrive at its station every day. Brest International Airport accepts flights from many cities, but there is no direct flight to the Russian capital yet. Participants of tours to Brest can use flights to Minsk with a subsequent transfer to a bus or train.
- The best way to get around the city is by trolleybus or bus, although a taxi in Brest is a fairly inexpensive form of public transport.
- One of the most interesting in the city is the archaeological museum "Berestye", the main exhibits of which are the remains of the ancient settlement of Brest uncovered in the ground. An ethnographic exposition dedicated to the life of the Slavic tribes who inhabited these lands in ancient times has been recreated around the excavations.
