- The main attraction of Brest
- What to visit in Brest from museums?
- Architectural monuments of Brest
- Nature reserve
When some friend asked what to visit in Brest, you first need to clarify which city he has in mind. Since such a toponym can be found both on the map of France and on the map of Belarus. In 99% of cases, we are talking about one of the regional centers of a neighboring state, rather than about its beautiful, but distant French "colleague".
The main attraction of Brest
This Belarusian city from the 17th to the beginning of the 20th centuries. was called Brest-Litovsk. It has a very long history, the beginning of which is lost in the 11th century. Many historical sites and monuments have survived in Brest, among which the Brest Fortress stands out.
An important fortification played a huge role during the Second World War, as the officers and soldiers of the Brest garrison "made adjustments" to the plans for the advance of the Nazis to the east. The heroic defense of the fortress lasted almost a week, instead of several hours planned by the German command, besides, the Nazis suffered heavy losses. True, few people know that the first time the Nazis took the Brest Fortress back in 1939, when it was defended by the Poles. And when the Polish army was forced to surrender the fortress, there was a joint parade of the 19th corps of the Wehrmacht and the tank brigade of the Red Army.
The Brest Fortress today is one of the most important tourist sites not only in the city, but in Belarus as a whole. And this is the main answer to the question of what to visit in Brest on your own. The memorial complex has a good layout, several important military sites and monuments located on the territory. There are large exposition areas, a presentation of the main exposition was recently held, and short-term exhibition projects are also in operation.
What to visit in Brest from museums?
Not only the memorial complex dedicated to the defense of Brest can be visited in this regional center. One of the most interesting expositions is on display at the Museum of Rescued Values. It presents exhibits that almost became smuggled, that is, not too law-abiding citizens tried to take them out of the country, but were stopped by vigilant Brest customs officers. On display are icons, church utensils, valuable artwork, old household items, books.
The second interesting point for viewing can be the archaeological complex with the interesting name "Berestye" - this is the place name that the first settlement had, which appeared at the confluence of two rivers, the Bug and Mukhavets. It makes sense to book an excursion here, since many museum items will “talk” with the help of a guide, tell their stories and secrets.
Museum workers of Brest took advantage of the fact that the city is a major Belarusian transport hub connecting Russia with Western Europe, the Baltic countries with Ukraine. Researchers came up with the initiative to create a unique institution - the Museum of Railway Technology. The expositions are located in the open air and acquaint visitors with old steam locomotives and other types of railway transport.
Architectural monuments of Brest
A tour of Brest can be thematic, then not all historical objects will be in the spotlight, but only those related to a particular topic. The city is interesting in terms of architecture; here you can see architectural monuments belonging to different styles and centuries.
Among them, a fairly large place is occupied by religious places of worship, the active construction of which began in the 19th century. The following Brest churches leave the greatest impression:
- Garrison Cathedral, consecrated in honor of St. Nicholas;
- St. Nicholas Church;
- Holy Cross Church.
Unfortunately, from many religious buildings in Brest, erected in the Middle Ages, only drawings, memories or ruins remain. This, for example, can be said about the Bernardine monastery, which operated since the 17th century, the Jesuit collegium and the later Peter and Paul Basilian Church. This religious building, built at the end of the 18th century, is well known to historians, since it was there that the famous Brest Peace was signed in 1918.
Nature reserve
Another business card of Brest is Belovezhskaya Pushcha. If a tourist gets to the capital of the region for at least two days, then the trip becomes an obligatory item on the program. Its basis is a relict primeval forest, characteristic of a flat area. Previously, such forests were ubiquitous in Europe, but were cut down. A small part, located on the border of Belarus and Poland, remains relatively intact.
The Belarusian part of the Pushcha is divided into several parts, one of them is under economic jurisdiction, another one is called a zone of regulated use. Tourists are offered excursions around the recreational zone of Belovezhskaya Pushcha, where you can get to know the world of local flora and fauna, and see handsome bison in their natural habitat. The protected area is intended for scientists and researchers.
