Bordering Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia and Ukraine, Belarus is right in the thick of it all. Mixed in between all the others, the country infects with wide plains, ancient castles, villages, forestry and lakes. Boasting a unique history and an even richer cultural heritage, Belarus bears scars and oddities. The country was once deemed Belorussia or the White Russia. Start sipping on a white Russia and dive into the country covered by one-third of forests and the other thirds composed of a country just discovering itself after becoming independent from the Soviet Union in 1991.
From ballet to museum collections, Minsk makes for an interesting capital city. Minsk was first mentioned in 1067. While largely destroyed in World War II, Minsk musters up a few 17th century buildings for admiring. Behind the Soviet façade, a diverse cultural scene lurks in the shadows of clubs and cafes in Minsk. Belarus offers even more city options for travelers. While fifth in size, Grodno is not lacking on the old town charm. The 11th century castle and Kalozh-Church appreciate the rich history Grodno embodies.
Minsk might be somewhat jealous of the city of Brest. Bordering Poland, Brest feels incredibly western. First discussed in 1091, the city holds a rich history. The famed fortress served as a structure to repel the Germans during World War II. Also notable in town, the puppet theater and the Belaya Vezha, the White Tower, draw in visitors. Within the area Belavezhskaya Pushcha towers in wise old trees. Some reach up to the sky and into distant memories some 500 years ago. The State National Park holds 60 different types of animals, including Europe’s largest mammal, the zoobr or bison.
Swamp things fester in Pripyatsky National Park. Spread out over 82,000 hectares of swampland, floodplains, and marshes, some 200 species of birds, 800 plant varieties, and 50 mammals settle into what they call home, making for an ideal natural backdrop in Belarus. More chances at natural beauty present themselves in Belavezha Wood. The unique wildlife environment here includes the mingling of bears, bison and wolves. Don’t let the bears scare you. Belavezha Wood covers in hiking trails through marshland, deep rivers, forests, and flora and fauna. The Nature Reserve itself is UNESCO worthy, landing as a protected biosphere in Belarus. In the northeastern parts of Belarus, the Braslav Lake District bears Belarus’ famous water activities. Thirty lakes glisten through forestry, all connected ever so effortlessly with canals. Ample boating sports bode well in this area.
Belarus may not seem like the most famous of countries but a famous painter was born within the city limits of the town of Vitebsk. Painter Marc Chagall came out of Vitebsk, leaving behind a cultural center where a museum to the artist stands in his old family home. Other famous residents come in the forms of monasteries, like the 15th century monastery of the Assumption in Zhirovitsa. Moments with celebrity come through the many medieval towns in Belarus. Mir is just one of those small villages, applauded for being UNESCO World Heritage site, Jewish cementary and more specifically for it 15th century Mir Castle.
Belarus tends to shy away from other European nations, but that fact of the matter remains. It is fixed in the continent and characteristically European, hosting the romance of castles, forests teaming with wildlife, living cities, and those opportunities to see it all in one glance of the country. Just don’t blink for you might miss the beauty hiding in Belarus.
