Brest - an ancient and modern city (from Brest)

The Brest Cathedral of St. Simeon is the main Orthodox church in the city, which is its true decoration and pride. Built in 1865 in the pseudo-Russian style, the cathedral looks especially majestic in the evening in the rays of night illumination. One of the main shrines of the temple are the relics of St. Martyr Athanasius, Abbot of Brest, who despite tortures and torments did not renounce Orthodoxy. Today, the monument to Athanasius of Brest was installed near the cathedral.

Holy Cross Church is one of the oldest and most beautiful temples of the Brest region, which strikes with its simplicity and laconicism. Built in 1856, the church was closed at the time of the Soviet of Power, the building was used as a museum of local lore. Only in 2001 the temple was returned to the believers and gradually restored as a result of the restoration work. Today, here is kept the shrine, most revered by the Catholics of Belarus, - the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Brest in the casing of second half of the 17th century.

Freedom Square and the adjacent streets are the old center of Brest, the buildings of the first half of the 20th century. Each meter of land was expensive in the center, and therefore the houses stand tightly to each other, differing in the elements of the architectural decor (modern, gothic, classicism, in one word - eclecticism). Its modern name was given to the square in 1939. Its previous names - Dumskaya Square, Town Hall Square, Pilsudski Square, Marshallplatz. You will learn about the rich history of the formation of the square during the excursion.

Brest railway station is a museum of marble in the open air, is one of the monuments of architecture of the Republic of Belarus.
The railway station of Brest is one of the oldest in Belarus, its opening took place on May 28, 1886 in the presence of the royal family, headed by Alexander III. The unique construction of the station building harmoniously fits into the style of the modern city and is a kind of gateway of the country to Europe.

Church of St. Nicholas in Brest - is a magnificent example of a temple in retrospective Russian style, the first mention of which dates back to 1390. According to legend, the church was built with the means of a merchant who, having got bogged down in the river, was able to free himself only by giving a promise to build a church in Brest in the name of St. Nicholas. The church had its own long history - so, here was one of the oldest in Belarus cathedral brotherhood, operated a hospital.

During the excursion before you pages of history of terrible days of the beginning of war when at sunrise on June 22, 1941 the garrison of the Brest fortress the first assumed blows of fascist aggressors will open and more than a month held the fort in a full environment. Already on an entrance you will be met by a shrill voice of Yu. Levitan with the government message about attack on the Soviet Union of troops of fascist Germany and the song by A. Alexandrov the «Sacred war» which became the anthem of those years. On May 8, 1965 fortresses the rank «fortress hero» is given.

The Museum of the defense of the Brest fortress is a museum whose exposition reflects not only the military actions of 1941 on the territory of the fortress, but also the history of its construction, as well as the largest battles of the Great Patriotic War and the liberation of Belarus from Nazi invaders. The Museum of the defense was opened in 1956, since that time its area and exposition have doubled up, items from excavations, works of art, military documents, photographs are presented here. The most valuable among all items of the exposition are the records of S.S. Smirnov with memories of the participants in the defense of the Brest Fortress.

May 8, 2000 the solemn opening of the branch of the memorial complex - Fort № 5 was held. This event was preceded by a large scientific research work done by the memorial staff. In 1995 the fort was included in the list of historical and cultural values of the Republic of Belarus. Fort № 5 is a large and interesting fortification, where you can feel the old days and the grandeur of the structure.

The historic center of Brest belongs to the historical and cultural heritage of the Republic of Belarus and is submitted to the State value list, which includes more than 250 sites and facilities. In Soviet times, the powerful ancient Brest city with a rich cultural heritage has been destroyed, and the fortress was built in its place. So today the city's historic center is mostly former residential and administrative buildings - houses, schools and grammar schools, hospitals and banks that belong to the second half of XIX - early XX century.