Minsk - Dudutki - Lida - Grodno - Belovezhskaya Pushcha - Brest (4 days)

Museum complex of ancient national crafts and technologies Dudutki

Privokzalnaya Square Independence Square Nezavisimosti Avenue Freedom Square Ruins of Minsk ancient castle Trinity suburb Island of courage and sorrow A sports complex Minsk-Arena National Library of Belarus

Long time in Lida attempts construction of Catholic temples anyway became. However all of them came to the end extremely tragically – pagan aggression, disapproval of the prince, the fires of crusaders. So was to the middle of the 18th century. In 1770 in the city the Roman Catholic Parish Church of Erection of the Sacred Cross appeared. The outstanding architect, the founder of refined architectural style, after called "vilensky baroque" - Johann Christoph Glaubits became the architect of the project.

Having seen it, you hardly learn in the cathedral is mute. Before you the beautiful palace will be. However, having thumbed through pages of the past of Sacred and Mikhaylovsky church, you learn in what a secret of its shape and history. How fate of the temple existing since the time of Public relations of the 17th century up to now was?

In 1323 the prince Gedimin gave the order to put the stone lock to cover to knights the road to the center of lands of the principality Lithuanian. In 5 years the kostel was built. Time the lock was besieged by the English, German, French knights. The Lidsky lock is "time machine" and a fascinating travel to the Middle Ages where continually there is a place to romanticism and knightly valor. Here everyone will be able to feel as the ancient soldier, having tried on an armor and to like the mystical atmosphere, having learned what ghost protects a citadel.

Quite often the fate of locks and palaces are shrouded in legends and mystical stories. And in a case with the royal residence - it is inevitable. One of 2 locks in Grodno – the summer residence of the grand duke Lithuanian and the king Polish Augustus III has received glory of the damned place. And, nevertheless, exactly there passed general diets of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the agreement on her section in 1793 and here, in 1795 has been signed here, Augustus Ponyatovsky has appended the signature under the act of renunciation.

To your attention the most beautiful synagogue in Europe, the biggest in Belarus and the oldest in the former Soviet Union. Her long story begins in the 16th century. Constructed on the project of the architect Santi Gucci, more than once suffering from the fires and destructions, it nevertheless has informed of solemn vernal shape and well remained interior up to now.

The historic center of Grodno - a place of international importance, included in the State list of historical and cultural heritage of the Republic of Belarus. Having a long history from the castle on a hill near the Gorodnichanka river, to the residence of great Lithuanian princes, Grodno is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Belarus and Eastern Europe, and its historic center includes about 400 objects of various eras and styles.
The cultural heritage of Grodno mainly consists of its brilliant architectural complexes of XVIII-XIX centuries mainly - the monuments of ancient architecture, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Classicism and other styles.

The monastery of bazilian in Grodno - a monument of the national significance, which is interesting for its history. Prechistenskaya Church was built here in the XII century, which excavations you can see today at the territory of the monastery. In the XVIII century the Church of Nativity was built here and combined Baroque and Classical styles. It was used for a museum of atheism and religion in Soviet times.
Today, the complex includes the Holy Nativity Orthodox Women's Monastery, residential buildings, a chapel and Sunday school.

Old and New locks in Grodno are located absolutely nearby. It is a big rarity, even considering that in the territory of Belarus, in the Middle Ages, locks it was possible to meet through each 40 km. And both locks – royal. Powerful defensive system, high abrupt shaft, waters of Neman and Gorodnichanki – the residence under reliable protection. The unusual shape raises the mass of questions – the answer one: before you examples of the Belarusian defensive architecture. And today, the stone chronicle opens for «the amator ў» all new pages of historical reality.

Demonstration open-air cages are located near the Museum of the nature of Bialowieza Forest. On the area about 20 hectares you will see main types of the animals living in Bialowieza Forest. Here close it is possible to see also forest inhabitants, to treat with a bread piece, apple or a branch of the bisons who got used to visitors, elks, boars, a tarpanovidny horse or a bear.

The museum of the nature of National park Bialowieza Forest – one of the most visited in Belarus. He will acquaint with seasonal features and the most striking traits of the nature in different time of the year and also with inhabitants of a dense forest during different historical eras. In it there are three main thematic halls with one thousand exhibits where against the background of history of Bialowieza Forest its nature is presented.

An excursion to the Estate of the Belarusian Father Frost marked the beginning of the formation of a new tradition of celebrating the New Year holidays for children and adults. This truly magical place attracts not only schoolchildren, but also older people. Already at the very entrance you find yourself in a completely different world, forgetting about the everyday bustle and completely immersing yourself in a fairy tale. Ded Moroz House with workshops, Snegurochka's house, a museum of children's letters, where letters, drawings and crafts sent by children from all over the country are stored, a windmill, a magic well and two knights at the entrance: Dub-Dubovich and Vyaz-Vyazovich. Each visitor will receive a New Year's gift fromDed Moroz andSnegurochka.

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.

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.

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.

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.