Tour “Along Belarusian Equator”
Itinerary: Brest – Minsk – Orsha (– Smolensk – Moscow)
Duration: 3 days/ 2 nights
Day 1
Arrival at the Polish–Belarusian border (recommended time 12 noon – 1
p.m.)
Check-in at “Belarus“ hotel in the city of Brest(founded 1019)
Sightseeing tour of Brest including Brest Fortress
War II Memorial, the military – engineer monument of the 19th century and
the memorial of the Brest Fortress defenders during World War II,
“Berestye” Archaeological Museum with excavations of the 11th – 13th cent.
and unique “Saved Values” Museum where confiscated objects such old
icons, paintings, coins and decorations are displayed
Time at leisure
Dinner. Folk-show
Day 2
Departure for the town of Kobrin (46 km)
Short sightseeing tour of Kobrin. Places worth visiting: the estate of A.
Suvorov, famous Russian general of the 18th cent., the monument of
architecture (the 19th cent.) ; the park named after A. Suvorov; the
Nickolaevsky (of St. Nicolas)
Church – the example of wooden architecture of the 18th cent.; the
Petropavlovsky (of Sts. Peter and Paul) Church – the monument of wooden
architecture of the 20th cent.; the Monument of the Heroes of 1812 War; the
Spassky (of the Saviour) Monastery; Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (the
second half of the 19th cent.)
Departure for the town of Beryoza (53 km)
Short sightseeing tour of Beryoza including the Beryozovsky Catholic and
Cartesians Monastery – the example of the late Baroque architectural style of
the 17th cent.; the Beryozovsky Petropavlovsky (of Sts. Peter and Paul)
Church –the monument of architecture of the 2nd half of the 18th cent.,
combining features of Classicism and Russian Style
Departure for the town of Ivatsevitchi (58 km) and then 25 km left off the
highway to the village of Zhirovitchy, known since the 15th cent. as the holy
place for the Orthodox Pilgrims
Tour of Zhirovitchy including Holy Monastery of Assumption (the 17th
cent.), the Convent of the Nativity of the Virgin, Theological Seminary. The
ensemble of Zhirovitchy is a rare example of Belarus’ architectural heritage
in which Baroque and Classicism features can be observed Back to the
highway
Short sightseeing tour of the town of Baranovichi paying special attention
to the Pokrovsky (of the Protection of the Virgin) Cathedral – the
architectural monument of Neo-Classicism of the 1st half of the 20th cent.,
famous for its 7 mosaic decorations out of 16 made by V. Vasnetsov in SaintPetersburg in the 20th cent. once decorating the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
in Warsaw
Departure for the town of Nesvizh (39 km onward and then 20 km after
right turn) Nesvizh is famous as the former residence of the Radzivills
family, medieval Belarusian magnates, and its architectural monuments:
Nesvizh Palace and Park Complex of the 16th cent.; Corpus Dei Jesuit
Catholic Church of the 16th cent., the first Baroque building in Belarus
(inside of the church – frescoes of the 18th cent., tombstones of the 17th –
19th cent., family – vault of the Radzivills); of special interest are also: The
Slutsk Gates (Baroque , the 17th cent.), Benedictines Monastery of the 16th
cent. and the very beautiful old “ALBA”
Park with summer houses of the Radzivills
Departure for a small place of Mir – another wonder! (20 km back to the
highway and 10 km forward)
Mir Castle Fortress is an outstanding work of the Belarusian
architecture of the 16th cent.
(Gothic Style), one of the biggest castles – fortresses of the Eastern Europe.
In 1994 it was included into UNESCO list of cultural monuments of the
highest category. The Mir Complex includes : the castle, the palace, the
vault-chapel, the park and the museum
After tour of Mir – departure for the capital of Belarus – the city of Minsk
Check-in at a hotel in the center of the city
Dinner
Day 3
Early breakfast
Check-out from the hotel. Sightseeing tour of Minsk (first mentioned in
1067) – the capital of Belarus, one of the most beautiful cities of the former
USSR countries, including its main highlights of the 17th – 19th cent. and of
modern period
Leaving Minsk for Raubichy Sport Complex
(20 km) situated in a very picturesque place called “The Belarusian
Switzerland” and where biathlon championships take place. Visit to the
Museum of the Ancient Belarusian Arts (icons, national costumes, weaving,
pottery, woodcarving, etc.)
Continuing the tour along the highway
A short stop near The Glory Mound, World War II Monument, erected in
1969 to immortalize the memory of those who liberated Belarus from fascists
in 1944
Departure for the town of Borissov (founded 1127) and then left turn (12
km) for the village of Studenka, the place connected with historical events
of 1812 War and Napoleon, the French Emperor
Return to the highway and the tour goes on
Arrival at Orsha – the last Belarusian town on this tour
Sightseeing tour of Orsha (1067) including: the Kuteinsky Bogoyavlensky
(of the Epiphany) Monastery – the architectural monument of Belarusian
Baroque of the 17th cent.; the Svyatodukhovsky (of the Holy Spirit) Church
of the 17th cent.; the Ilyinskaya (of St. Ilijah) Church of the 19th cent.; the
Orsha water-mill of the 19th cent.; the Ethnographic Center featuring the
objects of everyday life of people living and working here in the beginning of
the 20th cent.
Alas! The tour of Orsha is over and “Belarusian Equator“ is conquered.
Departure for Smolensk (120 km) and then for Moscow (Our guide will
accompany you till Moscow)
But if Belarus is the main goal of your journey, we recommend to
continue it in another very attractive direction: Orsha – Vitebsk (82 km),
the cultural capital of Belarus, the birthplace of the outstanding artist of the
20th cent. Marc Chagall, –Polotsk (112 km from Vitebsk), the oldest
Belarusian city (founded 862) and the centre of old Slavic history and
culture, famous for its 11th St. Sophia Cathedral, Convent of St. Ephrosinia
of Polotsk (12th cent.), a benefactress and matron Saint of Belarus, St.
Ephrosinia Church (12th cent.) with beautiful frescoes and so on – Minsk
(300 km) and after Minsk – departure for Brest (350 km).
Of course, the tour prolongation procedure must be discussed in advance.
Happy Journey!