Brest - is a city, the administrative center of the Brest region and Brest district of Belarus. The city of Brest has a special place among the cultural and historical heritage of Belarus. In Brest, a lot of attractions. The city of Brest and its attractions is not about one single site. Our site was created to describe the less well-known places, it is intended to open the readers new and interesting sights, city and places, which they previously could not have known. Brest, of course, does not apply to such places, know about it all. Tourists love it and actively attend. Therefore, just to mention the sights of Brest.
The main attraction of the city of Brest is Brest Fortress. Brest Fortress was originally built in 1836-42 years. It was built in the historic center of the city of Brest, and for its construction was demolished and rebuilt all the historical buildings of the city of Brest of 16-18 centuries. Brest Fortress being completed and renovated many times, and as a result represents a huge multi-level fortification complex. By the spring of 1915 the Brest Fortress was one of the strongest fortresses of all Europe. However, during the First World War the Brest Fortress had no significant impact on the course of events, since at the last moment it was decided to leave it without a fight, and to take out valuable property. During the organized retreat of Russian troops, the fortress was also partially blown up. Nevertheless, it is here that was signed "Treaty of Brest-Litovsk", which marked Russia's withdrawal from the First World War. In the interwar period, the fortress was used by Poland as a barracks, a military depot and a political prison.
In September 1939, at the beginning of the Second World War, then the Polish army defending the Brest Fortress (as well as later the Soviet garrison of the fortress) showed heroism and steadfastness, and within three days from September 14 to September 17 reflected in total 7 attacks of the enemy, whose strengths far exceeded the strength of defenders of the fortress. At the same time, the Germans suffered significant damage. After that the Polish army organized retreated to the south, and the fortress was partially blown up. Then, on September 22, the city of Brest along with the fortress was transferred by the Germans under the control of the Red Army.
On the night of June 22, 1941, the Brest Fortress was one of the first to take on an enemy strike by German troops. This was the beginning of the Great Patriotic War on the territory of modern Belarus. The further heroic defense of the Brest Fortress, although it had no significant effect on the general course of the war, however became one of the largest military feats for the entire Great Patriotic War. After the war, the Brest Fortress was awarded the title "Hero-Fortress", and a large memorial was established on the ruins of the fortress.
Now the memorial complex "Brest Fortress - Hero" has several huge sites, many monuments smaller stele, museum, the former garrison church (of which below), an exhibition of military equipment of World War II, surviving fragments of buildings, as well as other defenses of the fortress. There are also other tourist facilities, such as a restaurant and souvenir shops. Today the Brest Fortress is one of the most visited tourist attractions of Belarus. Every day many travelers come here, including from many foreign countries.
On the territory of the Brest fortress is also located a female Orthodox monastery. This monastery founded in our time in one of the best preserved of the former buildings of the Brest fortress, which previously housed the regimental school.
The Brest Fortress also includes its "Fifth Fort" - a unique historical defensive structure (a separate article here). The fifth fort of the Brest Fortress was built in the 1880s and was finally completed in 1888. Later, in the period from 1908 to 1914, a significant reconstruction of the fifth fort of the Brest Fortress was carried out. The fort was one of the defensive objects of the Brest Fortress of the second line. The fifth fort is located four kilometers south of the main complex of defensive structures of the Brest Fortress on one of the outskirts of the modern city of Brest.
In the fifth fort of the Brest Fortress, there is a museum of fortification and armament history. This museum is a branch of the memorial complex "Brest Fortress", but does not enter directly into this memorial complex. On the territory of the fifth fort of the Brest Fortress there is an exhibition of military equipment from the times of the Second World War. One of the most remarkable features of this museum is that here, for inspection, absolutely all the corners of all fort facilities are open, which are obviously in a neat and tidy state. Between all facilities of the fort, visitors are allowed to move including underground corridors.
Visiting Brest Fortress soon as possible and you need to pay attention to the other most valuable tourist attraction of Brest - a unique archaeological museum "Berestye". This museum is also located in the territory of the Brest fortress, a little away from the main memorial complex. This museum and the fortress of Brest is a single tourist complex. This is due to the fact that, as already mentioned, the Brest Fortress is located directly in the center of Brest. After the war, during excavations in the ancient city of Brest fortress was found. It was finally unearthed and then over this mound have built a special building, which performs the function of protection of ancient sites and maintain the ideal conditions for their preservation. This building became the museum, which is now open to the public. This museum is absolutely unique for Belarus. On the territory of Belarus are not present anything like it.
The exposition and funds "Berestye" museum stored a total of 43 thousand exhibits. At the heart of the museum - the remains of the ancient wooden buildings of Brest the 13th century, as well as entire streets paved with wood. Wooden buildings and parts of the bridge have been preserved specially developed synthetic substances.
Also, as already mentioned, in the territory of the Brest Fortress has the former garrison church of St. Nicholas, originally built in 1876. The church operates today. This temple is a very valuable monument of architecture. Outside the temple has been completely restored, but the interior of the church was not restored since the war (it was held only preservation). The walls still bear the traces of the results of various projectiles. A visit to this temple is very impressive.
Finally, it is worth mentioning also about another attractions of the city of Brest is located in Brest Fortress, namely the ruins of the former convent and church of the Bernardine. Originally, the monastery was built in the second half of the 18th century. This is one of the few buildings of the historic center of the old Brest, which was not completely destroyed (or rebuilt to the needs of the fortress) in the construction of the citadel. But it is still today the only building in the fortress, which continues to deteriorate and is in a derelict state.
We now turn to the description of sights of the city of Brest, located outside of the fortress. One of these attractions is the Orthodox church of St. Nicholas, built in 1906. This church is also called "fraternal", to distinguish it from St. Nicholas Church, located in the fortress.
Another Orthodox church - Cathedral of St. Simeon, built in 1868, is also an important attraction of Brest and valuable architectural monument. There is in the city of Brest and a few more contemporary Orthodox temples.
Another important attraction of Brest is the Catholic church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross, built here in 1856. This church is located on the central square. It is remarkable to note an interesting ideological rendering of the former Soviet authorities of Brest: Lenin statue, installed in the same area of the city of Brest, pointing the way, shows strictly to church. There is at Brest, and several other Catholic churches, including more contemporary temples.
Another very interesting attraction of the city of Brest is a stunning museum of railway equipment. This museum contains a lot of locomotives and other railway equipment. A very positive feature of this museum is that visitors to the museum is allowed access to the interior of all the exhibits. You can examine how the driver's cab and the engine compartment of most locomotives. As it is also possible to climb in and out. Allowed and unlimited photos with the exhibits. Museum of railway equipment in Brest is a very interesting and unique museum in Belarus it has no analogues.
In addition to these, in Brest there are so many different historical buildings, which can be attributed to the historical city building. Most of them belong to the second half of the 19th century or early 20th century. Earlier building, as mentioned, have been rearranged or destroyed during the construction of the fortress. In Brest, there is a whole pedestrianized street surrounded by interesting historical buildings. Making the most of the street (benches, lampposts and so on) as the style of old, and in the middle of the street set beautiful monument "Millennium of Brest." Special mention also deserves the central station of the city of Brest, built in 1886. Otherwise, the historical buildings of the city of Brest is a former residential (houses) and administration (courts, hospitals, schools, gymnasiums, banks, post office, etc.) buildings.
In addition, it is obvious that in such a large city as Brest, tourists can always find everything they may need (ATMs, hotels, shopping centers and so on). For this reason, and in view of the important and unique attractions for the whole of Belarus (fortress, Archaeological Museum, Museum of railway equipment), the city of Brest was the use of the tourists very popular. People come here not only to travelers from all over Belarus, but also from a very wide range of foreign countries. And indeed the city of Brest is one of the best holiday destinations for tourists and travelers in Belarus.
Sketches of Napoleon Orda, Brest:
Brest at the old photos:
