Belarus ventured onto the international stage in the summer of 2020. Previously, Belarus for many was just a white spot on the map. With the protests that followed the controversial election of President Lukashenko, many disappointed people made their voices heard. Lukashenko has been in power since 1994, and many things still seem the same here as they did in Soviet times.
And yet the country can look back on a rich history. Its long affiliation with Poland and Russia have strongly shaped the still agrarian country. Belarus has never been a rich country economically, but it is blessed with beautiful nature. The deep forests, in which bison still live in part, the many lakes and the cold winters have already inspired countless literary figures.
But the cities in Belarus are also worth a visit. The capital Minsk with its more than two million inhabitants in the heart of the country is an Eldorado for fans of classicist and Soviet architecture. In the former "hero city" of Brest in the west of the country, you can learn a lot about the Second World War and the siege of the city and at the same time learn a lot about the Soviet self-image. But there is also a lot to discover in other parts of the country.
Come with us to the unknown Belarus and learn on the following pages more about its most beautiful regions!
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The capital city of Minsk is a hybridg. On the one hand, it is still marked by the Soviet era like hardly any other capital in the former Soviet Union. On the other hand, however, it also shows a real spirit of optimism. You've certainly never seen a library like the one in Minsk, and have you ever been to a district called October or Partisan?
The west of Belarus is one of the most interesting, if not the most interesting travel region. Here, with Brest and Hrodna on the Polish border and Baranavichy in the interior, you will not only find three of the oldest and most beautiful cities, but you can also see the last European bison living in the wild in the cross-border national park Białowieża! Or you can visit Mir Castle, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
While not many Westerners are familiar with Belarus in general, this is even more true for the eastern part of the country. The border region with Russia is characterized by agriculture, but it also has the third-largest city in the country, Mahiljou (Mogilyov). The city, which was heavily affected by the Chernobyl disaster, has a pretty center and is a real insider's tip among backpackers!
The north of Belarus borders on Lithuania, Latvia and Russia and is accordingly culturally strongly influenced by its neighbors. The homeland of the famous painter Marc Chagall with its capital Viciebsk has with the summer house of Ilja Repin still another place, which is connected with a well-known artist. If these are not reasons to go to the north!
In the south of the country on the Ukrainian border lies Homel, the second largest city in the country. Not much of the city's rich history can be seen today, but especially fans of architecture in the style of socialist realism will get their money's worth here! And where else can you overlook the entire city from a Ferris wheel?
