Fjords, vampires, waterfalls: 12 unusual villages of Belarus
Fjords, vampires, waterfalls: 12 unusual villages of Belarus
25.08.2021
There are so many miracles in Belarus! These are unique architectural monuments, interesting ethnographic complexes, and mystical places where you can open the veil of secrecy and plunge headlong into the unknown. So, today VETLIVA talks about Belarusian villages, each of which has its flavor. Moreover, it is not at all necessary to go on a long journey. There are several unusual locations in all regions of our country.
Brest region
Vitebsk region
Gomel region
Grodno region
Minsk Region
Mogilev region
Brest region
Paré village
Where: Pinsk district, Brest region
Known for: vampires
How cute and beautiful village of Belarus can be associated with bloodthirsty ghouls? It's all about an unusual tradition, which is still observed by residents. Each new grave that appeared in the cemetery was necessarily covered with... massive oak logs! Of course, this was not done for beauty: it was believed that the so-called "narubs" would not allow the dead to rise from their graves and disturb the peace of the living.
By the way, many modern burials already look quite ordinary and are no different from ordinary ones. But even among them, there are sometimes graves laid by gas silicate blocks.
An interesting fact from VETLIVA: there is a tradition in the village to decorate crosses with ribbons and towels. Locals call this “rite an obrok”: it is believed that decorated crosses protect against any evil, for example, crop failure and cattle pestilence. So if you visit the Pinsk region — be sure to look into the city, where you can ride a motor ship by Pina and tie the knot in a real palace, and then visit the Belarusian village of Pare, surrounded by aspen trees!
Motol agro-town
Where: Ivanovsky district, Brest region
Known for: national Belarusian cuisine
There are so many villages in Belarus, but Motol is one of the most amazing! Five thousand inhabitants live here, and each of them protects their native culture and traditions as best they can. There is a unique museum of folk art, which contains about 30 thousand exhibits unique for Belarus. The windmill, which houses the Museum of Bread, is also part of its exposition.
Every year at the beginning of August, all Belarusian roads lead to Motol. Here they organize a real feast called "Motalskiya prysmakі" — a celebration of delicious dishes and drinks of traditional Belarusian cuisine. So they go here for local spirits and snacks.
Advice from VETLIVA: there are villages in Belarus, where they are ready to feed you with sweets all year round. Read our gastronomic tour (we highly recommend doing it on a full stomach!) and plan where you go first!
Vitebsk region
Prudniki village
Where: Miory district, Vitebsk region
Known for: waterfalls
Did you miss the unusual places and locations? Miory region is waiting for you! Not only is the picturesque nature reserve Yelnya and the town of Disna located in this region, where you can still cross the river by ferry, but there are also waterfalls. They appeared not naturally, but by hand: at the beginning of the twentieth century, a dam was built on the Vyata River near the village of Prudniki. Until the middle of the last century, it helped generate electricity using a water mill. In addition, the plans also included the construction of a cardboard factory...
The mill has been closed for a long time, and the factory has not been built. But the waterfalls delight everyone who comes here. Even our team has already visited Prudniki! So it's time for you to find your way to the Belarusian waterfalls.
Sakhnovichi village
Where: Glubokoe district, Vitebsk region
Known for: karst cave
The only Belarusian cave will not please experienced speleologists, but it will be of interest to everyone else. Even though the manhole that leads to it is rather narrow, but the cave itself can easily accommodate three people!
Scientists believe that the Belarusian landmark 10 meters deep was formed a long time ago, 25 thousand years ago. So, if you want to see a really unusual location, uncharacteristic for our country, mark the Belarusian village of Sakhnovichi in the navigator or on the map. By the way, there is one more reason to visit here: there are rumors that the Warsaw gentry hid their treasures in the cave after the next partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Some are even looking for the famous Napoleonic treasures here! Who knows, maybe you will be lucky enough to find treasures sunk into oblivion.
Gomel region
Yurovichi village
Where: Kalinkovichi district, Gomel region
Known for: primitive site
Back in 1929, in the village of Yurovichi in the Gomel region, a primitive man's camp was found. Just imagine: 26 thousand years ago, a settlement of people already existed here! Now anyone can see the site: residents are always ready to suggest how to find the "main mountain" of the Yurovichi. The attraction is located on a 30-meter hill, at the foot of which the Pripyat flows. Ideal place for settlement: it is not surprising that primitive people lived here before the onset of the ice age, and after it ended, they returned here again.
Advice from VETLIVA: the construction of a historical complex is already underway in Yurovichi. Soon it will be possible to see the recreated site, utensils, and a fireplace of Cro-Magnons here, as well as take a photo in a gazebo stylized as mammoth tusks. In the meantime, you can visit other open-air museums, of which there are plenty in Belarus!
Glushkovichi village
Where: Lelchitsy district, Gomel region
Known for: fjords
Glushkovichi can be surely attributed to the most beautiful villages in Belarus. And the settlement owes such a status... to the crushed stone plant, thanks to which its fjords appeared in the blue-eyed. This is the name for the narrow and winding sea bays with rocky shores cut by waves, which are the signature attractions of Norway, Finland, and other Scandinavian countries.
In 1985, high-quality granite and marble began to be mined in Glushkovichi, which was used to decorate the facades of houses and metro stations. And in 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, stone mining stopped. But now the former granite quarries, where the crystalline rock comes to the surface, resemble in their beauty the famous Norwegian fjords.
Grodno region
Khrustovo village
Where: Svisloch district, Grodno region
Known for: soviet bunker
Lovers of abandoned houses, there is a tasty morsel for you! If not in the bunker 1611, where else you can completely immerse yourself in the indescribable atmosphere of stalking and the Metro 2033 universe? The amazing location is located 4 km from the village of Khrustovo (locals will tell you how to get to the sights without any problems).
The bunker began to be built in 1986 in case of war. And after the collapse of the USSR, in 1992, the need for it disappeared. However, most of the work had already been completed by this time. Just imagine the scale of the construction: the bunker consists of two shafts 61 and 62 meters deep. And this is comparable to a ten-story building!
VETLIVA warns: the bunker is officially closed, but desperate daredevils have found a way to enter it. The entrance is a gap between two concrete slabs. However, remember that the location is considered abandoned and is gradually destroyed. If you prefer safe stalking, then we invite you on a journey through the exclusion zone. A great option for lovers of everything unusual!
Krasnoselsky village
Where: Volkovysk district, Grodno region
Known for: chalk quarries
Cretaceous quarries may sound quite prosaic, but their beauty can be compared with the famous resort of the Maldives. That is the way the locals call them. There are several "Maldives" in Belarus, but the most picturesque and famous are in Krasnoselsky. So if your Instagram suffers from a lack of great shots — go for cool shots in this village of Belarus.
VETLIVA warns: these reservoirs are artificially formed, they have steep banks and a depth of about 20 meters. Swimming in the chalk quarries is strictly prohibited!
Minsk region
Dukora village
Where: Pukhovichi district, Minsk region
Known for: upside down house
Dukora is the only village in Belarus where there is a house upside down so far. And now we are not talking about a house mess, but about a building where the floor is on the ceiling, and vice versa. And if it flashes in your head like "Oh, well, what's wrong with that?", it means that you have not been inside yet. Your bad!
Even the most persistent of spirits give way here, and the vestibular apparatus, as if in collusion with the brain, refuses to believe that in fact, nothing has changed. The floor is still under your feet, the ceiling is over your head. But there is furniture on the ceiling and a chandelier on the floor! This leads our body to complete confusion. But do not be afraid: this is not scary, but very much even fun! And this, by the way, is not the only entertainment in Dukor. Many excursion routes lead here: join them too!
Sula village
Where: Stolbtsovsky district, Minsk region
Known for: pansky maentok and drakkar
Why do we need virtual reality if there is Sula? Here you can immerse yourself in real master's everyday life! A unique park in the village of Sula is an excursion through all the layers of history through which Belarus passed its way. The journey begins with the Stone Age, continues in the times of the Vikings and paganism, and ends with the era of the gentry — in the restored Lenskikh estate. Here you can taste the traditional Belarusian starka (a strong alcoholic drink, which, of course, is intended only for guests 18+), ride a Drakkar, making an impromptu journey from the Varangians to the Greeks, visit the museum of bread and cheese, and much, much more. It is best to set aside a few days for a tour to Sula to enjoy every moment with sense and arrangement.
Mogilev region
Zhilichi village
Where: Kirovsky district, Mogilev region
Known for: Bulgaki residence
Once the palace and park ensemble in Zhilichi, which bore the name "Dobosna", practically did not yield to the luxury and fame of the Mir and Nesvizh residences of the Radziwills. The palace at one time was so beautiful that it was called "Zhilichsky Versailles". Exaggeration is only partial: the first owner of the estate, Ignatius Bulgak, reached France during the war with Napoleon. He was so impressed by the beauty of Paris that upon arrival the master began a large-scale construction. And the result, which embodied the love of Ignatius for French architecture, was amazing. An abundance of stucco decoration on the ceiling and walls, a secret floor for musicians, expensive wood and mirrors — these are just a small part of what greeted guests in the palace.
The Zhilichi Palace is currently under reconstruction. And soon it will be possible to fully enjoy its renewed beauty.
Buinichi village
Where: Mogilev region (3 km from Mogilev)
Known for: memorial + zoo + ethnographic village
Perhaps, such a concentration of interesting locations as in the Belarusian village of Buinichi is hard to find anywhere else. There is:
a memorial complex that perpetuates the 23-day defense of Mogilev;
the zoo, where the Ussuri tiger, red deer, bison, and other rare species of animals roam in spacious open-air cages;
an ethnographic village with the houses of a blacksmith, potter, baker, weaver, and other folk craftsmen who are happy to share the secrets of their craft with everyone.
To cut a long story short, everyone finds a location to their liking here. So choose a suitable route, book accommodation in Mogilev (from the regional center to Buinichi it is within a stone's throw), and go for new emotions and memories!
Even more interesting villages in Belarus
Many villages in Belarus hide sights that cannot be found anywhere else. It can be unusual landscapes, both natural and man-made, ancient architecture, interesting museums, and just local traditions that become a highlight. For example, did you know that in the village of Kozishche near Mogilev they grow ostriches? Or that there is an Orthodox neo-Gothic church in Sarya, a small agricultural town in the Vitebsk region?
You will learn this and much more if you continue to read our Blog. We promise: you won't be bored!
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