Polesye is spread out over the wide spaces of the Western Bug – mysterious, beckoning with its past, wreathed in numerous legends and fables. Due to the river from the valley, Polesye is called Pribuzhskoye.

Today the nature reclaimed by people is equally enchanting and attractive for tourists from Belarus and foreign countries. In order to save the majesty of that land and the splendor of the nature, there was established the Republican Preserve “the Pribuzhskoye Polesye” in 2003.

Besides, the greater part of Brest region is a biosphere reserve established on the basis of the preserve. A year after the foundation of the reserve, the World Organization UNESCO officially confirmed the status of the preserve.

The diversity of flora and fauna

The biodiversity of plants amazes with its number. There are 910 species of higher flora vegetating here in natural conditions, 44 rare species of mushrooms and protected by the Red Data Book.

The fauna of the reserve is also diverse. About 40 species of fish, 13 species of amphibians, 7 species of reptiles, 238 species of birds, 62 species of mammals and about 18 thousand invertebrates live on the territory of “Pribuzhskoye Polesye”.

The uniqueness of the preserve

Every visitor of the preserve will appreciate its uniqueness and singularity. Here one can see the diverse landscape: swing moors, small lakes, dense forests, sand hills, swamped alder thickets, several rivers.

Sand dunes cover the territories near river banks. These places are perfect for egg laying of reptiles. Usually, you can see fresh-water turtles settling on the spaces near the rivers. The king fern included in the Red Data Book of the Republic of Belarus has a unique position in the preserve. It is a dendritic plant growing in our country only in the territory of “Pribuzhskoye Polesye”.

The attractions in the territory of the preserve

Apart from the diversity of the flora and fauna, one can see different buldings on the territory of the preserve. For example, there are a lot of cult constructions built in the XVII-XIX centuries.

The oldest temples in the territory of the preserve are the Temple of St. Michael, the Temple of St. Ilya, Transfiguration Temple, and the Temple of St. Luke. These are examples of folk architecture in Polesye. As to the Catholic Eparchy, there is the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.

 Apart from architectural monuments, there is the Museum of Cosmonautics – unique in Belarus. It is located there because the Belarusian cosmonaut Pyotr Klimchuk was born and grown up in that area.

After longstanding excursions, tourists and visitors of the preserve can have a rest in the Center of Environmental Education and Tourism. There you can rest, rent a bicycle and camping equipment, sit in the summerhouses on the bank of the lake and simply enjoy the beauty of the surrounding nature.

Hiking and bus excursions, camping trips are organized on the territory of “Pribuzhskoye Polesye”.  The preserve managers offer to have a surface water fishing, to cross the forest by cycles with a guide or to canoe quick as a wind.

Source: https://beautifulplace.by/zapovedniki/241-pribuzhskoye-polese