Big Vitebsk and Vitebsk region Guide: top 10 places to visit

Vitebsk is the second oldest city in Belarus. It was founded in 974. Today it is the third most populous city in Belarus (after Minsk and Gomel). As of January 1, 2020, 364,800 people lived here. Vitebsk appeared on the high banks of the Western Dvina River and the Vitba River, after which the city was named.

There are many historical and cultural sites in Vitebsk. On the pedestrian Suvorova street, you can see architectural monuments of XVIII and XIX centuries. At the beginning of the street stands the Town Hall built in 1775. In the center of the Old City of Vitebsk rises Svyato-Uspenskiy Cathedral in the Vilna Baroque style. You can also visit the Museum of Vitebsk Tram History, the Puppet Theater and walk around the Pushkin Bridge.

Vitebsk is the administrative center of the Vitebsk region, which ranks 5th among the regions of Belarus in terms of population. The three largest cities of the region after Vitebsk are Orsha, Novopolotsk and Polotsk.

The Vitebsk region includes Polotsk, the oldest city in Belarus. Its first mention dates back to 862. Archaeological excavations at the Polotsk settlement conducted in 2007, showed that the settlement was inhabited already in 780.

In this article we will introduce you not just to the most popular places in Vitebsk and the Vitebsk region. We will tell you about the places where the ancient spirit of history and modern culture of Belarus lives.

Vitebsk: top 4 attractions

Marc Chagall Museum

Address: Vitebsk, Pokrovskaya Street 11

Opening hours: Tue-Sun from 11am to 6:30pm

Tickets: from BYN4, excursions from BYN15.

Marc Chagall is the most popular Belarusian artist and one of the most famous representatives of the artistic avant-garde of the XX century. Vitebsk is depicted on almost all his works. The brick house of Chagall on Pokrovskaya Street was built next to the wooden house of the artist's father. In 1997, a museum was opened there.

In the first part of the house there rooms where the household items of Marc Chagall are presented. In the second part of the museum there is an art center, where reproductions of the artist's paintings and his real engravings are exhibited. You can take a guided tour in the museum, including in English.

Annunciation Church in Vitebsk

Address: Vitebsk, Zamkovaya Street 1a

Opening hours: Mon-Sun from 7:30am to 7:30pm

The Annunciation Church is a unique monument of ancient Russian architecture. Visiting this church is included in many pilgrimage tours in Belarus. It is an active Orthodox church.

According to legend, Grand Princess Olga of Kiev built the Annunciation Church in 974 at the time of Vitebsk foundation. While researchers suggest that the church was built in the XII century. Initially, the recessed row technique was used in the construction of the temple. Only two churches in the world had such masonry walls – in Vitebsk and Constantinople.

In December 1961, by the decision of the city authorities, the Annunciation Church was blown up. However, part of the masonry survived, and in 1998 the church was restored to the appearance of the XII century. The original masonry was not covered with plaster, so that it would remind of the antiquity of the temple.

Summer Amphitheater

Address: Vitebsk, Prospekt Frunze 13a

The Summer Amphitheater is the main open-air concert venue of the Slavic Bazaar International Festival of Arts which is always held in Vitebsk. The amphitheater was built in 1988, it is designed for 6219 seats. The most interesting thing is an openwork metal roof 120 meters long and 25 meters high.

Next to the Summer Amphitheater, the watchtower of the Lower Castle reconstructed in 2007 is located. It was finished in 1351. Today there is a Dukhovskoy Kruglik Museum, which houses an exposition on the history of the Slavic bazaar. Address: Vitebsk, Prospekt Frunze 11a

Zdravneva Museum-estate of Ilya Repin

Address: Vitebsk district, Ruba village

Opening hours: Wed-Sun from 10am to 6pm

Tickets: from BYN8.

How to get there: from Vitebsk by bus No. 26 (Railway station — Ruba). From the Ruba stop you need to take some walk.

The Museum of the russian artist Ilya Repin is located in his Vitebsk estate. Here he lived from 1892 to 1902 and painted more than 10 canvas (Autumn Bouquet, Hunter, Belarusian and others). On the territory of the estate, there is a pond and a lime alley, where the artist himself planted trees.

There are six halls in the house-museum. The expositions tell about the creative and life paths of the artist, and also about the history of the estate. In one of the halls, the interior of the living room has been restored and materials about the artist's family are presented. The Repin's workshop has also been reconstructed here, which shows his work during his life in the estate.

Vitebsk region

Polotsk

Saint Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk

Address: Polotsk, Zamkovaya Street 1

Opening hours: Tue-Sun from 10am to 5pm

Tickets: from BYN5.

How to get there: from Minsk, Vitebsk, Brest and Mogilev you can get to Polotsk by train.

The main building of Polotsk is the ancient Saint Sophia Cathedral, built in 1066. This is one of the earliest temples of Ancient Russia and the oldest stone building on the territory of modern Belarus. The original building was put up in the image of the Saint Sophia Church in Constantinople.

From the XI century construction only the foundation and the 9-meter apse of the eastern facade have been preserved. This apse that is considered the oldest stone structure in Belarus. The cathedral was rebuilt in the XVII century.

Today a museum is situated in the Saint Sophia Cathedral. You can take a guided tour or do the tour yourself. Here is also a concert hall with the organ. It is played every Sunday, sometimes organ music concerts take place.

Museum of Belarusian Book Printing

Address: Polotsk, Nizhne-Pokrovskaya Street 22

Opening hours: Tue-Sun from 10am to 5pm

Tickets: from BYN5.

The Museum of Belarusian Printing is located in the building of the former cell building of the Polotsk Epiphany Monastery of XVIII century. This is the only museum in Belarus that collects and preserves monuments of writing from handwritten scrolls to modern books.

Here you can learn about the appearing of handwritten books in Belarus of XII century. In the reconstructed printing house of XVI–XVII centuries, you can see the whole process of creating an old printed book. The museum also reconstructed the interior of the writer's office of XVII–XVIII centuries and a designer's studio with furniture of past centuries.

The museum has guided tours and an audio guide. Moreover, on the website you can take a virtual tour.

Vitebsk region

Historical places in Vitebsk region

Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Sarya

Address: Sarya village, Stroitelnaya Street 5a

How to get there: it is most convenient to get to Sarya village by car.

The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Neo-Gothic style of red brick is located in Sarya village. It was put up in 1851-1857 years and became the most expressive Neo-Gothic church in Belarus. According to all the canons, the building looks like a Catholic cathedral. But now it belongs to an Orthodox parish.

At the beginning of XVI century, the village belonged to the wealthy belarusian Sapieha family. We wrote about their palace in the guide for the Brest region. In 1753, the village was bought by Nikolai Lopatinsky. But only his great-grandson, Ignatius Lopatinsky, firmly settled here. He built this church to perpetuate the memory of his wife, who died during a difficult third childbirth.

There is no information about working hours of the temple in open sources. But since it is an operating church, it should be open on Sundays.

Nature places in Vitebsk region

Mosar Village

Address: Hlybokaye district, Mosar village

How to get there: it is better use a car to Mosar Village.

Mosar is called the Belarusian Versailles. Juozas Bulka, who from 1990 to 2010 was the priest of the local Church of Saint Anna, paid much attention to creation of living environment in the village. The priest opened the only anti-alcohol museum in Belarus here and came up with a path of sobriety.

Thanks to his efforts, a whole tourist complex has also been created near the church. The Church of Saint Anna is known among Belarusian and foreign pilgrims for the whole pilgrimage complex constructed here. There is a chapel, a bell tower, a park with artificial reservoirs and fountains, Christian sculptures and presumably the highest cross in Belarus. As well as a sports ground, an ostrich farm and a billiard club. It is better to come to Mosar for the whole day to walk and see all the places.

Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve

Address: Lepel, Berezinsky Reserve

How to get there: buses and rote taxes run from Minsk and Vitebsk to Berezensky. There is a schedule on the reserve's website.

Berezinsky Reserve is home to the big five European large mammals: elk, bison, bear, wolf and lynx. Vast swampy massifs of black alder forests with their inherent complex of rare plants and animals have been preserved here in their original form. The reserve is included in the UNESCO list.

You can spend several days in Berezinsky. There are several museums, a rope town, a mythology center, horse riding classes, places for hunting and fishing. There are accommodation options on the territory of the reserve, you can book a house or a hotel room on the website.

The reserve also organizes group tours. You can find out more details and sign up here. There are many tourist routes of different types in the reserve: hiking, cycling, water, combined, equestrian and ski routes. The entire list can be viewed here.

Braslav Lakes National Park

Address: Braslav, Dachnaya Street 1

How to get there: by bus from Minsk and Vitebsk. A detailed map to each camp lot is available online.

There are 74 lakes within the boundaries of the national park, they occupy 17% of its entire territory. About 46% of the park is covered with forests. Braslav Lakes is a place for outdoor recreation, there are more than 60 lots for camping; there are also hotels. Yoy can book a camp lot on the website, hotels can also be booked online. There are three eco routes in the park, you can rent boats and bicycles. You can also visit aviaries with wild animals or go hunting and fishing.

Our website also has a detailed article about what to do on Braslav Lakes and what interesting facts they hide.

Take a look at our other guides on Belarus:

Photo: 34travel.me