Brest Fortress is the symbol of Brest. The fortress is a star shaped complex on an island where two rivers meet. The war between Russia (then in control) defending against the invading Germans, took place in the 1940s. To those with a cursory knowledge of WW2 and the Russians, perhaps other battles and sieges such as Stalingrad are more renowned. However, Brest is nearer physically for some tourists and with the internet Brest is even more accessible and easy to research. The Russians designated 12 places as Hero sites.
What else had I and the world heard of about Belarussia which might attract travellers, tourists, and the passer-by? Brest Fortress, and The Bielski Brothers in the film defiance will entrance serious WWII fans. Balerussia offers Marc Chagall Museum to magnetize art lovers. Father Frost's fairytale residence is enchanting for families. Something satisfying for everyone is somewhere n Belarussia.
See a video of Brest Fortress on the Russian website, spinning around, excellent aerial video from a drone overhead, shows the entire area and the surrounding trees for miles. A search reveals sites challengingly written in Russian (Cyrillic script). However, to read it in English simply click on the language choice icon to the top right of the fortress website home page.
The country has many monuments and museums about the WWII period, known locally as the Great Patriotic War. The Khatyn massacre is commemorated to a striking huge statue of the sole survivor with the body of his son
Khatyn Massacre
I thought I had hears of the Khatyn massacre but I had heard of the Katyn massacres which is a different event at a different place. The Katyn massacre is named after the Katyn Forest, in Poland, where some of the mass graves were first discovered.)
Many former synagogues still exist and now have other uses. One is, or was, or will be a Jewish museum.
What to See in Belarussia
1 The capital is Minsk
2 The Brest Fortress, Khatyn massacre memorial and other WWII era monuments and museums.
3 The Residence of Father Frost/grandfather Frost is a year round attraction (the atheist Communist equivalent of Father Christmas). Grandfather Frost is a well known character in Russia and other countries, associated with New Year's eve . His companion is his grand-daughter, the Snow maiden.
Other Information and Entertainment
https://web.archive.org/web/20150316182053/http://hablaa.com/english-belarusian/
Film Defiance about the Bielski brothers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defiance_(2008_film)#:~:text=The%20screenplay%20by%20Clayton%20Frohman,during%20the%20Second%20World%20War.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bielski_partisans
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/the-bielski-partisans
Useful Travel Websites
https://www.belarus.by/en/
https://www.brest-fortress.by/?sec=2
https://www.belarus.by/en/travel/belarus-life/chagall-museum
https://www.belarus.by/en/travel/belarus-life/khatyn
(khatyn not to be confused with Katyn
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyn_massacre)
About the Author
Angela
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