Interesting Facts about Vitebsk Region

The TV show "Cities of Belarus" from the "Belarus 24" channel invites you on a fascinating journey through the sights of Belarusian cities.

Vitebsk

Polotsk

Orsha

Glubokoye

Postavy

Braslav

Lepel

Toločin

Disna

Ancient Boulders of the Belarusian Poozerye

Vitebsk region ranks first in Belarus for the number and area of lakes. It is not by chance that it is referred to as Belarusian Poozerie. There are 1894 lakes on the territory of Vitebsk region, including the largest lake group in the country – Braslav Lakes.

The modern relief of Vitebsk region was formed during the retreat of the last glacier. The glacial period finally ended 14 thousand years ago. It left behind hills, moraine ridges, numerous rivers, lakes, and swamps in Vitebsk region. Numerous fragments of Scandinavian mountains – huge boulders – which are so abundant in the region, are also mute witnesses of this.

Huge stones in pagan lands have always been a subject of special interest and worship. To this day, unique boulders with crosses, ancient inscriptions, and even runes can be found in Belarus.

The largest boulder is located in Shumilino district, near the village of Gorki. Its length is 11 meters, and its width is 5.6 meters.

The visible height is 3 meters. Scientists still do not know its exact size; the stone has gone very deep into the ground. It is known that the underground part is at least three meters long.

The most revered is the Boris stone in Polotsk. In 1981, it was found 5 kilometers from the city and installed next to the Saint Sophia Cathedral. This 8-meter monument of 12th-century epigraphy is not deprived of attention from tourists and Polotsk residents, who come to make a cherished wish by pressing against the ancient stone. Many believe in its healing properties.

Cradle of Belarusian Statehood

Vitebsk region is the cradle of Belarusian statehood. It was here in the 9th century that the first state formation appeared on Belarusian lands – the Principality of Polotsk.

The ancient trade route "from the Varangians to the Greeks," connecting the Baltic Sea countries with Byzantium, the Khazar Khaganate, and other major powers of the East, was of great importance for the development of Polotsk and other cities in the region. Numerous treasures from that time, found in Vitebsk region, testify to the significance of this trade route.

In the city of Polotsk, there is the Saint Euphrosyne Monastery, on the territory of which stands the Transfiguration Church, a surviving monument of 12th-century architecture. The monastery houses the relics of Saint Euphrosyne of Polotsk and a copy of the famous Cross created in the 12th century by the jeweler Lazar Bohsha, which is a symbol of Belarusian spirituality.

Twice the Center of Europe

Several countries are vying for the right to be called the geographical center of Europe, each with a commemorative sign at that hypothetical point. However, unlike Ukrainians, Poles, and Lithuanians, the residents of the Vitebsk region are proud that their region hosts not one, but two centers of Europe. The first, according to scientists' calculations in 2000, was located in the middle of Lake Shо.

In May 2008, a commemorative sign was erected in the center of Polotsk, indicating that the center of the continent is located in this ancient city, near the post office, where a corresponding certificate is issued to all visitors to this place…

Fortress on the Eastern Borders of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania

During the period of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Vitebsk became the largest city in the region. During the reign of Prince Algirdas, who was the Prince of Vitebsk from 1320 (photo of the monument), stone castles (nearly 2 kilometers of stone walls and towers) appeared in the city, making Vitebsk the largest fortress on the eastern borders of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

Numerous architectural monuments in the style of Vilnius Baroque are the hallmark of the Vitebsk region. These include the Vitebsk Town Hall, the Church of the Resurrection, and the Holy Assumption Cathedral in Vitebsk, the Holy Protection Church in Tolochin, the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk, the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Berezvechye near Glubokoye, and the Carmelite Church in Glubokoye.

Vitebsk Motifs on Canvases

Marc Chagall was born in Vitebsk. Vitebsk motifs were evident in his work throughout his life. "I love my native Vitebsk boundlessly," the artist admitted. "Not just because I was born there, but primarily because there I found the colors of my art for my entire life..."

Here, at the beginning of the 20th century, the Vitebsk art school was formed, and Yury Pen, Kazimir Malevich, Vera Ermolaeva, and El Lissitzky lived and worked.

A picturesque corner on the banks of the Western Dvina inspired Ilya Repin to create many famous paintings.

In 2013, the exhibition of the I. Repin Zdravnevo Estate was supplemented with a collection of unique photographs: 28 black-and-white pictures show how the great Russian artist spent his time on the hospitable Belarusian land. The collection was a gift to the museum from the Chairman of the Management Board of OJSC Gazprom, Alexey Miller.

Flax – the "Golden Fleece" of Belarus

This plant is depicted on the State Emblem of the Republic of Belarus. You can see the national symbol of the country in the field in the Orsha district, where the largest flax fabric production enterprise is located.

In 2012, the flax mill's products received the international certificate of conformity to the environmental requirements of the Oeko-Tex Standard 100.

Cherry Orchards of Glubokoye

Once, cherry orchards in the Glubokoye district were planted by a local breeder, Bolek Lapyra. Juicy, sweet, and frost-resistant cherries spread throughout the region.

Every year in the second half of July, the "Cherry Festival" gathers residents and guests of the Glubokoye region for a bright, colorful celebration with the taste of ripe cherries.

In 2013, the district festival "Cherry Festival" gathered its guests not only from Belarus but also from near and far abroad countries for the first time, becoming a hallmark of the Glubokoye district.

New cherry-flavored products were released by the largest processing enterprises in the district: OJSC "Glubokoye Dairy and Canning Plant" and OJSC "Glubokoye Meat Processing Plant."

The famous Belarusian condensed milk, produced at the Glubokoye Dairy and Canning Plant, is a sweet, but not the only brand thanks to which the city of Glubokoye is known worldwide.

The people have always been and remain the main wealth of the Glubokoye land. Photographer and astronomer Viktor Malyshchits is a native of Glubokoye. He conquered internet users with the video "Belarus in the Embrace of the Stars."

In 2012, the people of Glubokoye, in tribute to the memory and respect for their famous countrymen, opened a square of famous countrymen – unique in its kind and having no analogues in the Republic of Belarus.

Much is being done by the people of Glubokoye to preserve intangible cultural heritage. In 2013, the traditional technology of baking rye bread, the technology of preparing the traditional dish "Maslyanoi baran", the ritual of the village of Papshichi, Glubokoye district, "Nosiť nametku" (wearing a headscarf), and the traditions of painting "malyavanki" were included in the list of intangible cultural heritage of Belarus.

Since 2004, the district has been a permanent venue for the International Catholic Festival of Christian Films and TV Programs "Magnificat", during which representatives from over 30 countries have participated.

Medical tourism

Annually, about 20 thousand foreign citizens receive medical and rehabilitation and health improvement services in the region. More than 180 high-tech diagnostic and treatment methods for various diseases have been introduced into the practical healthcare of the Vitebsk region. Minimally invasive video-assisted surgeries on the heart and thoracic organs, abdominal cavity, in oncological practice, orthopedics and traumatology, ophthalmology, etc., have been mastered.

The X-ray operating department of endovascular surgery of the Vitebsk Regional Clinical Hospital provides round-the-clock interventional cardiac care.

In 2015, organ transplantation surgeries began to be performed.

The region has created full-fledged conditions for effective medical rehabilitation and health improvement for children and adults.

A total of 44 rehabilitation departments are functioning, the largest of which are: "Zheleznyaki" of the Vitebsk Regional Cardiology Dispensary, "Krupenino" of the Vitebsk Regional Diagnostic Center for patients with neurological profiles, "Lyos" of the Orsha Central Polyclinic, "Yurtsevo" on the basis of the hospital for disabled veterans of the Great Patriotic War, children's rehabilitation and health centers "Zhemchuzhina" (Lepel district), "Vetraz" (Postavy district), "Raduga" (Liozno district).

An individual approach to the patient, high qualification of specialists, broad diagnostic and treatment capabilities, as well as an optimal "price-quality" ratio contribute to the development of medical tourism in the Vitebsk region. The created Center for Medical Tourism Services of the Vitebsk Region (medtur.vitebsk.by) specializes in the development and organization of medical and wellness programs, providing high-class medical tourism services to patients from all over the world.

The Smallest City in the Country

At the confluence of the Western Dvina and Disna rivers lies the smallest city in the country, which can compete with large industrial centers in the number of interesting historical events associated with it.

During the Livonian War, Disna was the residence of King Stephen Báthory, a gathering place for a huge army assembled to storm Polotsk, captured by Tsar Ivan the Terrible of Russia. The city received Magdeburg rights in 1569.

At one time, the famous Russian traveler Semenov-Tyan-Shansky called Disna the best city in the Vilna Governorate. It carefully preserves the ancient street layout designed by the German architect Hedemann, paved roads, and century-old wooden ceilings.

The Land of Dragons

The dragon is a serious contender for the title of a tourist brand of Belarus. A campaign has been launched in the country to promote a new hero – the Tsmok. For example, a basketball team that became the champion of the country in 2013 was named after it.

The Tsmok, the Belarusian version of a dragon, is a snake-like creature that, according to Vladimir Korotkevich in his novel "Christ Landed in Grodno," inhabited Lake Lepel.

A monument to the Tsmok holds a place of honor in the center of Lepel. There are many forests and lakes near Lepel – this is the "calling card" of the district. Plus, there is the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve with its center in the village of Domzheritsy. Approximately 50,000 tourists visit the protected area annually.

The local "green" route called "Land of Yellow Water Lilies and Gray Boulders" is 155 km long. The main mode of transport is bicycles, although local pedestrian ecological trails and elements of water hikes are provided.