Sights

Khatyn WWII Memorial

T. E. Watts

If you have ever wondered what there is to see in Belarus besides statues of Lenin, you’ve come to the right place. Belarus has its sights, and they are not all remnants of the Soviet Era, although there are plenty of those too. Belarus is filled with churches, museums, and plenty of non-Lenin statues.

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Khatyn Memorial

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Khatyn WWII Memorial
photo by: T. E. Watts

On March 22, 1943, all 26 homes of a small, traditional village located on this site were burned and all 149 people were killed by German troops, including 75 children. This is one of the many WWII memorials in Belarus. The site of the former village is now the Khatyn WWII Memorial, which was opened in 1969. The only remaining structures from the original homes are the brick chimneys, which now hold bells that sound occasionally. The only survivor from this village was a man (Josef Kaminski) who was visiting relatives in a nearby village; when he returned home he found more..

type:	Memorials
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address:	54km north on the Vitebsk highway, tel. (+375-17) 27 71 59.

Mir Castle

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The red brick Mir Castle is currently being restored, but one tower and the courtyard are open to visitors. With a lake, a village and an Orthodox church nearby, one can have a pleasurable time away from the hustle and bustle of Minsk.

type:	general
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address:	100km south of Minsk, off the Brest highway

Mount of Glory

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This hill, topped by four bayonets, was built from the scorched earth of the nine "Hero Cities" of the USSR and battlegrounds of WWII in honor of the Red Army. It was built in the area of the last battle in Belarus.

type:	Hotspots
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address:	Junction of Minsk and Minsk II Highways

Kuropaty

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Kuropaty are the killing fields discovered in 1988. Evidence showed that perhaps 250,000 people, from Belarus, Poland and the Baltic states were shot in the back of the head by the Soviets between 1937 and 1941.

type:	general
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address:	15km north of Minsk city centre, 2km from Zelyoniy Luh

Narac Lake

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Narac is the biggest lake in Belarus. It is a beautiful place to get away from the crowds and enjoy Belarusian nature. The natives come here to fish and reside at a sanatorium nearby, you can try it too. Other lakes include Selyava Lake near Borisov (100km north east of Minsk) and the Braslav lakes (250km north, near the border with Latvia). Depart to the latter locations from the Eastern Bus Station.

type:	general
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address:	130km north of Minsk. Buses from Central Station

Destinations in Belarus

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