What to see in Grodno: a royal city in Soviet colors. Where is Grodno
It is divided into 2 administrative districts - Leninsky and Oktyabrsky.
Geography
Main rivers
The Neman River flows through the center of the city, dividing it into 2 parts connected by 3 road and 2 railway bridges (there is only one). Also, the tributaries of the Neman flow through the historical center of the city: Gorodnichanka, Yurisdika, and on the outskirts - the Lasosna and Zaritsa rivers.
Largest lakes
Yubileinoye Vdhr, Zelenka quarry, White lake(settlement Ozyory), etc.
History
From the founding of the city to the third partition of the Commonwealth
Grodno (Goroden, Goradnya, Garodnya, etc.) is one of oldest cities Belarus. The first mention of this city dates back to 1005. Archaeological excavations show that at the end of the 1st - beginning of the 2nd millennium, the Grodno region was inhabited mainly by Yotvingians, Dregovichi and Lithuanians; the first Slavic settlements on the territory of the future Grodno (on the high bank of the Neman) appeared in the 10th century. In the 12th century, on the site of these settlements, the city that arose was located at the crossroads of trade routes and initially was a small fortress with a fortified trading town. It is from the words "to fence", "to protect" that the name of the city came from.
In the XII-XIV centuries, Grodno was the capital of the Grodno specific principality and, starting from the first half of the XII century, was an important cultural, commercial and industrial center of the so-called. Black Russia. The border status of the city led to special attention to its fortifications. Already in the XII century, there were stone fortifications - the walls of the citadel, which was a rare occurrence in then Russia. Also known is the Grodno school of architecture, associated with the name of Peter Milonega. One of the buildings of this school is the Kolozha Church (XII century).
In the first half or about the middle of the 13th century, Grodno and the Grodno principality became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1241, during the alleged reign of Yuri Glebovich, the city was ravaged by the Tatars (some authors consider the information about the ruin of Grodno by the Tatars in 1241 to be untrue). During the struggle of the Galician-Volyn princes for the lands of Upper Ponemanye, the surroundings of the city were devastated more than once by the squad of Prince Daniel of Galicia, and starting from 1284, by the troops of the Teutonic Order and German crusaders. From 1284 until the end of the 14th century, Grodno and Grodno Castle were on one of the strategic directions of attacks of the Teutonic Order during the war between the Order and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Approximately in 1300, the famous David Gorodensky, the closest associate of Gediminas, became a castellan of the Grodno castle. Under his leadership, the city heroically repulsed all the attacks of the crusaders.
Around 1376, Grodno passed into the possession of Prince Vitovt, who after 1392 made this city his second "capital" (after Trok), and annexed the Grodno principality to the Trok principality; The Grodno banner (regiment) as part of the GDL troops participated in the Battle of Grunwald.
With the abolition of the Trok principality in 1413, Grodno became a povet (district) city of the Trok voivodeship. In 1391, the city was granted incomplete, and in 1496 - full Magdeburg rights. Around that time, the city acquires a magistracy and its coat of arms - an image of a deer with a golden cross between the horns, jumping over the fence ("Deer of St. Hubert"). Grodno soon became the best city in the country after Vilna.
After 1576, the Polish king and Grand Duke of Lithuania Stefan Batory rebuilt Grodno Castle, also known as the Old Castle, into his own Renaissance palace (architect Skoto).
In the XVI-XVII centuries. trade and crafts flourished in the city. After the unification of the Orthodox and Catholic churches in the Unia, the monastic orders of the Jesuits, Carmelites and Brigittes settled in Grodno. By the end of the 18th century, there were 9 churches and 2 Uniate monasteries in the city.
1650s-1740s - this is the time of economic decline in the development of the city, which was the result of devastating wars and the deepening of feudal-serfdom relations in the Commonwealth. During the war between Russia and the Commonwealth of 1654-1667. city in 1655-1657. was captured by Russian troops, and during the Swedish-Polish war of 1655-1660. - Swedish troops. Fires in 1675, 1720, 1750 and 1782 caused great damage to the city.
Since 1678, every third Sejm of the Commonwealth was held in Grodno - for this reason, in the 18th century, the so-called. The new castle as a gathering place for the Seim and the Senate, and Grodno received the unofficial status of the "third capital" of the Commonwealth.
During the Northern War, the city in 1702-1708. several times passed from hand to hand, was destroyed and looted by the Swedish troops, and in 1709-1710. survived an epidemic of plague, which killed a significant part of the population. In connection with the hostilities in the Grodno region in September 1705, Peter I came here and met with the Polish king August II in the Farny Church.
In the second half of the 18th century, a real cultural and economic revival of Grodno began. In 1770-1780. the headman of Grodno, the Lithuanian yard treasurer Anthony Tyzengauz founded a number of manufactories in the city and its environs: cloth, linen, weapons, hosiery, carriage, etc. He also opened the first theater in the city. From 1775 to 1781, there was a medical school in Grodno, and since 1781, a district school, where gentry from all of what was then Eastern Lithuania studied.
On May 27, 1793, in Grodno, in the building of the New Castle, the last Polish-Lithuanian Sejm (the so-called “Silent Sejm”) was held, which approved the second division of the Commonwealth.
In 1794 Grodno was one of the hotbeds of Tadeusz Kosciuszko's uprising.
In 1795, as a result of the third division of the Commonwealth, the city became part of Russian Empire. In Grodno, the abdication of the throne of the last king of Poland and the Grand Duke of Lithuania Stanislav II August Poniatowski took place.
Grodno within the Russian Empire
In 1801 Grodno became the center of the Grodno province. Accession to Russia and the inclusion of Grodno in the All-Russian market contributed to the further development of the city's economy. Manufactories continued to develop, including those working on freelance labor. In 1803, work was completed on the reconstruction of the Oginsky canal, which connected the basins of the Dnieper and the Neman, after which the Grodno pier became one of the largest on the Neman.
On July 2, 1812, during the Patriotic War of 1812, Napoleon's troops entered Grodno. In general, the Lithuanian-Belarusian Catholic community of the Grodno region welcomed the arrival of the French troops. Grodno briefly became the center of a department of the Duchy of Lithuania; in the city, a detachment of the National Guard of the Duchy of 290 people and a gendarmerie of 856 people were created, and recruits were also made for Lithuanian (actually Lithuanian-Belarusian) infantry and cavalry units. The soldiers mobilized into the army of the Duchy of Lithuania participated in the battles against the Russian army at the final stage of the war of 1812, as well as in the campaigns of 1813 and 1814.
The activity of the first female officer in Russia, N.A. Durova, who served in Grodno in the Lithuanian Lancers, is connected with the city. Russian troops reoccupied the city on 8 December.
In the 19th century, there was a tendency in the city to Russify and discriminate against local "Poles", that is, Polish-speaking Lithuanians and Belarusians, as well as to strengthen the positions of the Orthodox Church. One of the churches (the so-called Fara Vitovt) was turned into the Orthodox St. Sophia Cathedral, the Bernardine Monastery, founded in 1621 - into the Borisoglebsky Monastery, the Uniate Basilian Women's Monastery (founded in 1633) - into the Nativity of the Theotokos Convent. Of all the Catholic monasteries, two were left: the Franciscan male and Brigid female.
During the Polish uprising of 1830 1830-1831. rebel detachments were operating in the Grodno region.
After the abolition of serfdom in Russia in 1861, Grodno developed as one of the largest industrial centers in the Northwestern Territory. In 1862, the St. Petersburg-Warsaw railway passed through the city, contributing to the development of craft workshops, woodworking and tobacco industries; in 1861 during construction railway a single-track railway bridge across the Neman was built.
In 1863, the Grodno province was affected by a national liberation uprising led by Kastus Kalinouski.
In 1885 the historical center of Grodno was destroyed by a big fire.
In 1907, the construction of the first reinforced concrete highway bridge began. It was handed over on July 24, 1909.
At the time of joining Grodno to Russia, up to 4,000 inhabitants lived there; in 1816 - 9873 inhabitants, of which 8422 Jews and 1451 Christians; in 1856 - 18,386 inhabitants; in 1891 - 49,952 inhabitants (including 6,737 military personnel of the garrison, 1,843 indefinite leave, 520 retired lower ranks, 133 soldiers' children and 307 foreign nationals), of which 29,779 Jews, 11,497 Orthodox, 8,243 Catholics, 281 Protestants, Mohammedans 152. By the end of the 19th century, the city had 2 gymnasiums (male and female), several schools, a city theater, 3 clubs, 4 printing houses, 6 libraries, 5 banking offices, 56 factories and plants (including an iron foundry), 3 hospitals and 4 pharmacies.
Grodno in the era of the First World War, Russian Civil and Soviet-Polish Wars
During the First World War in September 1915, the city was captured by the Kaiser's troops; during the retreat, Russian troops destroyed all bridges - highway, railway, and 3 wooden ones.
On December 1, 1918, the city of Grodno, together with the Grodno province, became part of Lithuania, and on April 10, 1919, it was occupied by Poland.
Under the terms of the peace treaty between the Republic of Lithuania and the RSFSR of July 12, 1920 (remained in force until October 1939), Grodno was to go to Lithuania. During the Soviet-Polish war, the city, already recognized by Lithuania, was occupied by the Red Army in July 1920, but in October it was again occupied by the Poles, who inflicted a major defeat on the Red Army near the city.
Grodno as part of Poland
In 1921, Grodno, according to the Riga Peace Treaty, went to Poland. Administrative and economic activity in the city fell, actually moving to Bialystok, to which the capital of the voivodship was moved. By the end of the 1920s, industry and infrastructure were restored in the city. In particular, the Cresova factory of bicycles and motorcycles "Neman", the breweries of Margolis, Slutsky, Doylida were created. The highway bridge across the Neman was restored only in 1929, the railway bridge - in 1934. The population has decreased from 63 thousand people. (1913) to 49 thousand (1931).
The Second World War
In September 1939, after the partition of Poland by Germany and the USSR, Grodno, after a two-day defense, was occupied by the Red Army, which shot 300 captured defenders of the city; after that, a joint Soviet-German "victory parade" was held in the city, which was received from the Soviet side by V. I. Chuikov. A lot of pseudo-patriotic publications are now coming out, trying to revise this historical precedent. They state either that there were no joint parades, or that they were not joint. but were consistent. However, newsreel and documents say otherwise.
Grodno became part of the Byelorussian SSR; as in other newly entered areas, a series of arrests and mass deportations to Siberia and Kazakhstan were carried out in it, the last time - literally 2 days before the German attack.
Immediately after the start of the Great Patriotic War, Grodno was captured by the troops of Nazi Germany (on the night of June 22-23, 1941), and, when the Red Army retreated, the local population fired at it from attics. Having occupied the city, the Nazis established a brutal occupation regime. About 33,000 Soviet citizens were killed and tortured to death in the death camp near Folush. In various concentration camps in Poland, most of the city's Jewish population was exterminated. Grodno was the center of the partisan movement and the underground anti-fascist movement, about 17 thousand partisans operated in the region. According to incomplete data, in 3 years partisans and sabotage groups destroyed more than 62 thousand Nazi soldiers and officers, 139 tanks, blew up more than 1 thousand echelons with cargo and manpower of the enemy.
During the Vilnius and Bialystok operations of 1944, the city was liberated by the troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front (July 16). During the liberation of the city, on July 16, the highway bridge across the Neman was blown up by German troops.
Grodno within the Soviet Union and the Belarusian Republic
Since September 1944, Grodno has been the center of the Grodno region of the Byelorussian SSR. The city was not very badly damaged as a result of the war: most of the sights of the city were saved. However, after the war, many historical buildings were demolished, for example, in 1961, the far church of Vytautas of the XIV century, the Bernardine convent, on the site of which the building of the regional drama theater began to be built in 1977, and a number of other attractions were blown up. The plans for the reconstruction of the city, which were accepted in the 1960s, included the complete demolition of some historical quarters, but they were not destined to come true.
The rapid restoration of the industry destroyed by the Nazis and the active construction of infrastructure (including sewerage) contributed to the development of the city. The population of the city reached the pre-war level only in the mid-1950s. During this period, the city began to turn into a major center of industry in the west of the BSSR, the number of inhabitants by 1988 increased 5 times compared to 1939.
On October 30, 1949, the highway bridge across the Neman was restored. built in 1971 new bridge through the Neman connecting the streets of Popovich and Spring, in 1987 - the Rumlevsky bridge.
Since 1991 the city is part of the Republic of Belarus. Today it is unique city rich in historical, architectural and cultural monuments. Since 2003, within the framework of the program for the improvement of Belarusian cities, active work has begun to restore the historical appearance of the city. The botanical garden, the city park "Grodno Switzerland", Kalozha park were restored, in 2006 the reconstruction of the central city square, the pedestrian street and other objects was completed, the reconstruction of castles and the Kolozhskaya church was planned, several old ugly architectural monuments were demolished. In 2008, the reconstruction of the Old Bridge across the Neman River was completed. The issue of restoring the facade of the town hall and Vitovt's headlights is being discussed.
Population
As of January 1, 2009, the population of the city is estimated at 338.2 thousand people. The majority of the population are Belarusians, Poles, Russians and Ukrainians. Specifically, Belarusians 62%, Poles 24%, Russians 10%, Ukrainians 2%, Jews 0.4%, Lithuanians 0.3%, Tatars 0.3%, other nationalities. This section is missing references to information sources.
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Economy
Grodno is a large industrial center of Western Belarus. In 2009, industrial enterprises produced products in current prices to the amount of 4,600 billion rubles. On the territory of the city there are 72 industrial enterprises of various forms of ownership, which produce 40% of the industrial output of the region.
The industry of the city is represented by nine branches. The leading position in the city's economy is occupied by: chemical industry (48.8% of the city's total production), the largest representatives of which are Grodno Azot OJSC, Grodno Khimvolokno OJSC; mechanical engineering and metalworking (12.5%)
The light industry (fine cloth production, textiles, haberdashery production) and the chemical industry (production of nitrogen fertilizers and chemical fiber) are the most developed. The food industry, machine-building and metal-working industries (production of cardan shafts and machine tools) are also developed. In the city there are enterprises of electric power industry, woodworking, leather, building materials. There is a tobacco factory.
Education
Grodno has 97 preschool institutions, 40 secondary schools, including 2 lyceums, 8 gymnasiums, as well as schools with lyceum classes. There are 9 secondary specialized educational institutions.
There are 3 state universities in Grodno:
Grodno State University
Grodno State Medical University
Grodno State Agrarian University
Grodno Higher Theological Seminary.
There are 14 mass libraries in the city, including 6 children's, 2 mixed type, Polish literature, Grodno regional with a children's department. The Grodno Historical and Archaeological Reserve, the Grodno Historical and Archaeological Museum operate.
culture
There are two theaters in the city: the Grodno Regional Drama Theater and the Grodno Puppet Theatre. There are 8 museums, the main of which are the Grodno Historical and Archaeological Museum and the Grodno state museum history of religion. art represented by art galleries "Tizengauz", "At Maistra", "Raskosha", as well as the oldest exhibition hall in the city on Ozheshko Street.
healthcare
Grodno Regional Clinical Perinatal Center opened the first obstetrics development museum in the Republic of Belarus.
Communications and media
Several newspapers are published in the city, including: Grodno Pravda, Evening Grodno, Police Bulletin, etc., Grodno TV and radio company, regional radio, Grodno Plus TV channel, Nash CITY + TV channel, telegraph communication center, long-distance station telephone communication. There is a network of cable television "GARANT".
Transport
Grodno is a major transport hub. The Grodno airport operates in the city (13 km southeast of the city, near the village of Obukhovo), a railway station and a bus station. There is a developed network of urban public transport. bus service launched in 1940, the basis of the fleet are buses of the Ikarus, MAZ and Neman brands. The bus depot is a subsidiary of Grodnooblavtotrans. The trolleybus service was opened on November 10, 1974 to the AZOT plant, which was moved outside the city. In total, there are 36 bus and 12 trolleybus routes in the city. Railway lines depart from the city to Vilnius (the line ends at the very Lithuanian border, the border crossing has been dismantled, there is no communication), Bridges and Bialystok. Of these, only the line towards Poland has been electrified, on which there is a combined gauge (1435 mm and 1520 mm). There is a railway bridge across the Neman.
Attractions
Borisoglebskaya church.
Borisoglebskaya (Kolozhskaya) church (XII century) is a wonderful example of ancient Russian stone architecture. Located on a high steep bank of the Neman, it has not been completely preserved: its vaults and head disappeared long ago, the southern and part of the western walls collapsed into the river due to a landslide in 1853. Under the Soviet regime, it was restored and operates. Inside, frescoes from the 12th century have been preserved.
Cathedral (earlier: Farny) Church of St. Francis Xavier (1678) - an outstanding architectural monument of Belarus XVII-XVIII centuries In the past, the church and monastery were the richest in the Commonwealth. They occupied a whole block in the central part of the city. In the decoration of the cathedral, architectural plastics, sculpture and painting were widely used. The elaborate multi-figure composition in the altar and supporting pillars, decorated with decorative columns of iconostases, made entirely of wood, add special beauty to the interior. These decorative elements are of high artistic value. Fresco painting (1752) consists of multi-subject compositions located in arched niches, vaults, and more.
Old castle (XII-XIX centuries)
New Castle (1751)
Church of the Finding of the Holy Cross and the Bernardine Monastery (rebuilt many times since 1595).
Churches and monasteries of Franciscans, Brigittes, Basilians (baroque) and Jesuits (currently a prison).
Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery (XIX-XX centuries)
Lutheran church, stone synagogue
City park "Grodno Switzerland".
The first pharmacy in the territory of Eastern Europe(opened in 1687, now a functioning pharmacy-museum).
Grodno necropolises (Catholic, Orthodox and military).
House-museums of Eliza Ozheshko and Maxim Bogdanovich.
The oldest operating tower clock in Europe, the mechanism of which was made at the end of the 15th century. Initially, the clock was installed on the tower of the city hall, where meetings of the magistrate were held, the archive was stored, the office and the city treasury were located. The Grodno City Hall was destroyed during the hostilities and in the 18th century the clock was moved to the tower of the Church of St. Francis Xavier (Sovetskaya Square).
Drama theater building (1980s).
The first and once only zoo in Belarus. Founded in 1927 by professor of biology Jan Kochanowski as a living corner. In 1941, it officially received the status of a zoo. Today, more than 320 species of animals live in the zoo.
Notable natives and residents
Alexander Kurlovich - Olympic champion in weightlifting.
Alyaksandr Milinkevich is a politician, public figure, program manager of the Foundation for Assistance to Local Development. Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. Candidate for President of Belarus in 2006
Lev (Leon) Bakst - theater artist and graphic artist.
Vasil Bykov - Belarusian Soviet writer. Lived and worked in Grodno from 1947 to 1978, was a literary collaborator and consultant for the regional newspaper "Grodnenskaya Pravda", served as secretary of the Grodno branch of the Union of Writers of the BSSR.
Vilner, Vladimir Bertoldovich - famous theater and film director, professor (1947), director of the Jewish theater in Yiddish.
Valery Levonevsky - businessman, public figure, former political prisoner.
Yakovlev Vladimir Andreevich - politician, journalist, editor of the New Russia newspaper.
Wilfried Voynich - bibliophile and antiquary. Discoverer of the so-called Voynich Manuscript.
Ilya Gintsburg - Belarusian and Russian sculptor, professor.
Valery Didula - guitarist and composer, famous flamenco performer.
Jean Gilibert - French biologist, founder of the botanical park.
Ludovic Zamenhof is the creator of the Esperanto language.
Casimir IV Jagiellon - Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440 and King of Poland from 1447
Casimir the Holy - Lithuanian prince and Polish prince, patron saint of Lithuania.
Konstantin Kalinovsky - national hero of Belarus, Lithuania and Poland; one of the leaders of the national liberation uprising of 1863-1864. in Lithuania and Belarus, publicist, poet.
Karol Rummel (1888-1967) - Belarusian, Polish and Russian athlete (equestrian), participant Olympic Games 1912, 1924 and 1928, bronze medalist of the 1928 Olympic Games. The first native of Belarus - a participant in the Olympic Games 1912, 1924, 1928. Officer of the Russian and Polish armies.
Karpyuk Aleksey Nikiforovich (1920-1992) - Belarusian writer, partisan, war veteran and dissident.
Lyublinsky, Pavel Isaakovich (1882-1938) - Russian lawyer.
Maxim Bogdanovich - Belarusian poet of the early 20th century.
Meir Lansky is the "godfather" of the Jewish mafia, the "founder" of Las Vegas.
Eliza Orzeszko - Polish writer of the 19th century. A street in the city is named after her. There is a house-museum.
Olga Korbut - champion of the Olympic Games (1972, 1976), world (1974), USSR (1970, 1974, 1976) in artistic gymnastics.
Oscar Sosnovsky - architect.
Sofia Nalkowska - Polish writer of the early 20th century.
Stefan Batory - Grand Duke of Lithuania and Polish king.
Sukhodolsky is a battle painter.
Anthony Tizengauz - Grodno headman under Stanislav Poniatovsky. Prominent philanthropist.
Cheslav Nemen - musician.
Interesting Facts
On September 16, 1705, the Russian Tsar Peter I arrived in Grodno, where most of his army was concentrated to fight against Charles XII (the Northern War of 1700-1721). In the same year, 1705, Peter I and the Polish King August II attended the consecration of the church of St. Francis Xavier.
On December 9, 1812, without a single shot, Grodno was liberated from the Napoleonic army by a small partisan detachment of hussar Denis Davydov.
In 1902, the governor of Grodno was Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin, a Russian statesman, reformer and future prime minister of tsarist Russia. On his initiative, craft, Jewish and women's parish schools were opened in Grodno.
The picturesque Neman River flows through the territory of Russia, Lithuania and Belarus. Numerous cities sprawled along its banks. And one of them is Grodno, located almost at the very border with Poland and Lithuania. Known since the time of The Tale of Igor's Campaign, it has always been a major center of trade, crafts, and arts; visited both the capital of the principalities and the regional center. Now Grodno is also the administrative center of the region, important point intersection of transport routes and an interesting tourist site.
How to get to Grodno
The time when Grodno could only be reached on horseback or in a carriage is long gone. We offer trains, buses and planes. The airport is located 18 km southeast of the city, from Moscow to Grodno you can fly with one or two transfers.
Search for flights to Grodno
By train
From Minsk, trains leave for Grodno at least five times a day (counting those that are formed in the capital of the country and those that pass through it) and go to the end point for about 6 hours. Travel time from Vitebsk to Grodno will be 11 hours, from Brest - 12, and almost 14 if you leave Gomel. But the proximity of the Polish border leads to the fact that the train from Warsaw reaches its destination in just 7 hours, but with transfers, at best, only in Bialystok. Lithuania (Vilnius, Kaunas) can also be reached only with transfers. There is a direct railway connection with Moscow (fast branded train"Old Neman") and St. Petersburg.
By bus
By bus you can get to Grodno not only in 4-5 hours from Minsk (departure from the Vostochny bus station and the Druzhnaya station, which is right behind the railway station), but also from Brest (4-6 hours on the way), Pinsk (on average 10 hours on the way) and other cities of Belarus.
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Transport
You can get to the center public transport, which is represented by trolleybuses, buses and fixed-route taxis.
Work in the city information centers for tourists, on the street. Gorky, 52, and on the street. Ozheshko, 38. There you can pick up excursions and accommodation, get the necessary advice.
Popular hotels in Grodno
Cuisine and restaurants Grodno
Grodno is no exception to the general trend: it will not be difficult for a tourist to find where to eat tasty and inexpensive. More expensive, but a higher level is also possible, for this it is worth honoring with your presence "Old Lyamus" on the street. Dzerzhinsky, 1a, "White Roses" on the street. Derzhinsky, 98, where live music plays from 20:00, Golden Calf (BLK, 29a), specializing in Belarusian cuisine, Restaurant (Vrublevsky St., 44) and others.
A more democratic atmosphere reigns in the cafe-bar "Korchma near the pier" (Zavodskaya str., 14), which should not be confused with another wonderful bar "Karchma", on the street. Sovetskoy, 31. Good confectionery "Salodki pachastunak", which serves wonderful cakes and desserts (located on Ozheshko St., 25/3, the Moskovsky store will serve as a guide), Moka cafe on the street. Gorky, 53, "Arena" (st. Kommunalnaya, 3) and many others. Pizza lovers should not pass by "Retro" (ul. Sovetskaya, 31) and a pizzeria on the street. Gornovykh, 17.
Shopping and shops
Shopping centers, where you can buy goods from household appliances to food (by the way, very, very tasty) and clothes, are quite standard for the entire territory of the country. Among them "Grandichi" on the street. Gorky, 55, hypermarket "Almi" on the street. Cosmonauts, 81, covered market "Crown" on the street. Gorky, 91 (mondays off).
If you want something out of the ordinary, national flavor then go to railway station city, opposite which there is a wonderful shop with authentic souvenirs. There are the same on the square. Tizenhausen, on the street. Kirov, but the most unusual can be called a branded alcohol store on the street. B. Troitskaya, where you can buy originally designed drinks as souvenirs.
Entertainment and attractions Grodno
If you thought that there were no castles in Belarus, you were wrong. In Grodno, for example, there are two of them, the Old one (Zamkovaya street, 22) and the New one (Zamkovaya street, 20). The old one, proudly towering over the river, looks impressive, but the New one, built like a royal palace, is more elegant. The castles are well preserved, however, the same can be said about almost all architectural objects cities. Among them are beautiful churches: the Church of the Finding of the Holy Cross, the Church of the Annunciation in the Brigitok Monastery, the Church of the Virgin Mary of Angels in the Franciscan Monastery and the pearl among them is the Cathedral Church of St. Francis Xavier (it is also called Farny).
Grodno is a multi-religious city, so there are also enough Orthodox churches and synagogues (the Great Choral Synagogue deserves attention). Borisoglebskaya Church, which is also called Kalozhskaya, is an example of stone architecture, and hides wonderful frescoes under its walls. Of interest are the Cathedral of the Holy Intercession Cathedral, St. Vladimir's Church and Lutheran churches.Enough and historical objects not related to religion. There is a fire tower, and the Kasovsky Merchants' House, and monasteries: Jesuits, Carmelites, Basilians, etc. Take a look at the warehouse and the ruined Grodno fortress, go to the zoo. Take a walk along the embankment, admire the views of the Neman and the graffiti of young talents. Visit numerous local museums: House-museums of E. Ozheshko or M. Bogdanovich, the museum of the history of Gorodnitsa, the history of religion, or the creepy Teratological Museum, the only one in Belarus. If after such a spectacle you want something soothing, go for a boat trip along the Augustow Canal - a unique hydraulic engineering structure created back in the 19th century. Picturesque shores, estates and observation of the locking process will surely be of interest to both adults and children.
Useful information for tourists about Grodno in Belarus - geographical position, tourism infrastructure, map, architectural features and attractions.
Grodno is a city in Belarus, located on the banks of the Neman River, on the border with Poland and Lithuania (15 and 30 km, respectively). The first mention of this city dates back to 1005. The official date of the foundation of the city is 1128 - the first mention in the Ipatiev Chronicle. In the 15th century, Grodno was the largest shopping center Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and since the XVI century - the residence of the Lithuanian princes.
After the unification of the Orthodox and Catholic churches in the Unia, the monastic orders of the Jesuits, Carmelites and Brigittes settled in Grodno. By the end of the 18th century, there were 9 churches and 2 Uniate monasteries in the city. 1650s-1740s - this is the time of economic decline in the development of the city, which was the result of devastating wars and the deepening of feudal-serfdom relations in the Commonwealth. During the war between Russia and the Commonwealth of 1654-1667. city in 1655-1657. was captured by Russian troops, and during the Swedish-Polish war of 1655-1660. - Swedish troops. The fires of the 17th-18th centuries caused great damage to the city.
During the Northern War, the city in 1702-1708. several times passed from hand to hand, was destroyed and looted by the Swedish troops, and in 1709-1710. survived an epidemic of plague, which killed a significant part of the population. In 1795, as a result of the third division of the Commonwealth, the city became part of the Russian Empire.
In September 1939, after the partition of Poland by Germany and the USSR, Grodno, after a two-day defense, was occupied by the Red Army, which shot 300 captured defenders of the city; after that, a joint Soviet-German "victory parade" was held in the city, which was received from the Soviet side by V. I. Chuikov.
During the Vilnius and Bialystok operations of 1944, the city was liberated by the troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front. The city was not very badly damaged as a result of the war: most of the sights of the city were saved. However, many historic buildings were demolished after the war. Today Grodno is a unique city rich in historical, architectural and cultural monuments.
Grodno is one of the few cities in Belarus where the historical layout has been almost completely preserved. Monuments of ancient Russian architecture, Gothic and Renaissance, baroque, classicism, pseudo-Gothic, pseudo-Russian architecture, Art Nouveau and constructivism have been preserved here.
Main historical monuments Grodno are Old and New castles. The old castle was erected on a high city hill in the 12th century. It consisted of a powerful fortress wall surrounded by a 50-meter moat, five towers and the palace of Vytautas. Today, the territory of the Old Castle houses the Grodno Historical and Archaeological Museum. The museum has about 160 thousand items of the main fund. The most interesting are the collections of paintings with icons of the 18th-19th centuries, a collection of handmade carpets, a numismatic collection, and collections of weapons and old books. The new castle was built in the middle of the 18th century and now forms a single architectural ensemble with the Old Castle. It was built as a royal palace.
Grodno has one of the most beautiful architectural monuments Belarusian religious architecture - the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis Xavier of 1705. It was built under the Polish king Stefan Batory. Grodno Basilica is the main Catholic church in the city. Inside the temple, several wooden altars from 1736 and frescoes from the 18th century have been preserved.
The Grodno Borisoglebskaya Kolozha Church of the 12th century is the second oldest in Belarus. The church was built by the architect Peter Milanega in 1180 and rebuilt in the 16th-17th centuries. More than once she suffered from landslides, but still survived to this day.
Of the ancient places of worship in Grodno, the former ensemble of the Bernardine monastery of the 16th-17th centuries, the Holy Nativity of the Mother of God convent and one of the oldest synagogues in Europe - the 16th-century choral synagogue, which was rebuilt at the beginning of the 20th century, have also been preserved.
If you love Belarus and want to see the country from an unusual side, then I recommend coming to the western city of Grodno, where you can walk along typical Eastern European streets, visit ancient churches, find castles and other attractions. The doll-European town, perhaps the best preserved in Belarus, is fundamentally different from other cities in the country - it looks like a real foreigner against the backdrop of Soviet development.
To make it easier for you to navigate the city, I have compiled a list of the main sights of Grodno that are interesting to see even seasoned tourist. And if you have never been abroad, then visiting Grodno will become a European adventure.
We begin to learn about the city of Grodno from the Ipatiev Chronicle of the 12th century, as a city on the border with the Balts and the Principality of Polotsk. Perhaps the name of the city is closely related to the words "to fence or protect", because Grodno had to perform the protective functions of the Old Russian state. However, soon the situation changed dramatically - Grodno passed to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, became a strong and significant city, the second after the capital. As is known from the school history course, the Principality of Lithuania united with Poland, as a result of which a new state appeared - the Commonwealth. Grodno grew and grew stronger, so now we can observe architecture that is strange for Russia. After the division of the Commonwealth, the city came under the rule of the Russian Empire, and then to the Byelorussian SSR. Due to its border location, Grodno was one of the first to be captured by the Nazis at the beginning of the Second World War, but, fortunately, the war was won, the wounds of the war were healed, and now we can enjoy the beautiful architecture of the city under a peaceful sky.
The center and heart of the city is Sovetskaya Square, from which it is convenient to start exploring the city. We also lived in one of the best hotels in Grodno - Neman 4 *, which is located on this square.
On the map, I marked the sections of the city with colors, as if grouping the sights into three groups.
Here you can download tourist maps Grodno (clickable pictures), plus in any bookstore, in any stall like our Soyuzpechat, you can buy a paper map of the city.
"Blue Group" of attractions
So, let's go see the sights of the "blue group". First of all, the magnificent church attracts attention.
Church of St. Francis Xavier or Farny Church
Sovetskaya Square
This is one of the most beautiful Catholic churches in Belarus. The temple was built almost a hundred years XVI-XVII century by the Jesuit order. At the consecration of the church, the allies in the Northern War, King of the Commonwealth August II and Emperor of the Russian Empire Peter I were invited.
The appearance of the church and its decoration has not changed much since that time, it amazes with the richness of gilded balustrades and balconies and magnificent statues of saints. For a long time the church was farny, that is, the main parish church.
Another highlight of the church is the clock on the tower. The mechanism itself dates back to the 15th century, but the clock was installed here much later, they used to decorate the old town hall. But, nevertheless, they still count the time very accurately today.
In close proximity to the church there is a museum-pharmacy, distinguished by its venerable age. In general, in Grodno we observed an extraordinary love for pharmacies, where you won’t turn your head in the center - a pharmacy.
Ancient pharmacy
Sovetskaya Square, 4
Interestingly, this is the oldest pharmacy in Belarus. It was founded by the Jesuits in 1709 for the needs of the city. There has been a pharmacy on this site for three centuries, and today, just like in the 18th century, you can buy medicines here. The pharmacy building is divided into three parts, one of which is reserved for the museum. It presents an exposition of ancient bottles, with various drugs and ancient devices for making various mixtures.
The tourist pride of the city is the pedestrian Sovetskaya Street, which originates from the square. A cobbled street with European architecture, funny Belarusian signs, cozy cafes.
Pedestrianized street
st. Soviet
Getting here does not leave the feeling that you are walking around a provincial town, somewhere in Hungary or Poland. Two-story, old buildings, forged lanterns, geraniums on the windows. The street seemed to be frozen in time.
Each building has its own history, and walking along Pedestrian Street is pleasant both during the day and in the evening when all these buildings are illuminated with soft, warm light.
There are many souvenir shops and cafes here, we especially liked the NAME cafe, which has a patio, and they serve wonderful desserts, smoothies and aromatic coffee here. More hearty dishes are on the menu, but we went in for coffee.
Continuing the path, you can go to a few more sights of the city. Sovetskaya Street smoothly turns into Lenin Square, which is hard not to recognize thanks to its typical architecture. Although in Grodno even on such a square there is something European. Further, you will see a park juicy with vegetation, which you can pass by, or you can go in and relax.
Park them. Gilibert
From st. Ozheshko to Lenin Square
Jean-Emmanuel Gilibert Park, laid out on the spot botanical garden where this amazing scientist grew rare plants. Part of the park is still called "Swiss Valley" for the similarity of landscapes.
Today this is one of the most beautiful places Grodno, where you can walk in silence and admire the picturesque landscapes. The park is constantly ennobled and replenished with new exhibits. Beautiful forged benches, a mermaid by a small pond, Jean Gilbert himself, resting on a bench, beautiful flower beds and skillfully trimmed shrubs, nice art objects.
Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Ozheshko street 23
It was built in memory of the fallen soldiers in the Russo-Japanese War of 1905. The style of a similar temple of the military garrison in Peterhof is taken as a basis. The architectural style of the cathedral is reminiscent of native Russian buildings, with elegant, lacy facades - a very beautiful cathedral.
After the restoration, many icons of unusual themes appeared in the cathedral, which describe the period of persecution of Orthodox Christians during the Soviet era. The icons depict the arrests of priests, the trials of Chekists, the destruction of churches.
It is interesting to come here not only as a temple of faith, but also from a historical point of view, history is presented here in a very unusual way.
If you turn your head to the left, you can see a pretty Kirche, which is literally a hundred steps away.
kirkha
st. May Day 5
At the end of the 18th century, the Germans came to Grodno to build manufactories. The local headman gave them an old tavern for services, which was rebuilt into a church. The building was completed and rebuilt many times until it acquired its present form. The architectural style of the church is very close to Gothic, but it also has its own nuances.
Inside, the church is ascetic: only stained-glass windows on the windows are among the decorations. Previously, the building was decorated with a high spire, which, according to various sources, was destroyed either during the war, as a sniper sat there or so that the building did not exceed the Pokrovsky Cathedral.
This is the only functioning church in Grodno.
This is part of the urban development of the period of the second half of XVIII century, just in this area, when Tyzengauz, a well-known politician and philanthropist of that time, ruled the city, he did a lot for Grodno.
Here you can see both residential and commercial buildings, made in different styles. In order to learn the history of Grodno and about each surviving building, it is worth visiting the museum located in the old master's house at st. Ozheshko 37.
The buildings are located on the streets of Gorky, Dzerzhinsky, Ozheshko and Tyzengauz Square, many of them still perform their functions, almost every one has a sign with the year of construction.
city zoo
st. Timiryazev 11
This is the first zoo in Belarus. There are no expositions with rare animals, but it is still very interesting to visit.
The zoo is conditionally divided into several zones: predators, ungulates, small animals and for the smallest "Grandmother's Corner", where you can watch the life of pets, pet a rabbit or a goat, feed a guinea pig - now a fashionable petting zoo.
Separately, you can visit a small terrarium with snakes and lizards.
We were not personally interested in the zoo, so we turned around and went back to Sovetskaya Square.
"Green Group" of attractions
On the square you will see a specific theater building, from which we will start a walk through the castle part of Grodno.
Grodno Regional Drama Theater
st. Mostovaya, 35
A contrast to the old part and an unusual facet of Grodno will be the regional theater for the guests of the city. The building was built in 1984 in the Art Nouveau style and resembles a bulky organ. The theater itself is located on a hill, and a long staircase goes to it, which adds grandeur and monumentality to the building.
In the evening, the theater is beautifully illuminated, which makes it look like fairytale palace. Near the entrance is an interesting statue with Pegasus. The theater is operational and open to the public.
Behind you will be the Church of the Mother of God from the angels, which you can also go into.
Church of the Mother of God from the Angels
st. Titova 11a
A beautiful, slender building on the banks of the Neman, from where amazing views of the river open up. The building of the church was built in the 18th century in the Baroque style. It was rebuilt several times after fires, so the style is not preserved everywhere.
Very nice church interior. The decoration is rich: stucco, gilding, graceful columns, and carved balconies. The color palette of the interior is designed in golden-cream tones, which gives the room a real royal luxury. Photography is not allowed, so take my word for it.
The miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Angels is kept in the church.
But back to the theatre. It is worth going behind him, as it will open before your eyes beautiful landscape steep banks of the Neman River. Below is a fairly popular restaurant in Grodno with a view of the water NAME, on the opposite bank there is a beautiful church.
Church of the Discovery of the Holy Cross
st. Podgornaya
This beautiful and unusual Bernardine church can be seen from almost any part of Grodno. The church was built in the period of the XV-XVIII centuries and all the styles of those periods were reflected in its architecture. Here you can see the airiness of the Renaissance, the majesty of the Gothic and the luxury of the Baroque.
The monastery today houses a theological seminary, but services are held in the church. We did not get to the church, but the guidebook promised a rich interior decoration: exquisite stucco, intricate stained-glass windows, the altar is decorated with brown marble, against which the snow-white statues look especially sublime.
We shift our gaze to the right and see the New Castle, located next to the theater.
new castle
st. Castle 20
The new castle was built as the summer residence of the Polish kings. Together with the old castle, it was combined into one complex. Behind the modest façade hides the real royal luxury of the interiors. The castle building houses historical Museum where you can learn more about the history of the city. Unfortunately, we were in Grodno on Monday, so we could not get into the museum. It's good that at least the area was open.
Interestingly, it was in the New Castle that the famous “silent” Sejm took place in 1793, which marked the second division of the Commonwealth. It is worth noting that the building in its original form has not survived to this day, the castle was almost completely destroyed during the Great Patriotic War. After the war, the regional committee of the party was located here, which is still reminiscent of the star on the spire. The castle is quite a Soviet one, so we go to the neighboring Old Castle.
old lock
st. Castle 22
The old castle above the Neman was the favorite residence of the Polish king Stefan Batory. Much is connected with his name here, he turned this castle into a real palace. But even before the fortress was not left without attention, the place is already very tasty.
Today, little is left of the former splendor of the castle, but the old walls retain their grandeur and monumentality, in some places restoration is underway. The city and the castle are connected by an arched, picturesque bridge, built much later, instead of a wooden one. The castle is interesting both from the inside and outside, especially lovers of beautiful photographs will like it.
Within the walls of the castle is a museum, which was also closed on Monday.
I want to note the beauty of the ramparts that surround the castle.
Without leaving Zamkova Street, pay attention to the fire tower.
Fire Tower
st. Castle 19After the fire, which destroyed more than 600 houses in Grodno, the residents started building their own fire system. For this, an architect was sent from St. Petersburg, who designed and built a tower and a fire station. Time of construction dates back to 1900
The height of the tower is equal to an eight-story building, at that time it was the tallest building in the city, from which a view of Grodno was opened. Today, if you look at observation deck the fireman is still standing and watching the city. True, this is all just a mannequin dressed in an old firefighter uniform.
On the facade of the fire station there is a large fresco, painted much later in Soviet times - the spirit of the workers is immediately visible. But if you look closely, the extreme girl is exactly the Leonard Gioconda - and you don’t need to go to the Louvre.
Going down, you can see the synagogue.
Grodno State Museum of the History of Religion
st. Castle 16The Museum of Religion is represented by a wide exposition that tells about beliefs local residents since the pre-Christian period. There are pagan idols, figurines of mothers of the family, ancient charms. The exposition also includes objects of different religions, which are presented in Grodno. There are both Christian icons and Muslim books, which, although written in Arabic script, are in Polish-Belarusian.
The period of Soviet power is also covered in detail, where not only atheistic posters are presented, but also books that scientifically proved that there is no God.
Very often the museum presents temporary exhibitions on the themes of city life, life or religion.
Grodno Choral Synagogue
st. Bolshaya Troitskaya, 59AThe Great Choral Synagogue can rightfully be considered one of the oldest in Europe. The first building was built in the 16th century, but was later destroyed. The modern synagogue incorporated ancient walls and preserved chapels into its architecture. The style of construction itself is interesting, which resembles southern Spanish houses, with a rich Moorish flavor. In the prayer hall, beautiful stucco has been preserved, which speaks of the former grandeur and wealth of the building.
It is worth noting that this synagogue has become a monument to the victims of the Second World War. It was here that Jews were kept before being sent to concentration camps. Today the synagogue is open and divine services are being held, but there are about 50 parishioners left. But before the war there were 44 synagogues in Grodno alone.
Monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin
st. Gorodenskogo 3
Located near the Old and New Castles, the monastery has ancient history. The walls of the first monastery grew back in 1633 on the site of the church. It was a Uniate Basilian monastery, later transferred to an Orthodox parish.
The monastery was often rebuilt and therefore outwardly it does not attract attention, except for the unusual black domes of the temple, painted with golden stars.
In the inner courtyard, the abundance of flowers is striking, a caring female hand is felt. It is also worth noting the temple where the Miraculous Icon of the Mother of God of Vladimir is kept, which began to stream myrrh.
And now it's time to talk about the treasure of Grodno, one of its main attractions.
Church of St. Boris and Gleb (Kolozhskaya Church)
st. Rybatskaya 6/1
Church of St. Boris and Gleb is one of the five oldest structures Belarus, built in the distant 12th century. The temple was repeatedly destroyed. The last happened in 1853, when the eastern part of the wall collapsed during a landslide. But it was replaced with wood.
On the surviving walls you can see an interesting mosaic, which is a bit reminiscent of the Byzantine style.
According to legend, the most famous commander Danila Grodno was buried near the walls of the Borisoglebskaya church. Today, the temple is open to parishioners, services are held.
"Pink Group" of attractions
Returning to Sovetskaya Square, you can walk around another district of Grodno, where you can also feel like you are in Europe. We went out to Karl Marx Street and wandered through the lanes and wide streets densely packed with cars.
Church of the Annunciation
st. Karl Marx
The Annunciation Church was built in the middle of the 17th century by order of the Lithuanian marshal, who thus wanted to perpetuate the memory of his dead daughter. The baroque building attracts attention with its interesting façade. Previously, the monastery occupied almost a whole block, but gradually the building fell into disrepair.
In Soviet times, a psycho-neurological hospital was located here, but later the church and the surrounding area were again transferred to the parish. In the monastery courtyard, a lyamus was preserved, where the nuns used to live, built without a single nail.
Water towers "Kasya" and "Basya"
st. Sverdlov 2
Two octagonal water towers "Kasya" and "Basya" were built at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. The buildings reach a height of 22 meters, and their task was to provide the city with water.
The "older" tower is more restrained in style. Of the decor, only a forged, hinged balcony. But the “younger” sister is very elegant, decorated with lace balustrades and bas-reliefs of columns. Different styles are mixed here, so experts attribute the towers to eclecticism.
Today they house the workshops of Grodno artists.
If you have a lot of time in Grodno, then you can afford to visit the Museum of Life.
Museum of life
st. Lermontova 25
The most unusual museum in the city. This is the first private museum in Grodno, where various items antiquity. The entire exposition is located in a small courtyard in a private house, but to see all these things you need at least an hour.
The exposition includes both household items and folk art. The collection of old postcards is a special pride of the museum.
Excursions around the museum are conducted by the owner himself - a colorful old Greek man, who personifies the rarity collection.
The museum will give a lot of positive emotions and a touch of nostalgia for a bygone past, only a visit must be pre-arranged.
Around Grodno there is a decent number of bunkers (long-term firing points) and forts.
Grodno fortress
On the way to Sopotsin
These unfinished forts received the status of the last fortress of the Russian Empire. But the history of this defensive structure dates back to the 11th century, when the first fortified ramparts were built.
The construction of the fortress began at the beginning of the 20th century, when Grodno was declared a stronghold of the Russian army. But by the beginning of the war, none of the 24 forts was completed and the fort was blown up during the retreat.
During the second war, near Fort No. 2, the Nazis shot local residents and today there is a monument to the dead (it is located in the border zone, in the forest and is badly damaged).
The most preserved, as we were told by the border guards, are forts No. 9 and No. 4 - they did not have time to blow them up. And the most picturesque and beautiful are forts No. 7 and No. 8.
Just be careful when searching for these forts, in no case drive under the sign “Attention! Border zone" without a special pass, otherwise, you may find yourself detained by border guards and spend several hours of your vacation writing protocols. We have experienced this the hard way, so I recommend that you familiarize yourself with the law on the border zone, link http://gpk.gov.by/border/.
Looks like Grodno small city, but there are plenty of attractions on its territory. In general, without visiting museums, you can fit in one day, but it’s better to stay here at least for two days, especially since there are wonderful hotels and restaurants in Grodno.
Reviews, prices, booking hotels in Belarus
Grodno Hotels
Minsk Hotels
There are also many interesting cities in neighboring Belarus. Grodno is one of them. Where is Grodno located and what is interesting in it, we will consider further.
Grodno is considered the westernmost city in Belarus and stands on the Neman River, which divides it into two parts. Near Grodno there is a border with Poland and Lithuania. It is because of this that the city historically was located in different territories and belonged to different states. He was also part of the Lithuanian principality, and part of Poland, and on the territory of Russian lands. These cultural fluctuations left their mark on the cultural component of the city, in particular, on architecture. Here you can find both medieval castles and Soviet buildings. It's amazing how everything fits together harmoniously.
Transport links between Grodno and other regions are good. From Grodno you can easily get to both the nearest foreign countries and neighboring regions of Belarus. To Minsk, this distance can be overcome in just over 4 hours. The rail links are also working well. Using the train, you can leave Grodno towards St. Petersburg and Moscow, but there are other routes.
Proximity to Russia and transport accessibility expands the potential of Grodno as an interesting tourist center for Russian citizens.
