Brest Region

The Brest Region in southwestern Belarus borders Poland and Ukraine and for centuries served as a transit land between East and West. A trip to Brest would lead to a famous fortress on the Bug River and into the Belarusian part of the Białowieża Forest. At present, however, travel to Belarus is not recommended.

Polesia and the Bug

The region covers the western part of Polesia, a vast lowland of bogs, river floodplains, and pine forests, crossed by the Pripyat River and its tributaries. In the west, the Bug forms the border with Poland. Around 1.3 million people live here, and the regional capital, Brest, lies right on the border opposite the Polish town of Terespol. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk between Soviet Russia and the Central Powers was signed in Brest in 1918. Other towns include Baranavichy, Pinsk, and Kobryn.

Sights in the Brest Region

The 19th-century Brest Fortress is the best-known site. In June 1941, Soviet soldiers defended it for weeks against the German Wehrmacht; today it is a monumental memorial complex with a giant stone head called "Courage," a bayonet-shaped obelisk, and ruins. In Brest itself, the pedestrian street Sovetskaya, lined with gas lamps, and a railway museum invite you to stroll. Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park, the Belarusian part of the Białowieża Forest, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with the Polish part; European bison live here, and a Santa Claus estate is popular with local families. Pinsk has Baroque monastery buildings and was once a center of Jewish life. In Kossovo stand the ruins of a Neo-Gothic castle, and nearby is the birthplace of Tadeusz Kościuszko.

Food and Tips

The cuisine of Polesia features draniki (potato pancakes), potato casseroles, fish from rivers and lakes, and mushroom dishes from the forests. The border crossings to Poland are currently heavily restricted, and travel to the region is only possible under difficult conditions. In terms of landscape, the bogs and river floodplains of Polesia, such as those in the Sporava reserve on the Yaselda River, are among the most pristine wetlands in Europe; in spring, huge flocks of migratory birds rest here, and the rare aquatic warbler breeds in the wet meadows.