There are extremely many interesting places in Belarus. Tourism in this country is developing by leaps and bounds. One of the most interesting cities for tourists with sights was Bobruisk, well known in Russia.
There are ruins of the Bobruisk fortress, there are many beautiful ancient temples, palaces and mansions, unique places and monuments, which are sure to cause great interest in this city.
Top 10 Sights of Bobruisk
We offer you a brief description of the sights of Bobruisk with photos and hope that you will certainly visit this colorful city and see all its beauty in kind. So, what to see in Bobruisk?
Bobruisk Fortress
This fortress was built on the Berezina River on the eve of the Napoleonic invasion. At the same time before the construction of the Bobruisk fortress all the old churches, palaces and mansions were demolished, but eight bastions were built.
After the war with Napoleon Bobruisk fortress proved its fortification importance and was further strengthened and enlarged. Many tunnels were built in it, coming from the fortress. Later the Decembrists were sent here for hard labor.
In the 80s of the 19th century Bobruisk fortress lost its status as a fortress. During World War II, Hitler’s concentration camp was organized here, where more than 40,000 prisoners of war perished. Today it is a historical monument of national importance.
The Church of St. John the Baptist. St. George
This religious landmark is located near the center of Bobruisk. In front of us is a Russian Orthodox church built in the early 20th century. A few years later the Russian Emperor Nicholas II visited this church.
Already in the early 1920s, the church was closed by the Bolsheviks, its bell tower was destroyed, and its domes were dropped. A sewing factory was set up here, and later a warehouse. The German occupiers set up workshops in the church.
In 1990 the church building was returned to the faithful, services began, and the church was restored. Then an outreach center was built next to the temple. The church has fully restored its former Russian style in Orthodox architecture.
Synagogue
It is the only functioning Jewish temple in Bobruisk. It was built in the late 18th century, and for a long time was active, until it was blown up by the Bolsheviks and converted into a military warehouse at the end of the 1930s.
After the Great Patriotic War, the building was used as a studio. And at the very end of the 20th century, the synagogue was finally returned to the Jewish community. At the beginning of the 21st century, a new rabbi and his family arrived in Bobruisk from Israel and began to conduct their own politics.
Today, the restoration of the temple is complete. Regular Jewish services are held here, people who want to study Torah can come here, and a museum is planned. Tourists are allowed to come to the synagogue, the rabbi is sure to give tours.
Birdhouse
In Soviet times, ordinary standard houses were built, but there were exceptions. This house in the form of a birdhouse on Minskaya Street is a landmark of Bobruisk, designed by architects of this city based on Japanese architecture.
Most of the apartments in this birdhouse have one living room. There used to be a bakery downstairs on the first floor. The architects planned to erect another such masterpiece in Bobruisk, but the site is still empty.
Beaver Monument
The remarkable bronze sculpture of the Beaver has long been a hallmark of Bobruisk. The monument to this animal was installed in the early 21st century, its author is a local architect V. Gavrilenko, who won the competition.
The beaver, dressed like a pre-revolutionary dandy, cheerfully greets the public passing along the street by raising his hat. To make their wishes come true, tourists only need to rub a watch chain or buttons on his representative tummy.
The Beaver Monument immediately became a favorite attraction for city residents and tourists. Bobruisk donated a similar monument to Moscow, it was in Sokolniki Park, but it was soon stolen, and its location is unknown.
Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
The temple was erected in the early 17th century, first belonged to the Uniate Church, and at the end of the 18th century was transferred to the Orthodox Church. Until the end of the 19th century it was in wood, but then the treasury allocated money to rebuild the temple.
During the Great Patriotic War regular church services continued in the temple, people came to the priests to find solace, to share their grief. But after the war, the church was closed again, and a swimming pool was opened inside.
In the 21st century this church was once again given to the Orthodox Church, and there immediately began its major restoration. A few years later, the church was consecrated according to church canons, and today it is once again a cathedral.
House of merchant Katsnelson
This building in Bobruisk was built in the early 20th century in the architectural style of Art Nouveau. Today it is a monument of architecture. The house is made of wood and has one floor. Its facade is decorated with two turrets, a mansard and a balcony.
Before the revolution, this house was the property of the merchant Katsnelson. Later it was rented by the police department, and at the time of liberation of Bobruisk from German troops, in World War I, the local revolutionary committee was located here.
Today the house is the local library. In addition, this remarkable building is accessible to tourists, most of the tourist routes in Bobruisk necessarily includes a visit to this masterpiece of the modernist era.
Church
This church in the architectural style of Neo-Gothic was built in Bobruisk in the early 20th century. And its interior decoration is fully consistent with the Baroque style. The Catholic priest Jan Krasovsky was in charge of erecting the church.
In the mid-1930s this church was closed by order of the Bolsheviks, and religious services in it – banned by the state. The church was reopened during the German occupation, but after the war it was closed again.
In the late 1960s, the tower of the church was demolished, but much of this religious building has been preserved. Today it has been handed over to the Catholics. The temple has been partially reconstructed, and regular services are held there according to the Catholic rite.
Monument to Shura Balaganov
This is the famous hero of “The Golden Calf” by the writers from Ilf and Petrov. His monument was unveiled in Bobruisk several years ago. It was Shura who said that Bobruisk was the city to which all of Lieutenant Schmidt’s children aspire, as is inscribed on the monument.
This bronze monument was made at the expense of a local company to the design of the architect Ya. Borodina. It was dedicated to the anniversary of the start of the company and the renovation of the local water tower of the Red Tower restaurant.
Certainly, Shura Balaganov’s statements in the text of Ilf and Petrov should be taken as part of a humorous work about the early years of Soviet power.
Dednovo village
It is a famous archeological monument of the 10th-13th centuries A.D., located within the limits of Bobruisk, near the river of the same name. It covers an area of about 180,000 square meters, was discovered by archaeologist P. Lysenko and examined by archaeologist N. Dubitsky.
In the cultural layer of this settlement was found more than 15 thousand objects, including. stucco and ceramic dishes. A Roman coin from the reign of Marcus Aurelius (early 1st century A.D.), etc., is of considerable value.
Archaeological excavations at the village of Dednovo is proof of the connection between the Roman Empire and its European outskirts, their undoubted connection and dependence on the protectorate culture at the level of Bobruisk.
Where to stay in Bobruisk?
From Minsk to Bobruisk – about 150 km to the southeast on a fairly decent paved road. This distance can be covered in two hours by car or bus, there are sections of road, but this applies only to foreigners.
There are several quite decent hotels in Bobruisk, where you can stay overnight or for a few days during your vacation:
- “Bobruisk;
- “Jubilee;
- “The Tourist.
If you want to rent a house or a room in town, you can use online services like booking.com or roomguru.ru. You can also use airbnb.ru to rent a place for short periods of time.
Where to eat in Bobruisk?
Find a good restaurant or cafe in Bobruisk is quite difficult. There are plenty of them around the local market or pedestrian street, but outside their boundaries it is problematic to eat lunch. This indicates the lack of development of tourist infrastructure in the city.
However, with knowledge of the city to find a cozy restaurant or cafe is still possible. A great option: the cafe “At the Fountain” near Lenin Square. There is also a park near it, where you can spend the whole day having a great time.
