Polotsk is an ancient city in the Vitebsk region of Belarus, which has preserved many sights from past centuries.
Standing on the banks of the Western Dvina River, Polotsk was first mentioned in chronicles in the 9th century.
Although according to historians already in the 8th century the city was inhabited by people from the tribe of Krivichi.
In the 11th century Polotsk rapidly developed and became an important cultural and political center in the east of Europe.
An independent principality was organized around it, which later fell under the power of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
As part of the next partition of Poland, Polotsk became part of the Russian Empire, and then became part of the Byelorussian SSR within the Soviet Union.
Today it is an important economic, scientific, cultural and tourist center of independent Belarus.
Top 14 attractions of Polotsk
We offer you a brief description of Polotsk sights with photos and recommend you to visit this wonderful city.
So, what can you see in Polotsk, what can surprise you?
Spaso-Efrosinyevsky Monastery
It is the oldest and largest female Orthodox monastery in Belarus. It was founded in the 12th century by Princess Euphrosyne, when she and her sisters tonsured themselves into monasticism. Thanks to the nuns, a church was built in the monastery a few years later. After the capture of Polotsk by the troops of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the monastery was given to the Jesuits, who owned it until the beginning of the 19th century. Later the Jesuits were expelled from the city, and the monastery was transferred to the state treasury. During the Soviet times the monastery was closed, practically destroyed together with the churches. Today it has been restored, the monastery is active, the nuns live here, and tourists come here for familiarization tours.
Monument to Francis Skorina
This native of Polotsk is one of the great figures of the Renaissance.
He was fond of philosophy, practiced medicine and other sciences.
Striving for new knowledge, Francis Skorina left his father’s house and went to Europe.
After studying at several universities, he received a doctorate.
Skorina was the first to translate the Bible from Church Slavonic into Belarusian.
Being interested in book printing, he printed and distributed spiritual literature.
Belarus cherishes the memory of this great man, appreciates all his achievements.
There are two state awards named in his honor.
And in the 70s of the last century a monument to Skaryna was erected.
Museum of Chivalry
This museum was created by a resident of Polotsk, who claims that he is a direct descendant of the Rurikovich family.
Today the museum is widely known, not only in Belarus, but also in Russia and Europe, and is extremely popular among tourists.
Here you can learn a lot of interesting things about the ancient history of Polotsk, see Polotsk princes come to life, knights in armor, ancient weapons.
Inside the museum the interiors of the rooms fully correspond to the interiors of medieval castles.
There is also a torture room, one of the most widespread in the Middle Ages.
Here you can see torture instruments, shackles, etc. The museum has a souvenir shop where you can buy some trinkets as a souvenir when you leave the place.
Center of Europe
Belarusians are convinced that their oldest city in Belarus is the center of the European continent.
The corresponding sign is installed on one of the city avenues, it is one of the sights of Polotsk.
The opinion of Belarusian geographers is fully supported by Russian scientists, confirming it with their own calculations.
Tourists vacationing in Belarus are happy to receive documents that they were in the center of Europe.
This sign depicts the northern hemisphere, on which the city’s coat of arms is set in the form of a small ship.
It stands on a place convenient for walks of citizens and guests of the city, on the beautiful and well-maintained Skaryna Avenue.
The shaft of Ivan the Terrible
In the 60s of the 16th century during the Livonian War, after the capture of Polotsk by Russian troops, Tsar Ivan IV ordered the construction of the Lower Castle.
It is a gigantic earthen rampart surrounded by walls made of logs.
So Ivan the Terrible wanted to build here a powerful fortification of an intimidating appearance.
However, it was of little real use in protecting the city.
As a result, the tsar’s Streltsy simply lived in the Lower Castle.
Over time, the log walls collapsed, and the earth rampart was reduced in size by a third.
Externally, it became similar to a large hill of natural origin.
In the 1960s, a soccer stadium was built inside the rampart.
Peter the Great House
The time of its construction is not known exactly, but historians are sure that the lodge is more than three hundred years old.
They claim that in the early 18th century, the Russian Emperor Peter the Great stayed and lived there for some time.
The house of Peter the Great today is in a rather poor condition, it has not been restored for a long time.
It does not represent any architectural value, but as a historical attraction it is worth seeing in Polotsk.
It is a one-storey residential building with stucco on the facade and wood carvings on the entrance doors.
A table set of the early 18th century was discovered here during research work, apparently previously belonging to the sovereign.
The Jesuit School
Ancient Polotsk is not only the center of Europe, Orthodoxy and Catholicism, Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth clashed here.
A vivid example of the clash of cultures is the Jesuit collegium, which appeared in the city in the 16th century.
In the 18th century the activities of the Catholic order of Jesuits were banned in Europe, and in Russia they were treated indifferently.
Therefore, the Collegium, which had been slumbering in oblivion in Polotsk, flourished in full force at the end of the 18th century.
Very good education was given here, as Jesuit scholars from all over Europe came to the school. That is why Emperor Alexander I ordered to organize an academy on the basis of the collegium. Today the faculty of Polotsk University is located here.
Mound of Immortality
This Kurgan was built by the residents of Polotsk immediately after the liberation of the city by the Soviet Army in memory of the soldiers and civilians who gave their lives in the fight against German Nazism during the Great Patriotic War.
When the Kurgan was created, the cooled embers of burnt villages, earth from mass graves, from the fields where giant battles took place, which had never been fought on earth, from hero-cities – burnt but not surrendered, from the Brest Fortress – were brought to it.
Every year grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the victims come to this Kurgan to thank them once again for the victory in the bloodiest war in the history of mankind and for the happy peaceful life given to them.
Museum of Printing
This museum is dedicated to the activity of Francysk Skaryna as the first printer.
It was opened almost 30 years ago in honor of the 500th anniversary of the birth of the great scientist and thinker of the Belarusian land.
The museum is located in the parish school of the Epiphany Monastery in Polotsk. There are a dozen and a half large rooms where the best printed books published by Skaryna are exhibited.
The tools of scribes, which they used before the invention of the printing press, are also exhibited here.
It is known that ancient books were copied by monks themselves.
Further in the halls more modern printing is shown.
Borisov’s Stones
These are huge boulders, up to several meters in diameter, on which man has carved images of crosses with inscriptions, usually in the name of a certain Boris.
Such stones are found in the basin of the Western Dvina.
There is one such stone in Polotsk as well.
Historians have established that most of the found Boris stones are written in the name of the famous Polotsk prince Boris Vseslavich, who lived in the city in the 12th century.
To date, six such stones have been found.
The first Boris stone used to be located 5 kilometers from Polotsk downstream of the Northern Dvina.
Today it was lifted from the river and installed near the St. Sophia Cathedral.
Such a sight is a must-see in Polotsk.
St. Sophia Cathedral
This orthodox cathedral is the first stone building erected in Belarus, as well as an architectural monument.
It was built in the 11th century in the Byzantine style, over the centuries it was repeatedly rebuilt and has reached our days in the Baroque architectural style.
At the end of the 16th century, after Polotsk was captured by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the only Orthodox church in the city was taken over by the Uniates.
At the beginning of the 18th century Peter the Great was here, he expelled the Uniates from the St. Sophia Cathedral and closed it.
In the 19th century it became Orthodox again.
In Soviet times, the St. Sophia Cathedral housed a museum.
Then an organ was built here and concerts of organ music were given.
Today concerts continue, famous organists come here.
On the day of St.
On St. Euphrosyne’s Day, Orthodox services are held.
Red Bridge
The bridge over the Polota River near Polotsk is called Red not to emphasize its beauty, but to remind that during the Patriotic War with Napoleon in one of the battles between the Russians and the French this bridge was red with blood.
The blood of the opponents flowed into the river, but no one wanted to admit defeat.
In the end Russian troops after fierce battles took the upper hand, seized the bridge, by it came to Polotsk and freed it from the enemy.
In the 70th years of the 20th century in place of the decayed wooden bridge was erected from reinforced concrete, externally very similar in configuration.
Near the bridge there is a sign with the inscription that it was here that Napoleon’s expulsion from Russia began.
Monument to Simeon Polotskiy
This monument was opened at the beginning of the 21st century, dedicated to another thinker, poet and writer born in Polotsk – Simeon.
He lived for a long time in the Russian kingdom, brought up the children of Tsar Alexei (Mikhailov), including.
the future Peter the Great.
Simeon had a literary gift, wrote a lot of poetry and prose in Russian.
He did a lot for the formation and development of the Belarusian language.
In Moscow he founded a school in Latin, where he lived until the end of his days.
The inhabitants of Polotsk piously honor the memory of their great enlightener.
Simeon also loved his hometown.
The Polotsk library keeps his published works and manuscripts, poetic and theological works.
Lutheran Church
This Protestant church was built in Polotsk at the end of the 19th century.
Its architecture has Neo-Gothic features: high and narrow lancet windows, towers with spires, etc. It is the only example of Neo-Gothic architecture in the city. It is the only example of neo-Gothic architecture in the city.
It is interesting that this church survived two world wars, but suffered little damage, and today it is in decent condition.
After the October Revolution the church was closed.
At one time it housed a movie theater, today it is a museum of local lore.
The museum has a very large and valuable exposition, which is extremely useful for Polotsk schoolchildren.
Here you can learn a lot about the life of the famine in the olden times, in times of war and peace, about the history and culture of Polotsk.
Video tour of Polotsk
Polotsk sights on the map
