Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park

Father Frost’s Residence. Belovezhskaya Pushcha The primeval forest of this National Park is home to over 900 plants and 250 animals and birds, including several rare species

History of Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park

A key tourist attraction of Belarus, Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park is what’s left of the primeval forest which used to stretch from the Baltic Sea to the Buh River and from Odder to the Dnieper River.

The park is located 340km to the south-west of Minsk in the Brest region of Belarus It is one of 5 National Parks in Belarus and the largest forest in the lowlands of central Europe.

Read more about the natural history of Belarus.

The first records of the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park date back to the year 983. The name comes from a white tower in the vicinity (Belaya Vezha) erected 700 years ago, and the name Pushcha is mentioned in both Lithuanian and Polish historical documents dating back to the 15th century.

Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park has been a battleground throughout the ages. The Napoleonic War and world wars have all taken their toll on the forest.

In 1939 the land was declared a state reserve and in 1944 part of the reserve was given to neighbouring Poland.

Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. In 1993 it was granted UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status.

Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park today

Today Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park is one of the most famous places in Belarus and plays a very important role in the ecology of Belarus.

The park is famous for its ancient named oak trees dating back more than 500 years. In all there are almost 900 species of trees and flowers here including:

old ash

pine

silver fir

rare grass plants

Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park is also home to more than 250 animal and bird species, including:

the largest population of the rare European bison

wolf

lynx

otter

tarpan European wild horse

greater spotted eagle

crane

woodpecker

long tailed tawny owl

As well as the forest, Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park also boats a zoo, library and a museum, and supports wood processing, handicrafts and various local industries.

Getting to Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park and where to stay

Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park is about 70km west of Brest and 20km from the nearest town of Kamenets.

It’s best to take an organised tour to this important place in Belarus, as no other transport is allowed on the site.

There are five buses a day to Kamenets from Brest, but Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park is still a taxi ride away.

There are two small hotels on the site. Many visitors choose to stay in a hotel in Brest and take a tour to Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park.

Things to see near Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park

There is plenty to keep you busy in the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park, but if you are in the region for a while other local attractions include:

Brest Fortress

Belaya Vezha tower in Kamenets (13th century)

The stony soil, on which Kamenets was built, has just given reason for its name. As the Ipaty Chronicle narrates, the Duke Vladimir Vasilkovich sent his architect Alexa here in 1276 for finding the place and building the fortress for the purpose of defence of his estate against enemies. The chronicle contains the record: "Build there a town and give it the name Kamenets because the soil is stony". The round-shaped watchtower with the height of 30 metres and diameter of 13.6 metres was built on the earth mound surrounded by a ditch. It was possible to ascend to the top of the tower from the third tier either on the internal stair and on the steps concealed in wide (2.5 m) walls. There were also underground passages leading to the river. Despite a series of wars, the "Belaya Vezha" (White Tower) has remained to our days In almost primeval condition. The fate of Kamenets was similar to those of other frontier settlements: it was repeatedly burned down and destroyed, but then restored and its inhabitants were witnesses of many important historical events. In 1289, Kamenets was occupied by the Drogiсhin Duke Yury Lvovich. The crusaders undertook the attacks thrice and burned the town down in 1378. In 1410 the inhabitants participated in the Gruenwald Battle. From 1506 till 1776 the town possessed the Magdeburg Right and had the emblem. Since 1795, the town belonged to Russia and was called Kamenets-Litovsky till the year 1940.

Дата добавления: 2015-07-17