Let’s talk about our country. What can you tell me about our Motherland.

The Republic of Belarus is situated in the centre of Europe. Its territory is much larger than such countries as Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece and a number of others. Its present population is about 12 million people. The capital is the city of Minsk. Belarus borders on Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Rus­sia and Ukraine. Belarus is made up of six regions called oblast with the major cities of Brest, Grodno, Gomel, Mogilev and Vitebsk.

The name "Belarus" corresponds with the term "White Rus". There are several ideas about where the name "White Rus" came from. One of the possible origins of the name is for the white clothing that was worn by the local Slavic population.

The Republic of Belarus has become a home country for peo­ple of different nations. However, only two main languages are spoken on its territory. These are Russian and Belarusian, though in some parts of the country Polish and Ukrainian lan­guages have been widely spread.

Belarus is a land of vast plains and picturesque hills, thick forests and green meadows, deep blue lakes and flowing rivers. There are a lot of rivers and lakes in our country. The Dnieper, the Pripyat, the Beresina, the Sozh, the Zapadnaya Dvina, the Neman are the biggest rivers with more than 500 kilometers in length. The largest lake in Belarus is Lake Naroch which stretches 13 kilometers from West to East. It is a very popular recreation area in our country.

Belarus has a moderately continental climate due to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean with a warm winter and warm summer. So the natural world of Belarus is fascinating and varied. It is a mixture of forests, swamps and grasslands. Because of its unique nature the country has been included into the list of countries called "the lungs of Europe". As there are numerous lakes and rivers especially in the north of the country Belarus has often been referred to as the blue-eyed coun­try. The most widely known symbols of the republic are a bison, a stork and a cornflower.

Today Belarus is a developed industrial state. Industry makes up 70% of the Gross National Product. The main industries are engineering, chemical industry, wood-working industry, light and food industries. The major industrial centers in Belarus are Minsk, Gomel, Vitebsk, Mogilyov, Soligorsk, Zhodino, Brest and others. Belarusian goods are exported to many countries and are known all over the world. Belarusian agriculture specializes in milk and meat production, flax, vegetables (especially potatoes) and fruit (especially apples). The Republic of Belarus has a well-developed science and educational system.

The Academy of Sciences founded in 1929 is one of the largest centers of science in our country. Its research-institutes work on various important problems in such fields as mathematics, optics, genetics, biology, etc. The demand for higher education remains high. State institutions are the centers both for education and scientific research. Nowadays in Belarus there are 43 universities, academies and institutes which provide training in various spheres of science and humanities.

At present Belarus actively participates in an effective international partnership with the governments of different states and international organizations. As a co-founder of the United Nations, Belarus cooperates with various institutions and organizations of the United Nations, World Bank, World Health Organization, International Labor Organization, UNESCO, the European Union, etc. Belarus has a friendly working relationship with such countries as Germany, Denmark, France, Canada, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Great Britain, The USA and many others.

Today Belarus is becoming more and more popular as a tour­ist destination. Different exciting routes have been offered both to foreign and local travelers. Nesvizh is one of the oldest historical and cultural towns in Belarus. The greatest cultural value in Nesvizh is Nesvizh castle. It is in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Not far from Nesvizh castle we can find Mir castle. Mir is older than Nesvizh. It dates back to the sixteenth century. The castles are very interesting and I`ve visited them. They are famous for their ghosts and legends. Nesvizh ghosts are Black Dame and Black Nun. Black Nun likes to play tricks on people. The ghost can push someone or break a mirror. I`d like to be a witness of something like that. I would be afraid of meeting her, but I`d like to. Black Dame still walks in the castle. It`s the ghost of Barbara Radzivil.

Some words about Lida Castle (Lidskiy zamok).

It was very big and popular castle in the eastern Europe in the Middle Ages. It is in the north-east of Grodno region. It was very important for Belarusian history because it was situated on the boarder of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

Lida Castle was built in the early 14th century by Grand Duke Gediminas of Lithuania. It's an interesting fact that Lida Castle was build with red bricks. So the history of the castle is about seven centuries long. During all these centuries a lot of changes were made in the castle. A lot of battles and wars took place around Lida castle. But in 1891 it was badly damaged in a fire.

In the 1920s work began to restore some of the castle walls. On January 22, 1940 the Castle of Lida was given the status of an archeological monument and in 1953 the castle was taken under state protection.

Today a lot of tourists come to Lida to see beautiful places ground the castle ruins. You can come here at any time of the year. Visitors can watch very interesting knights' tournaments during the summer so you can see what the life in the Middle Ages was like. In the winter time the inner yard of the istle is transformed into an ice-skating rink.

Golshany Castle:

Grodno region • First mentioned in the 13th century, Duke Golsha • Rebuilt in the 17th century by count Sapega. his residence • In the 17th century unique in the Great Lith­uanian Principality because it was the only construction style •Golshany monastery, now a branch of Belarus Fine Arts Museum

Novogrudok Castle:

Grodno region, one of the oldest in Belarus, on the highest hills of Belarus • Built in the 12th century • Destroyed by fire in 1398 • Later rebuilt in the 14th, 15th and 16th cen­turies • The '80s of the 16th century new stone castle appeared, became royal residence • In the 16th century the castle had seven tow­ers, one of the strongest of its time • Badly damaged during the war of Russia with Rzeczpospolita (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth) in 1654-1667. • Northern War in 1706 burned down by the Swedes. Today in ruins • Since 2000 has been regularly hosting medi­eval culture festivals

Krevo Castle:

Grodno region, near Smorgon • Built mid-14th century, count Kejstut • First used as fortress, wooden, badly dam­aged, two towers totally destroyed, rebuilt • Destroyed again during World War I • Today in ruins, needs reconstruction • Visit four holly stones • August Krevo Festival of Medieval Culture

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14