Mogilev region is like an old attic. That’s how you live and it seems: “There’s nothing interesting there.” And when you get there, you start to disassemble the boxes – and you immediately come across an old SEGA, a collection of Paolo Maldini cards and other treasures from distant years.
It’s the same with eastern Belarus. Until recently, I considered the Mogilev region to be one of the most boring regions in the country. But as soon as I started writing this article, I was surprised at how many hidden treasures there are in it.
There are beautiful palaces and colorful ruins, excellent SPA hotels (with a price three times lower than in Minsk) and beautiful nature filled with coniferous silence and the brilliance of crystal lakes. Today we will figure out which sights of the Mogilev region are worth visiting and why it is worth going on such a trip? Let’s get started – there’s a lot of interesting things ahead.
Reason No. 1. Colorful ruins.
The Church of St. Anthony in Knyazhitsy. Photo of the project “Sleeping spadchyna” (@spiachaya.spadchyna).
Authentic ruins – like aliens from the past – are scattered throughout eastern Belarus. Many of them are not so easy to get to, but that’s exactly what their special charm is. There are no crowds of tourists here – only the stunning silence of remote villages, where half-forgotten palaces and temples rise among one-story houses.
Lovers of untouched antiquity and unpopular sights should definitely see:
- The Gothic tomb in the village of Bogushevichi;
- And St. Anthony’s Church in Knyazhitsy;
- Family the palace of the Tolstoy family in the village of Grudinovka;
- And also the small town of Bykhov, where the ruins of Sapieh Castle, the old synagogue and the neat temple of the Holy Trinity, built in the late 19th century.
The Church of St. Anthony in Knyazhitsy. Photo of the project “Sleeping spadchyna” (@spiachaya.spadchyna).
All these points fit perfectly into a single route. Therefore, if you have a car (and a little Indiana Jones lives in your soul), you can arrange a big trip around eastern Belarus.
Reason No.2. Mogilev.
Once this city could have become the capital of Belarus, but because of this it almost lost itself. In the 40s and 50s, a large-scale demolition of historical monuments began here, the place of which was quickly occupied by regional philharmonic halls, recreation centers and houses of Soviets.
You can see what the city looked like before using old photos collected by the portal mogilev.in . In the meantime, I’ll tell you why it’s worth coming to this city today.
So…
Firstly, it is still preserved (or has been recreated) several beautiful monuments of antiquity. This is the town hall near the Dnieper, a brutal red brick drama theater and the huge church of St. Stanislaus, hidden among simple high–rise buildings.
Secondly, public catering is well developed in Mogilev. There is cheap coffee, original street food, burgers for 10 BYN and many establishments with excellent pastries.
In addition, prices in Mogilev are noticeably lower than in Minsk and other regional cities. Therefore, you can fall into the world of eclairs and beautiful brunches without much harm to the budget.
It’s the same story with local SPA hotels. Personally, I discovered Mogilev two years ago – thanks to the hotel “Atrium“. Of all luxury hotels in Belarus, it is probably the most inexpensive. For 170-200 BYN, you can get a beautiful room with panoramic windows, cozy bathrobes and unlimited access to the local SPA complex “Nebo Lounge“. A similar offer is valid at the Mogilev hotel “Metropol“. For a romantic weekend, these SPA hotels are great.
More information about the sights, restaurants and hotels of Mogilev can be found in the article at the link below.
Reason No. 3. The white Palace with golden rooms.
Auto photo: Kasia Syramalot, @palasatka. Source — 34travel.me
It just so happens that the main attraction of the Mogilev region is located as much as 100 kilometers from the regional center. Getting here without a car is not so easy. But the reward for all your efforts will be one of the most luxurious palaces in Belarus.
Auto photo: Kasia Syramalot, @palasatka. Source — 34travel.me
Its construction began in 1825 by order of Marshal Ignatius Bulgak of Bobruisk. And soon a luxurious palace appeared in the small village of Zhilichi,who argued in wealth even with the Nesvizh castle of the Radziwills. Subsequently, it survived two world wars, the years of Soviet power and, unlike many other palaces in Belarus, perfectly preserved both the exterior and interior decoration. On the website 34travel.me there is an excellent reportage where modern interiors are compared with photographs from 1910. For Belarus, such historical accuracy of each room is a rather rare phenomenon.
Today, the Bulgakov Palace in Zhilichi has been turned into a museum. The huge white U-shaped manor is surrounded by a park with shady alleys and many small buildings (like stables, gazebos and water towers of the 19th century). You can see all this from Wednesday to Sunday, when the palace is open for tours. The church and the greenhouse are still being restored, but you can admire the golden rooms and coffered ceilings of the palace today.
Reason No. 4. Bobruisk and its legacy.
Bobruisk is like a salad with ice cream – an amazing mix of everything with everything. In the appearance of its streets, you can easily catch Belarusian, Soviet and Jewish vibes. Only here can the modern house of the merchant Katsnelson and the Soviet Tetris house, the elegant Mirenburg mansion and the brutal Bobruisk fortress quietly get along.
Project Photo vokladki.by . An example of a backpack is “Bobruisk”.
Bobruisk is also the birthplace of the Bi–2 group and the largest non-regional city in Belarus. There are many interesting places here. Therefore, I recommend that you come here with at least one overnight stay. Moreover, housing here is quite inexpensive.
For example, such a “one-bedroom apartment” can be rented in Bobruisk for only 60 BYN. And the cheapest apartment for a day will cost twice as much (here, take a look).
Well, when the issue of the “base camp” is resolved, you can go explore the city. Skating on the ice of the Bobruisk Arena or looking for a well house on Derzhinsky Street, counting old synagogues (in a city whose population was once 70% Jewish) or testing the best establishments on pedestrian street (Socialist).
Photo from the website www.drive2.ru . The author of the picture is a user under the nickname mike-23.
The Bulgakov Palace, which I wrote about above, is also the most convenient place to get from Bobruisk. And there is also the Red Coast not far away – with the “gingerbread” estate of the Kozell-Poklewskys. However, formally it is already the Gomel region.
Reason No. 5. One of the most ancient cities in Belarus.
Photo source — 34travel.me . The author of the photo is Julia Mironova (@yuli_mironova).
Modern Mstislavl is a small town for 10 thousand people. But its history goes back almost 9 centuries. Due to its border position, the city was often under siege and changed hands between the Russian Empire and the INC. Therefore, today it is possible to recognize the seal of a variety of periods in its features.
The silhouette of the Carmelite Church (built back in the 17th century) hovers directly above the city. And in another part of the city – on Castle Hill – there is a recreated wooden detinets, referring to the times of the Smolensk principality. In recent years, historical reconstructions and knight festivals have been regularly held here.
Photo source mstislaw.by .
Another important monument of Mstislavl is The Jesuit Church of Michael the Archangel (1730-1738) is currently under restoration.
Agree, for a tiny town, the set of attractions is simply magnificent. But there are still remains of an ancient settlement on Devichy Hill, the Orthodox Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky (1870), and one of the oldest Orthodox monasteries in Belarus is located in the village of Pustynki, just 12 km from Mstislavl.
Reason No. 6. Wild untouched nature.
I was surprised myself, but it turns out that there is a real paradise for introverts in the Mogilev region. A huge territory of 26,000 hectares, where there is nothing but pristine nature and wild beauty.
Even on the scale of Europe, this place is considered unique. There are no villages, no roads here – only swampy lakes, red flashes of cranberries and the aroma of wild rose. Back in the Middle Ages, a Slavic tribe of hermits lived in these places, who called themselves “Dulebs”. And already in our days, a nature reserve has been created here, named in their honor.
Today, the “Duleba Islands” is a protected area inhabited by 22 species of animals and 12 species of plants included in the Red Book. Among them are rare black storks, brown bears and grey cranes. There are tourist routes along the “islands”, but there are not so many travel companies organizing trips to these places. I only found a few – itourist.by and belpohod.by .
Reason No. 7. Good suburban complexes.
As a final chord, I will tell you about another natural location near Mogilev – the country complex “Royal Park“. Compared to its Minsk counterparts, it is also quite cheap. But in terms of the quality of the rest, the place is excellent.
The hotel is located in a pine forest – by the shore of Lake Fatovka (just 7 km from Mogilev). There is beautiful nature, beautiful rooms and a beautiful restaurant by the water. The hotel also has its own SPA complex. Therefore, if you want to relax in nature (but Minsk prices make your eyes involuntarily water), you can take a closer look at this hotel complex.
You can check the current prices on this page.
And I will say goodbye with these words. Imagine that I’m riding off into the sunset with beautiful music, like the elusive avengers. Thank you for reading the article to the end. I hope she helped you determine which sights of the Mogilev region are worthy of your attention.
