Welcome to Mogilev
Mogilev is an old city with rich and interesting history. Many famous events took place on its territory, many famous people visited Mogilev
During the sightseeing city tour around Mogilev you’ll see the main places of interest of the city: the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary where the International Festival of Sacred Music "Mighty God" takes place; St. Nicholas convent with its "miracle of miracles" - a wooden carved iconostasis; Square of Honor, the former General Headquarters of Nicholas II; the palace of Archbishop George Konissky, Lenin Square with its unique architectural ensemble of the pre-war period. You will walk along the most picturesque street of the city - Leninskaya street (so called Mogilev Arbat), visit the memorial complex in memory of the defenders of Mogilev in 1941 in Buynichy where there is a war memorial and a monument to Konstantin Simonov whose ashes were scattered on the field.
Also you can visit:
- The cultural - entertaining complex «The Tavern»
This complex introduces the Belarusian folk culture. Tourists have chance to visit belorussian ethnographic village of the 19th century. There you can visit a landlord`s house, hosting a victualling-house and a hotel, have a look at a wind mill and houses of handworkers. Sightseers shall have opportunity to see the handworks of weavers, turners, blacksmiths and other craftsmen, learn about remarkable crafts for which Mogilev land is famous. For sure various wooden sculptures of the museum in the open air shall draw your interest and attention.
- Zoo
Mogilev zoo gives you an opportunity to take a walk in the wild: you can contact with the animals and feed them. You can also admire the territory of the zoo from the viewing platforms or take a ride on the mini rail in summer or on a reindeer sled in winter.
- Buinichi Field Memorial
The field on the outskirts of the village of Buinichi near Mogilev was the place where a group of peasant rebels and Cossacks joined in a battle with the 18,000-strong cavalry army of the Great Duchy of Lithuania.
In 1812 the field saw a bloody fight between the Russian troops and the French army.
In July 1941 soldiers of the regular Soviet army, policemen, police academy cadets and 12,000 local volunteers would sustain the heroic defence of the city for 23 days.
In 1995 they unveiled a WWII memorial on the outskirts of the city called Buinichi Field. The memorial rests on an area of over 20 ha with a 27-metre-high chapel in the centre. Also, there is random collection of wartime artillery, vehicles and weaponry. The walls of the chapel are decorated with frescos and memorial signs with the names of city defenders on. In the centre there is a Foucault’s pendulum, which symbolizes eternal life and memories of those who perished in that field in 1941. There is an Old Greek cross on top of the chapel. Close to the chapel is a small artificial waterpond called the Lake of Tears – the tears mothers shed for the sons claimed by the war.
There is also a monument to Russian man of letters Konstantin Simonov, who was there in 1941 to personally witness the battles near Mogilev. He documented the heroic defence of Mogilev in his books and pieces of poetry. The man was so impressed by the battle and the courage and heroism of the soldiers that in his last will he asked to disperse his ashes over the field.
- St Nikola’s Church in Mogilev
Another cultural monument of Belarus that drew the interest of UNESCO experts, St Nikola’s Church Ensemble in Mogilev, was built in the baroque style. The ensemble includes St Nikola’s Church and St Onufri’s Church, a hospital, a belfry and a stone frame monastery gate.
St Nikola’s Church emerged on the former site of a wooden monastery in 1669-1672.
Besides a 17th-century carved wooden icon-stand crowned by a crucifix sculpture, the church interior boasts monumental paintings, the earliest of those being frescoes on the dome ceiling picturing the New Testament Trinity and evangelists in the stained glasses.
St Nikola’s Church Ensemble in Mogilev combines ancient Russian and West European styles of architecture.
The ensemble was severely damages during WWII and was restored in 1981. Now the temple is part of St Nikola’s Nunnery.
- St Stanislav's Church
Mogilev’s Church of St Stanislav annually hosts the festival of church music called Mahutny Bozha (mighty God) that attracts tourists from all parts of Belarus, Russia, Poland, Ukraine and many non-CIS states. The objective of the festival is to unite the Christian world. Initially the church building hosted a monastery of Carmelites (the order of poor monks that was established in Europe in the 13th century). The wooden building burned down. Later it was restored in stone by order of Russian Tsar Peter the Great.
The cathedral is a perfect specimen of the baroque style in architecture. Its frescos picturing the Bible scenes have a great artistic value.
During the Great Patriotic War that started in 1941 the church hosted the staff of the local anti-fascist movement. Later it was turned into a records office.
During the Soviet epoch the church lost many of its unique frescos and a precious organ (there remained only three such organs in the world, they are kept in the Vatican, Warsaw and Mexico). The church was restored and re-opened only in 1994.
- the Regional Museum of Art n.a. Maslennikov
- the Museum of the History of Mogilev
- the Regional Museum of natural history
- the Museum of Ethnography
- the Museum n.a. Bialynitski-Birulya (the branch of the National Art Museum)
We can offer you several sightseeing tours around Mogilev:
- The ancient city of Mogilev
General tour through Mogilev includes the main sights of the city. Sightseeing tour starts from the square above the Dnieper, where the ancient wooden castle used to be. Tourists get to know about history of the mediaeval city, development of its crafts, trades, culture, its wonderful architectural monuments, with city hall, as the most prominent. The city hall has been restored.
You will visit the Polish Roman Catholic church of St. Stanislav, which is a perfect specimen of the baroque style in architecture. The church was built in 1738-1752. Its frescos of 18th century, picturing the Bible scenes, are of great artistic value. During the Soviet epoch the church lost many of its unique frescos and a precious organ (there remained only three such organs in the world, they are kept in the Vatican, Warsaw and Mexico). The church was restored and re-opened only in 1994.
Tourists shall have chance to visit St. Nicholas convent. In the territory of convent you will see Nicholas church built in 1669-1672 with its multilevel front facade and grand decorations; interior fresco paintings, wooden gold plated four-storied iconostasis, made by local artists, let us consider Nicholas church as one of the outstanding monuments of belarusain baroque architecture. Sightseers shall see hieratic buildings, which survived through time with monuments of civil architecture of 17th -20th centuries, such as Pontifical palace (architecture I. Glaubits), buildings of man gymnasium, woman eparchial school, city theatre, nobiliary assembly, land-peasant bank, a number of city houses, which form architectural image of present-day Mogilev.
- Walking tour around the historical centre of Mogilev
One can walk along Bolshaya Sadovaya (originally — Vetrennaya, now — Leninskaya str.) for hours. This walk would remind you a tour round museum in the open air. 2/3 of 61 buildings in this «Mogilev Arbat» are architectural monuments, built in the 18th-19th centuries. Private residences of old times with exclusive shops on the ground floors have survived through time and wars. Pushkin, Nikolayi II have been walking along this street. Some pre-revolutionary hotels, Belynitsky-Birulia arts museum-branch of the Natonal Arts Museum (originally nobiliary assembly) are situated here. The most popular sightseeing attraction of Leninskaya street is a bronze sculpture of the astrologer which is situated in the centre of the «Ploschad Zvezd» (Stars` square).
- Mogilev cathedrals ( Nicholas orthodox convent — St. Stanislav`s Cathedral — St. Paraskeva Chapel).
Cathedrals are the base of people spiritual life and national pride. In pre-war period there were 27 Orthodox Churches, 3 Polish Roman Catholic churches, 3 monastery, 38 Jewish synagogues in Mogilev. The tourists shall be impressed with interior fresco paintings, wooden gold plated iconostasis of Nicholas church, which is a perfect specimen of the baroque style in architecture.
In the six-pillared St. Stanislav`s Cathedral, built in the Baroque style in 1738-52, you will enjoy unique frescoes. Tourists shall also visit St. Paraskeva Chapel and Polikovichy krinitza, which is a natural monument of republic significance.
- Last Capital of the Russian Empire
Every city has its own historical symbols. These can be either architectural monuments or prominent people of different epochs, who greatly influenced the destiny of their city.
Replying on historical records and facts, one can assert that before the Russian Empire dismantled in 1917 it had had its capital seated in Mogilev for 18 months.
In 1915-1917 Mogilev was there to host the supreme military government – the Tsar Headquarters. Russia’s last Tsar Nikolai II and his family were permanently based in Mogilev during that period. It is not until recently that certain facts of their “metropolitan” life have become known.
One will see places where Russia’s last emperor and his family used to walk. You will hear some unbelievable but true stories about the Royal Family and why number 17 was thought to bring bad luck to Tsar Nikolai II. While visiting St Nikola’s Monatery, you will have a chance to see the canvas picturing Nikolai II. You will also be taken on a tour of Mogilev Drama Theatre frequently visited by the Royal family.
- Memorial at the battle place near the Village of Lesnaya (Slavgorod District)
The Northern War left traces near the village of Lesnaya (Slavgorod District, Mogilev Region). A few obelisks stand there in memory of the battle between the Russian troops lead by Tsar Peter the Great and the 16,000-strong corps led by Swedish General Lewenhaupt.
The battle near the Village of Lesnaya (September 28 1708) was called the mother of the Battle of Poltava, where the Russians beat Swedes. In that fight the Swedes lost over 9,000 warriors and transport wagons with a three-month stock of foodstuffs, artillery and ammunition for army of Karl XII.
Two centuries after the battle in 1908 they erected a memorial at the former battlefield: Apostle Peter’s Chapel and the statue of a Russian eagle with the Swedish banner in his claws.
There is also an marble obelisk on the common grave.
Extra services:
- Hotel Accommodation
- Transfer
- Boat Ride on the River Dnieper
- Tours around Belarus for groups and individual tourists:
(sightseeing, ecological, event tours, pilgrimages, fishing and hunting).
- Guide-interpreter services
Sales department: tel. / fax: (80222) 22-43-86;
Travel agency: +375 44 734-31-36 / +375 33 627-45-62
E-mail: msputnik@yandex.by
www.msputnik.by
