Brest

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Brest - is a city, the administrative center of the Brest region and Brest district of Belarus. The city of Brest has a special place among the cultural and historical heritage of Belarus. Tourists love it and actively attend. The main attraction of the city of Brest is Brest Fortress.

Brest Fortress was originally built in 1836-42 years. It was built in the historic center of the city of Brest, and for its construction was demolished and rebuilt all the historical buildings of the city of Brest of 16-18 centuries. Brest Fortress being completed and renovated many times, and as a result represents a huge multi-level fortification complex.

Brest is a city with a long and complex history, and at different times it has been part of different countries and linked to different cultures. First mentioned in 11th century chronicles, Brest was a city in the eastern part of Kievan Rus. Later it became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuany and eventually in the 16th century, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. With the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Brest became a city in the modern Belarus.

Must see:

• The former main synagogue of Brest on ul. Sovetskaya, now the cinema "Belarus'". From the outside one still can see the octagon of the original lay out of the building. An attentive visitor will notice several features of the old sacral building in the inside. In the cellar (toilets) the old thick foundation walls are visible.
• Naberezhnaya (Riverfront), Naberezhnaya st (riverfront between TSUM and pr Shevchenko). If you just happen to wander around the city this is my best place, especially late summer - fall. The riverfront has a lot of willow trees and there are a lot of ducks swimming in the river. There are some chairs under the willow trees sitting on which is very relaxing.
• Gogolya st, ulica Gogolya (between Cosmonavtov blvd and Naganova st). This is nice alley with two lines of old chestnut trees on both sides. Gives you nice quiet walk in summer and fall.

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• Brest City Park for a pleasant walk on a summer afternoon. Beware of millions of mosquitoes descending in the evening.
• A Jewish NGO has organised a small exhibition on the history of the Brest Jews and the Shoah in Brest. It is not very professional, but still, the only place in Brest where a visitor can learn something about these people who once formed nearly half of the cities population. The exhibition is located on ul. Gogolya 32, one has to enter through the yard, turn left and go down into the cellar.
• Outdoor Railway Museum, Ul. Maskouskaya (right before you get to Fortress of Brest.).

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• Brest homeland museum, ul. Karla Marksa. It has a new permanent exhibition worth seeing (in Belarusian only, but still). It covers the period from ancient times to the beginning of the 20th century and a charming exhibition on nature with some amazing exhibits. 
• Berestye Archeological Museum. An archaeological site displaying an authentic East Slavic wooden town dating back to the 13th century.
• Museum of Rescued Art Treasures. 
• The State Archive of the Brest Oblast (GABO) on ul. Khoruzhej offers opportunities for historical research.

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• Lenin monument on the Lenin square. The great revolutionary points with his outstretched hand where to go to: the Catholic church opposite.
• Monument to the Atomic missile troops - perhaps one of the rare occasions to see the image of an atomic mushroom cloud in what was intended as a positive context! Opposite the garrison cemetery on the ul. Geroev oborony Brestskoj kreposti.
• The 1000 years of Brest monument on the ul. Sovetskaya was erected to celebrate Brest's 990th anniversary (don't look for logic). It shows scenes and characters from the long history of Brest, missing out the fact that for a long period of time Brest was mainly a Jewish town.

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