Brest, Belarus

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Brest-Litovsk redirects here. For the World War I treaty, see Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.
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Brest (Belarusian: Брэст, Russian: Брест, Polish: Brześć; Alternative names), formerly Brest-on-the-Bug and Brest-Litovsk, is a city (population 290,000 in 2004) in Belarus close to the Polish border where the Western Bug and Mukhavets Rivers meet. It is the capital city of the Brest voblast and is located at 52°08′N 23°40′E.

Being situated on the main Berlin–Moscow railway line and intercontinental highway, Brest became a principal border crossing since World War II in Soviet times. Today it links the European Union and the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Because of the "break of gauge" at Brest between the Russian broad-gauge system and the European standard gauge, all through rail passenger cars must have their bogies changed here, cargo in freight trains must be transshipped. Some of the land in the Brest rail yards remains contaminated as a result of the transshipment of radioactive materials here since Soviet days.

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[edit] City name

In 1019 Brest was first mentioned in chronicles as Berestye
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In 1019 Brest was first mentioned in chronicles as Berestye

There are several versions of the city name origin. The most common are as follows,

  • the name of the city comes from the Slavic root beresta meaning birch bark,
  • the name of the city comes from the Slavic root berest meaning elm,
  • the name of the city comes from the Lithuanian word brasta meaning ford.

[edit] History

The city was founded by Slavs. As Berestye it was first mentioned in the Russian Primary Chronicle in 1019 as a town in Kievan Rus. It was subdued several times by Poland and by Lithuania, conquered by the Mongols in 1241. It was renamed Brest-Litovsk in the 16th century, after it became part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1569. In 1596 it hosted the council which established the Eastern Catholic or Uniate Church. Brest passed to Russia when Poland-Lithuania was partitioned for a third time in 1795. During Russian rule in the 19th century a large fortress was build in and around the city.

It was captured by the German Empire in 1915, during World War I. In March 1918, in the Brest-Litovsk fortress on the western outskirts of Brest at the confluence of the Western Bug and Mukhavets Rivers, the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed, ending the war between Russia and the Central Powers and transferring the city and its surrounding region to the sphere of influence of the German Empire. This treaty was subsequently annulled by the treaties which ended the war.

The newly reconstituted Poland took control of Brest in 1919. The city changed hands twice during the Polish-Soviet War and eventually stayed inside Polish borders, a development that was formally recognised by the Treaty of Riga in 1921. In the former Brest-Litovsk fortress, heavily damaged during World War I, Polish troops with the headquarters of the 9th Military District were stationed, and the city itself became a capital of Polesie Voivodship (województwo poleskie). In 1930 Wincenty Witos and some other prominent Polish statesmen were detained here before the notorious trial in Warsaw. During the Invasion of Poland in 1939 the city was defended by a small garison of four infantry battalions under Gen. Konstanty Plisowski against the XIX Panzer Corps of Gen. Heinz Guderian. After four days of heavy fighting the Polish forces withdrew southwards on September 17.

Brest railway station during World War I, circa 1915 Boris Feldblyum Collection
Brest railway station during World War I, circa 1915 Boris Feldblyum Collection

The city was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1939 in accordance with the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact's Secret Protocol effectively partitioning Poland signed with Nazi Germany in August, 1939. Most Belarusians considered it a reunification of the Belarusan nation under one constituency (BSSR at that time).

On June 22, 1941 the fortress and the city was attacked by Nazi Germany at the beginning of the surprise war, codenamed Operation Barbarossa, but held out for six weeks. Nearly all the defenders were killed. Brest's Jewish community was decimated under Nazi rule in 1942. The city was liberated by the Red Army in July 1944. An interesting fact was the large number of ethnic Chechens in the contingent of the fortress, which politically always contradicted the somewhat stereotypical veiw that Chechens were collaborators of Nazi Germany.[citation needed]

According to the agreements of the Yalta Conference of February 1945, Brest's status as part of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was officially recognised. It is now part of the independent country of Belarus.

[edit] Sights in Brest

Resurrection Church of Brest is the biggest one in Belarus, over 5000 people can attend service
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Resurrection Church of Brest is the biggest one in Belarus, over 5000 people can attend service

A majestic Soviet style war memorial was constructed on the site of the 1941 battle, to commemorate the known and unknown defenders of the Hero-Fortress. This war memorial is the largest tourist attraction of the city. In addition, an archeological museum of the old city Berestye is located on the southern island of the Hero-Fortress. It offers objects and huts dated back to the 11th - 13th century, that were unearthed during excavations in the 1970s.

Brest also hosts the first Belarusian outdoor railway museum.

A Holocaust memorial commemorates the dead Jews of Brest ghetto.

the biggest and the newest stadium in Brest
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the biggest and the newest stadium in Brest

Brest City Park is 100 years old, but looks quite new after the recent reconstruction.

Brest has several stadiums, indoor sport halls and many outdoor sport facilities.

The local airport (code BQT), is operating flights to the capital city Minsk and to Moscow and Novgorod in Russia on a weekly basis. It is currently closed.

[edit] Sights around Brest

Central Square of Brest
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Central Square of Brest

Belavezhskaya Pushcha National Park, 70 km north of Brest, is a biosphere reserve of world distinction and can be reached by car or bus. This medieval forest is home to rare European bison (wisent). There is a museum and a zoo, available for tourists in the forest, animals can be seen in enclosures all the year round. 2 hotels and some restaurants and bars are there. Excursions can also be taken by horse and cart into the interior of the forest. As a new tourist attraction, the forest features the residence of Grandfather Frost, known as Ded Moroz, the Eastern Slavic Santa Claus, that works all the year round. Brest also hosts the first Belarusian outdoor railway museum. Brest City Park is old, but looks new after the recent reconstruction.

Kamyanets, Belarus, that lies on the way to the National park from Brest, features an outstanding landmark, the 13th-century tower of Kamyanets.

The village of Kosova, where Tadeusz Kosciuszko was born, is also in the Brest region and features a 19th-century palace and a nice Roman Catholic church.

Rush Hour in Masherov Avenue, Brest
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Rush Hour in Masherov Avenue, Brest

Brest can easily be reached from Warsaw (Poland) by taking the daily sleeper train to Brest Centralnaya (Brest Central) from the central train station in Warsaw, although visas must be sorted out for EU passport holders before travelling. There are a few hotels in Brest, including "INTOURIST" on Praspekt Masherava (Masherova Prospect).

[edit] Individuals associated with Brest

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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COA of Brest Oblast Subdivisions of Brest Voblast, Belarus Flag of Belarus
Raions:

Baranavichy City | Baranavichy Raion | Byaroza City | Biaroza Raion | Brest City | Brest Raion | Drahichyn Raion | Hancavichy Raion | Ivanava Raion | Ivatsevichy Raion | Kamenets Raion | Kobryn City | Kobryn Raion | Lyakhavichy Raion | Luninets Raion | Malaryta Raion | Pinsk City | Pinsk Raion | Pruzhany Raion | Stolin Raion | Zhabinka Raion
Cities:

Brest | Baranovichi | Pinsk | Kobryn | Biaroza | Ivatsevichy | Luninets | Pruzhany | Ivanava | Drahichyn | Hantsavichy | Mikachevitchy | Belaazyorsk | Zhabinka | Stolin | Lyahavichy | Malaryta | Kamyanyets | Davyd-Haradak | Vysokaye | Kosova
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