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3. Polotsk: Most Ancient City of Belarus (862)

Polotsk: Most Ancient City of Belarus (862)

Welcome to Polotsk!

No tour to Belarus can be complete without a visit to Polotsk. First of all, because it is the oldest city of Belarus. You will be shown a mound wherefrom the history of Polotsk and of Belarus began more than 11 centuries ago. Secondly, because  it is the spiritual capital of Belarus. There is the Savior Russian Orthodox Convent in Polotsk, the oldest one in Belarus, which has become the stronghold of Orthodoxy in Belarus. The Convent has become a place of pilgrimage of Orthodox believers, who come here to pay homage to wonder-working relics of Savior Ephrosinya. It is only in Polotsk that you can walk along Nizhnepokrovskaya Street, the oldest surviving street in Belarus, where you will discover houses of the 16th century, Epiphany Monastery complex built in 1582 and etc. There is a small one-storied stone house where in summer 1705 Emperor Peter the Great lived for a month. It is only in Polotsk that you can see the world's only monument to the letter. This monument to a letter Ý (У karotkaye) of the Belarusian alphabet. To come to Polotsk means to touch the antiquity.

Read abour Polotsk

It is a good idea to start the acquaintance with the city with a sightseeing tour "Polotsk - the spiritual capital of the Republic of Belarus”

The tour includes:

• drive along the bridge over the Polota river called “red” because a lot of blood was split here during the war with Napoleon in 1812. Pass by historical buildings including Jesuit Collegium-Cadet Corps school to find yourself in front of the miracle of Polotsk – 11th -18th centuries St. Sophia Cathedral. Damaged and restored many times the Cathedral allows to trace the achievements of architects of different epochs; 
• drive along the beautiful embankment of the Western Dvina river to take a view of some historic sights on the opposite side. Red brick building of the former German Lutheran Church, House of Peter the Great, former buildings of living quarters and a school of the Monastery of Epiphany, 18th century Russian Orthodox Church of Epiphany. The 18th — 19th centuries dwelling houses of the rich and the clergy are to be seen; 
• drive along the main street to see the 19th century mansions and public buildings to reach Frantcisk Scorina and Freedom Squares. Discover a few monuments to our famous countrymen of the past:
• Francisk Scorina – a Belarusian humanist, an ardent patriot of his homeland, a writer and a scholarship. He printed his first book being in Prague in 1517;
• Simeon of Polotsk – a writer, a poet, and a philosopher;
• Savior Ephrosinya. — Protectness of all Belarusian Lands;
• come across an extraordinary monument to a Belarusian letter “Y”.

Savior Ephrosinya Russian Orthodox Convent

No tour to Polotsk is complete without a visit to Savior Ephrosiniya Convent which includes several churches. The creative activity of Polotsk architects was brilliantly realized in the 12th century Transfiguration of the Savior Church. The church is remarkable for its unique frescoes remaining from that period. Worth visiting is the 19th century Orthodox Cathedral to observe miracle-working relics of Savior Ephrosinya. She was born in a well-to-do family in Polotsk in 1105 and was distinguished by extraordinary beauty and clever mind. However, she chose the fate to serve Our Lord and her native Belarus. Her relics have been kept in natural conditions in a remarkable way for more than 900 years. They are put in  a silver shrine made by our contemporary master – a jeweler Petr Kuzmich from Brest. Many of those who suffered from some pain used to come here to receive a blessing and thus recovered. Just think is there anything you are longing for.

• Address: 89, St.Ephrosinya of Polotsk Street, 211400, Polotsk, Vitebsk region, Republic of Belarus
• Telephone: 8 0214 42 70 99

Website:http://spas-monastery.by/

Museums:

Museum of Belarusian Book-Printing

The museum is accommodated in the building which presents a valuable monument of architecture of the 18th century. There are 1,500 exhibits in 15 halls giving an idea of the history of the Belarusian hand-writing manuscripts and printed books, pre-books forms, paper, methods of illustration, types and kinds of printed production. Certain exhibits are dedicated to Belarusian enlighteners whose life and creative activity in this or that way were connected with book-printing. A prominent figure among those was Frantcisk Skorina, native of Polotsk, who published the first Belarusian book being in Prague in the 15th century. You attention however, will be certainly drawn to ancient books published as early as the 16th -17th centuries. There are wax figures of copyists and a type-setter in the reconstructed workshop and printing house. 

• Address: 2, Nizhnayia Pokrovslaya str., Polotsk, Vitebsk reg., Belarus
• Tel: + 375 214 42 57 25
• Website:http://book.polotsk.museum.by/

Museum-Library of Simeon of Polotsk

Exposition is opened in 1994 in the building of the former Brethren school,  a monument of architecture of the end of the 18th century. It occupies an area of 134,5 sq.m. and contains 5045 objects. The only reading room is in an operation and has got 10 seats.. This is where our famous fellow country man outstanding enlightener, poet, writer, playwright and a clergyman Simeon of Polotsk (1629–1680) used to work. The exhibits are dedicated to his life and creative activity.

• Address: 22, Nizhnayia Pokrovslaya str., Polotsk, Vitebsk reg., Belarus
• Tel: + 375 214 42-63-39 
• Website:http://simeon.polotsk.museum.by/

Museum Exposition in the Sophia Cathedral

The museum was opened in the basement of St.Sophia Cathedral in 1987. It occupies an area of 870 sq.m. and reflects the history of the Cathedral, the first stone building on the territory of Belarus. Different layers of bricks are witnesses of numerous natural changes and reconstructions of the building. 102 exhibits tell a visitor a fascinating story of ancient masters and everyday life of our forefathers. 
There is a Concert Hall for 304 spectators in the Cathedral. Concerts of organ music are held here on a regular basis.

• Address: 1, Zamkovaya ulitsa., Polotsk, Vitebsk reg., Belarus
• Tel: + 375 214 42-53-40
• Website:http://sophia.polotsk.museum.by/

Museum of Traditional Hand Weaving of Poozerye (an area of lakes)

The museum was opened in the 19th century building in 1998. It occupies an area of 217 sq.m. and presents 384 exhibits. The core of the exposition is the collection of weaving that shows traditions, semantics and peculiarities of manual weaving of Poozerye (an area of lakes) of the end of the 19th beginning of the 20th century. All the exhibits in the museum were collected in the Vitebsk region

• Address: 1, Voikova str., Polotsk, Vitebsk reg., Belarus
• Tel: + 375 214 42-30-41
• Website:http://tkach.polotsk.museum.by/