This post is included in the #TeamChallenge series about Belarus from #TeamBelarus.
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One of the most visited tourist sites in Brest, and indeed throughout Belarus, is the memorial complex “Brest Hero Fortress”.
Many residents of Russia and Belarus associate the Brest Fortress with the start of the most terrible war in the history of two peoples. According to the calculations of German generals, the fortress was supposed to be taken by 12 noon on June 22, but the plans did not materialize. The fortress became a stronghold, the resistance of which the German invaders could not break for almost a month. So the Brest Fortress became a symbol of the staunchness and courage of the Soviet people in the struggle for freedom and independence.
Some history:
The fortress was erected in the 1830s on the site of the Brest Old Town and occupied four islands. The main and largest - the Citadel - was encircled by a continuous two-story defensive barracks almost two kilometers long and had hundreds of casemates invulnerable to artillery. In total, the fortress had four gates, 21 bridges, over 6 kilometers of defensive ramparts 10 meters high.
In the First World War, the fortress did not receive major destruction. It was in it that the Brest Peace was signed: Soviet Russia was leaving the First World War, losing part of its territories. In 1920-1939, the Polish garrison was located in the fortress, and the day after the outbreak of World War II, on September 2, 1939, German planes began to bombard the fortress. On September 22, the Wehrmacht passes Brest and the Brest Fortress to the Soviet side - this is how the territories officially became part of the USSR. And in 1941, the war for the fortress begins again.
The main entrance to the fortress is a huge concrete five-pointed star. Hold here for a few minutes: the very announcement of the start of the war will sound as well as the song “Holy War”, the sounds of battle. This impresses even those who are not the first time in the fortress. In the alley you will get to the central island - the Citadel.
On the bank of the Mukhavets River there is a sculptural composition “Thirst” - a gaunt soldier, with all his strength, is trying to reach the river and scoop up a helmet with water. During the defense of the fortress, all approaches to the water were intensively fired upon; at night, floodlights illuminated the banks. Many fighters died trying to get precious drops. Nowadays, visitors to the fortress put fresh flowers in a stone helmet.
One of the main elements of the memorial is an obelisk in the shape of a tetrahedral bayonet. This is a unique engineering structure with a height of 104.5 meters and a weight of 620 tons.
The main monument - the image of a warrior against the backdrop of a developing banner. This is a sculpture more than 30 meters high. On the back of the monument are high reliefs illustrating the fortress defense events.
On the territory of the memorial is the St. Nicholas garrison temple of the XIX century, miraculously surviving during the war.
On June 22, 2011, a sculptural composition “To the Heroes of the Border, Women and Children with Their Courage in Immortality” was inaugurated in the fortress. The site for the sculpture was chosen at the Terespol Gate, where under the command of the chief of the 9th border guard, Lieutenant A. Kizhevatov, border guards stood to death.
You can understand the full power of fierce fighting by looking at the ruins of the fortress, at the burnt bricks left from the strong walls.
I can advise to watch a very realistic film on the defense of the Brest Fortress: Fortress of War (2010). Here some videos from its shooting:
More photos you can see by the link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Cr5T8qxYjnDuskXVA
You need not less than a half a day only to short look of the main exposition.
The Complex is situated in Brest city, so you can easily take a walk from the city center and explore Brest at the same time. It’s not so far from the city center (but not too close). You can also go by bus, but they are rare and you can wait it for a long time.
The entrance is free, opening hours from 8:00 to 24:00, and it has an interesting lightning in the evening.
But there are different museums in the Brest Fortress Complex, they are paid and have working hours, you should keep this in mind if you want to visit them too.
Museum of Defense of the Brest Fortress
Opening hours: from 9:00 to 18:00
The cash desk is open until 17:30
Day off: Monday
Cost: 6 BYN (approximately 2,65 EUR)
Exposition “Museum of War - Territory of Peace”
Opening hours: from 10:00 to 19:00
The cash desk is open until 18:30
Day off: Tuesday
Cost: 6 BYN (approximately 2,65 EUR)
Exposition “Army Club”
Opening hours: from 9:00 to 17:30
Technical break: from 13:00 to 13:30
Day off: Monday
Cost: 2.5BYN (approximately 1.10 EUR)
Exposition “Chronicle of the Brest Fortress”
Opening hours: from 9:00 to 18:00
Technical break: from 13:00 to 13:30
Day off: Tuesday
Cost: 6 BYN (approximately 2,65 EUR)
Branch Museum 5th Fort (not located in the complex)
Opening hours: from 9:00 to 18:00
Technical break: from 13:00 to 13:30
Seven days a week
Cost: 6 BYN (approximately 2,65 EUR)
Berestje
Opening hours: from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Day off: Monday, Tuesday
Art museum:
Opening hours: from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (March-October) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (November-February)
If you decide to visit the Brest Fortress, be sure also to look into 5th Fort Museum (the branch of the Brest Fortress Museum), The Brest Railway Museum and the Museum of Berestje, which are situated nearby.
Me gustaron las fotos de las esculturas y monumentos. En especial me gusto la escultura “Thirst” porque me recordó a la publicación sobre esculturas de madera que escribí hace poco: te invito a leerla