We understand that in Minsk it is very difficult to get bored, but nevertheless, sometimes it is worth getting outside the Moscow Ring Road to discover new cities and the messiah of Belarus. In this article, we will tell you how we walked along Broadway in the city of red traffic lights, ate Latin American burgers and looked for a steam locomotive, but found a water tower.
List of main attractions in Molodechno:
Some facts about Molodechno:
- The city was first mentioned in written sources in 1388.
2. The population for 2018 is 95 people.
3. According to one version, the name of the city comes from the Molodichanka River, which disappeared due to reclamation.
4. In 2011, the city has changed significantly. This was facilitated by the republican festival-fair of village workers "Dozhinki -2011", which was held in Molodechno.
Sunny May day, +20 on the thermometer, at 11.00 hours - it's time to go on a short trip to see attractions Molodechno. Travel time by car is just over an hour. For the same time you can get there by train, but in the train you will have to spend almost two hours. Buses and minibuses also run regularly to Molodechno.
Passing through the village of Krasnoe, be sure to see Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It is clearly visible even at the entrance to the village, as the church stands on a hill.
Molodechno did not greet us very cordially with a wave red traffic lights. And since at first we were heading to the village of Benicato see abandoned Trinity Church и Church of the Intercession of the Virginwe had to drive through the whole city. At the behest of fate or coincidence, they stood at every traffic light that they met literally after 100 meters. And all further movement around the city was in the same spirit.
It is most convenient to start the route with Railway station square.
Here you can see sculpture of a girl with a suitcase in a hand that seems to be leaving the station and heading towards the city.
Not far from the train station is Locomotive-monument. In order to find him faster, we asked the station worker for directions. We were sent by some paths. As a result, the road ended, the railway tracks began, and we kept walking.
We still found the monument, but it was not the best and easiest way. We had our own version of "through the thorns to the stars" - through the railway path to the steam locomotive.
But on the way we saw water tower. There is very little information about it on the Internet (it is only known that it was built at the beginning of the 20th century).
From the station begins a pedestrian street (Pritytskogo), which leads to the central square of the city.
The locals call her Broadway. This is an ideal place for leisurely walks and relaxation. There are many shops, cafes and pizzerias.
There is a clock in the center of Broadway, but no hands. Probably, in Molodechno everyone is happy and does not watch the hours.
Nearby is Cinema "Rodina (the only one in the city). In general, as it turned out, there are not so many events in Molodechno.
Before the trip, we leafed through the poster for the weekend, but there were no concerts, parties, or other events there. Only movies and performances ...
You can also see it on Broadway Church of St. Joseph. This is certainly not a historical place, since the temple was built in 1997, but it attracted our attention with its unusual architecture.
The building is located in the central square. Molodechno State Polytechnic College and a monument to Lenin (where without him).
It starts right here french park, in the center of which there is a fountain and a sculptural composition "Paparats-Kvetka".
Since it was quite hot outside, in addition to the sculptures in the fountain, one could also observe the inhabitants of the city, who clearly wanted to cool down.
Near the Central Square (behind the hotel "Molodechno") there is a small square with interesting sculptures and even, let's not be afraid of this word, art objects.
It is here that sculpture "Man-tree", which, together with the square, was opened by delegates of the X Republican Ecological Forum.
Opposite the square (Leo Tolstoy St.), we spotted the Molodechno Central District Library named after Maxim Bogdanovich.
The building was built in 1960. I really wanted to get inside, because through the windows you could see the columns and beautiful hanging chandeliers in the hall. But the library was closed for repairs, in one part of the building the ceiling collapsed.
Just across the road from the French Park is located Victory Park.
A beautiful place with fountains, shady alleys, attractions and an amphitheater. Here, apparently, the residents of the city rest: they ride catamarans and bicycles, walk with children, and have picnics.
You can also see military monuments in the park, which take their place of honor in the list of the main attractions Molodechno. The central alley of the park leads to Memorial complex in honor of the liberators, flowers are laid here during city holidays (including newlyweds, which seemed a little strange)
On this day there was a wedding celebration, because of which it was difficult to photograph the object. The truth is why the newlyweds took pictures against the backdrop of the memorial complex remains a mystery to us.
Also in the park is monument to soldiers-internationalists.
While in the city it is worth seeing the memorial to the victims of fascism Stalag 342 (Zamkova street). During the war, more than 30 thousand people died here. The terrible history of this place, of course, is reflected in the atmosphere and energy that this monument of war conveys.
The memorial was erected on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the victory over the Nazis. More than 30 people are said to have died in the concentration camp.
Near the Stalag memorial complex, according to maps and information on the Internet, there is Monastery of the Trinitarians. But now it is located on the territory of a machine-tool plant. Therefore, all that we saw was the fence and the closed gates of the enterprise.
At the very beginning of Zamkova Street, on the Old Place Square, there is Holy Intercession Churchbuilt in 1870.
On the site of the old Uniate church, built of wood in the 17th century, an Orthodox church was erected. iconic church in Molodechno is located on the Market Square and is popular among parishioners and guests of the city. Its construction began in 1865. Upon completion of work in 1870, the church was consecrated in honor of Protection of the Holy Virgin. The first pastor of the temple was Ivstin Yalensky.
At the end of the 19th century, an almshouse functioned at the temple. With the outbreak of the First World War, they tried to save the property of the church, and it was decided to take it to distant regions of Russia. But after the end of hostilities, it was never returned to the temple.
During the war years, the church was not badly damaged, but required reconstruction. In the 1930s, the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in Molodechno was restored. Icons of St. Nicholas and the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos are kept within the walls of the church. In 2012, a Sunday school was opened at the temple.
In the park opposite you will see sculpture "Caller", which is dedicated to the first mention of Molodechno in chronicles.
We then went to look at Holy Dormition Cathedral (St. Francis Skaryna), which is now at the stage of completion.
The temple impresses with its scope and beauty, although it is a new building.
Next to it is a temporary church built in 1994.
We were notably hungry and decided to stop by the mini-market "Spadar" with famous ones all over Belarus Sabroso Latin burgers. It would be a crime to leave Molodechno and not try them.
The burgers are really mega cool. One local crow even attempted on him.
Of course, they could not ignore the courtyards of Molodechno. As you know, in order to get to know and feel the city, you need to turn off the tourist route, but it’s better to get lost in it (this applies to all cities in the world). In this plan Molodechno He was extremely sincere and frank with us, conquering us with his calmness and simplicity. Although, we definitely did not expect to see mailboxes on the street, “ethno-carpets” and rickety sheds in the very heart of the city.
The city definitely has its own atmosphere, although it is not immediately felt. A large number of squares, beautiful parks, interesting sights and places - all this makes Molodechno very attractive for weekend trips and more.
More about Belarus and options interesting excursions around the country.
Text: Masha Kuznetsova
You're right about the traffic lights! Always red in Molodechno
Really beautiful!..