Once upon a time in the territory Brest was huge Bernardine монастырьfounded in the first half of the 17th century. The ruins of this monastery complex are within walking distance of the Kholmsky Gate. The Bernardine monks were invited to what was then Brest-Litovsk by Martin Shishkovsky, a prominent Catholic figure. The Bernardines quickly rebuilt the first wooden buildings of the future monastery. A little later, by 1623, the stone Church of John the Baptist and St. Anne (not saved). Around the same time, the women's bernardine monastery (it is its ruins that can be seen in Brest).
At the convent, though only by 1750, a stone church was also built, consecrated in the name of Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. Until the end of the 18th century, the monastic buildings of the Bernardines were also rebuilt from stone. Thus, the entire complex of the Bernardine Order formed a small unique town, which has analogues on the territory Belarus did not have. (*Bernardine monasteries then existed in large numbers, but there was no way for both women and men to be in one place at once).
The Bernardine convent was closed in 1831. Most of the buildings were adapted to the needs of the cadet corps. The church underwent the greatest change: there was no trace left of the baroque style, military engineers rebuilt the church into a 3-storey building with a classical pediment.
At the beginning of the 20th century, during the retreat of Russian troops from Brest (then still Brest-Litovsk), the buildings were again badly damaged. The former church resembled ruins, and Polish sappers decided its fate - completely blowing it up.
Thus, by 1939, only two-story cells survived from the Bernardine monastery. The Poles for some time used the building as a dining room, and after the war, the appointment was retained under the Soviet regime. Perhaps this saved the building from complete destruction for a while.
By 1980, almost all the buildings of the monastery had already been dismantled into bricks. All that survived is the same building of women's cells. For 45 years that the building was not used, only ruins remained of it.
In theory, the proximity to one of the most popular attractions in Belarus should have helped save this place, but unfortunately not yet. Perhaps the idea to restore this complex will still appear. By the way, in the local museum of local lore there is a model of the entire monastery, if possible, drop in to see it. To get to the ruins of the monastery, from the Kholmsky Gate, go straight along the road for 250 meters, below the mark on the map:
Brest is rich in sights and interesting places, I recommend visiting old catholic cemetery not far from the center.
