How the restoration of historical and cultural heritage of Belarus contributes to the growth of tourist flows

No tourist trip in the country is complete without acquaintance with objects of history or culture. There are almost 5.7 thousand such iconic places in Belarus, which are paid close attention by the state. That is how much is in the State list of historical and cultural values of our country. What is being done for their safety and what effect it gives, the correspondent of “R” learned.

Deputy Head of the Department for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Culture Irina Voronovich claims that our country is now associated with castles among foreign tourists.

Irina Voronovich. At one time there were more than 150 different manors and castles in Belarus. Of course, today, for objective reasons, there is no such number, and those that have survived are in different states. At the same time, serious work is being carried out on their restoration, restoration, reconstruction, which is a priority in the field of culture. This happens within the framework of state and investment programs, with the personal support of Alexander Lukashenko, since repair and restoration work is regularly financed from the funds of the President of Belarus Foundation for the Support of Culture and Art.

There's a lot of money to channel. Thus, in the State list of historical and cultural values there are 5696 objects, in which the most architectural monuments are 1843. There are also monuments of urban planning, history, archeology, art, protected places and others.

- This list is freely available, you can find it on the website "State List of Historical and Cultural Values of the Republic of Belarus". The resource can also be useful for travelers, becoming a kind of clue about what unspent places can be included in your itinerary. In each region there are such pearls, notes Irina Voronovich.

It is noteworthy that within the framework of the state program "Cultural Space" for 2026-2030, the emphasis is on the restoration of architectural monuments and the development of visits to these places. And the number of visits is really growing before our eyes, restored or restored facilities are quickly becoming popular among tourists. Pros from this receives the economy of the regions and the country as a whole.

High-profile discoveries of recent years Work on which objects are most noticeable? An example of successful international cooperation was the project of the Union State for the overhaul and restoration of the Brest Fortress. A large-scale museumification of the north-western part of the citadel was carried out here, a memorial zone “Sorrow” was created – the composition represents the image of a woman whose relatives died at the front or in camps. A new excursion route has been developed. In Grodno, the improvement of the territory of the New Castle has been completely completed. In Zhirovichi, the reconstruction of St. George’s Church of the Holy Dormition Monastery, an object that is of great importance for the development of pilgrimage tourism, has been completed. The first launch complex of the north-eastern building of the Golshan Castle was commissioned. Gradually, work is being carried out on other sites that reflect national cultural characteristics.

It is important that repair and restoration work does not stop tourist and cultural activities. Castles and estates can still be visited with excursions, and their territories are actively used for brand events at different times of the year. For example, the festival-fair of pottery art “Keramika Kreva” and the historical holiday “Kreva on the veils of the hour” are held in Krev Castle, and “Evenings at Sofia Golshanskaya” with medieval dances, mystical excursions and performances of artists are organized near the walls of the Golshan Castle. Historical reconstruction "One day in the life of the city of the XVI century" is traditionally in demand in the Old Castle in Grodno. Both the facilities themselves and the events in them are included in tourist routes, and to increase the tourist potential, seminars are constantly held with the participation of specialists who are ready to suggest how and through what you can increase the flow of guests.

By the way, about the growth of tourist flow. The traditional point of attraction is the Nesvizh Palace and Park complex. For the first half of the year compared to the same period of 2025, the number of visitors increased by 25 thousand. During the same time, the Old Castle in Grodno received almost 6,000 more tourists compared to January-June 2025, and Golshansky Castle - 2,000. A noticeable increase was recorded in the Novogrudok Castle - there were more guests by 4.5 thousand people. This, according to the interlocutor, contributes to the development of the tourist infrastructure of the city. Another bright point of attraction was the palace and park ensemble of Bulgakov in the agricultural town of Zhilichi, where the number of visitors almost doubled compared to 2025. The flow of tourists in the Potemkin Palace in Krichev has increased by 1 thousand since last year. About 1.5 times in the first half of 2026, there were more visitors in the Volozhinsky yeshiva of the Minsk region, a prominent point of religious tourism and a new place that opened in 2024.

Therefore, documentation is being developed for the restoration of the third stage of the gallery in Krevsky Castle and the second stage of the reconstruction of the Old Castle in Grodno. Project work is being carried out on the restoration of the former palace complex in the urban village of Zheludok. Construction projects for the three launch buildings of the Novogrudok Castle are being adjusted. The reconstruction of Count Potocki’s manor house in Berezino will soon be completed. The vestry is being updated as part of the estate and park ensemble in Stankovo. We are talking about the construction of a hotel in the agro-town of Zhilichi - it will first appear in 2027: the place becomes a point of attraction for tourists. Only the palace and park ensemble last year earned thanks to tourists more than 1.3 million rubles.

- Large-scale restoration of castles, estates and temples is aimed not only at preserving objects. First of all, this is a strategic update of the entire tourist map of Belarus. As we can see, very often these objects become centers of attraction for tourists, allow you to learn the traditions of the country, which were passed down from generation to generation and are our national treasure, emphasizes Irina Voronovich.

druk@sb.by