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Can foreign students study at universities in Belarus?

Yes. More than 6000 foreign students study at higher education institutions and universities in Belarus every year.

In general higher education fees for foreign nationals range from 700-3500 USD, depending on the subject and the institution.

How do foreign students apply to study at universities in Belarus?

Once you have decided to continue your education at a university in Belarus, you will need to contact the university in order to receive an invitation to apply to study there. To do this you will need to provide the following documents:

completed application form

copy of your certificate of education showing your subjects and grades

copy of your passport and birth certificate

copy of your medical certificate

Once you have chosen your university and your course, you will need to apply for a student visa.

You do this by sending your chosen university:

confirmation of acceptance at the university or college

official certificate of education showing your subjects and grades

medical certificate

negative HIV certificate

your passport and birth certificate

6 photos (4 x 6 cm)

Documentation can be supplied in Russian or Belarusian.  If documents are provided in English, French, Spanish or German, accompanying translated copies are required in Russian or Belarusian.

Courses are conducted in Russian or Belarusian – most foreign students need to do a one-year language course in Belarus before they start their studies.

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Belarus has one of the highest student-to-population ratios in Europe. The higher education system in Belarus is seen as prestigious due to its high quality and affordability.

There are four main types of higher education establishments to choose from, which can be either private or state operated:

classical university

profile university or academy

institute

higher college

Most courses run for 4-6 years and students can choose to study full time, at evening classes or by correspondence.

Grants are available for full-time students and scholarships are awarded to very gifted students.

All higher education establishments are governed by the Ministry of Education in Belarus.

In May 2015 Belarus officially joined the Bologna Process – the European Higher Education Area.

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Most children in Belarus start school at the age of 6.

All pupils must follow the basic education curriculum up to the age of 15, and the vast majority of pupils stay at school until they finish their high school education at 18.

At the age of 15, pupils that have successfully completed basic education can attend college or professional technical institutions where they can focus on completing their high school education and work toward a professional certificate.

Completion of a high school or professional certificate allows students to apply to continue their education at the university level.

There are two official languages within the education system in Belarus, Russian and Belarusian.

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Pre-school education is not compulsory in Belarus but around 70% of children do attend nursery or kindergarten before they start school.

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Belarus is situated in the centre of Europe, and has international borders with five countries:

Russia

Ukraine

Poland

Lithuania

Latvia

Although a landlocked state, the location has made Belarus an important trade and transport route between Europe and the CIS.

The total land area of Belarus is more than 207,000 square kilometers.

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What is the capital of Belarus?Minsk, the capital of Belarus, is located in the centre of the country.Minsk today is a modern international city. The first recorded mention of the city goes back to 1067.Over the course of its chequered history, Minsk has been destroyed and rebuilt numerous times, most recently after World War 2, when it was almost completely destroyed.More than 1.9 million people live in Minsk today. It has excellent transport links including Minsk airport, several major train stations, the Minsk metro underground network, and a well-developed road system.

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What is the capital of Belarus?Minsk, the capital of Belarus, is located in the centre of the country.Minsk today is a modern international city. The first recorded mention of the city goes back to 1067.Over the course of its chequered history, Minsk has been destroyed and rebuilt numerous times, most recently after World War 2, when it was almost completely destroyed.More than 1.9 million people live in Minsk today. It has excellent transport links including Minsk airport, several major train stations, the Minsk metro underground network, and a well-developed road system.

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Books and literature have played an important role among the cultural arts of Belarus for centuries.

Famous writers and poets from Belarus include:

Simeon Polotsky

Yanka Kupala

Yakub Kolas

Maxim Bogdanovich

Vasil Bykov

The turbulent history of the country is reflected in the recurring themes of war, occupation and suffering in Belarusian literature throughout the ages.

Opened in June 2006 in a new hi-tech building, the National Library in Minsk is the copyright library for the Republic of Belarus. A real source of national pride, it boasts the largest collection of Russian-language books outside of Russia.

Day of Belarusian Written Language is an annual holiday.  The holiday concept  reflects  the history of the written language and book publishing in Belarus as well as the development of the Belarusian literature and culture at a present stage.

2012 declared Year of Book in Belarus.

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Belarus’ cinematography traces its roots to the 1930s. The Belarusian movie studio Belgoskino was founded in 1924.  Founded in 1928 as the studio Soviet Belarus in Leningrad, the studio was moved to Minsk in 1939 and was renamed Belarusfilm in 1946. The studio produced feature, topical and popular science movies.

The Belarus’ first feature movie Liasnaia byl was directed by Yuriy Tarych. Belarusian documentarians were one of the very first to shoot front reports.

Belarus’ post-war movies reproduced the tragic destiny of Belarus people. Belarus filmmakers filled a big niche of their own in children's cinema. The Belarus documentary is recognized worldwide.

Belarus’ modern cinematography carries on the tradition of previous generations, looking for a new pathway. Belarus’ movies are prestigious world film festival award winners. Sergei Loznitsa’s In the Fog based on the novel by Vasil Bykov received the FIPRESCI award at the 65th Cannes Film Festival in 2012.

А lot of movies in Belarus are produced in cooperation with cinematographers from all over the world. Numerous movies were made by Nikita Mikhalkov, Petr and Valerij Todorovskij, Dmitriy Astrahan, Alexander Sokurov at Belarusfilm.

Belarus hosts major cinema festivals:

the International Film Festival Listapad and the Children and Youth Film Festival Listapadzik (Minsk)

the National Festival of Belarusian Films (Brest)

the International Animated Film Festival Animaevka (Mogilev)

International  festival of Christian movies and TV programs Magnificat (Glubokoye)

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What accommodation is available for foreign students?

All colleges and universities in Belarus have an accommodation department, which can help you get a residence permit and find lodgings.

Most students live in student hostels, which cost around 15-30 USD per month.

Where can you study?

There are more than 50 higher education establishments in Belarus.

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Belarus theatre evolved from folk rituals and travelling minstrels. Today the country boasts a diverse range of theatre and drama:

puppet theatres can be found in most towns, and are hugely popular with children and adults alike

professional theatre companies are active across Belarus, many of them dating back to the early 20th century

opera – every major town has its own opera house

ballet has been very popular in Belarus since the 18th century, and most towns have their own ballet; the National Academic Bolshoi Theatre of Ballet of the Republic of Belarus has an excellent reputation

Belarus plays host to numerous theater festivals. Prestigious theatrical forums are regularly held in various parts of Belarus bringing together performers from all over the world. The most famous theater forums are:

•  International Theater Festival Belaya Vezha (Brest)
•  International Theater Festival Panorama (Minsk)
•  International Festival of Student Theaters Teatralny Kufar (Minsk)
•  M.art.contact International Youth Theater Forum (Mogilev)
•  International Forum of Theater Arts TEART (Minsk)
•  Belarusian International Festival of Puppet Shows (Minsk).

The audience favorite, Theatrical Meetings, is held within the framework of the International Arts Festival Slavonic Bazaar in Vitebsk.

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Fine art in Belarus varies in style, direction and genre. The most captivating work by Belarus artists in different periods can be seen in museums across the country.

The largest collection of works of art are in the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus, which actively promotes national art. Exhibitions by local artists are regularly held here. Other prominent museums across the country are the Vitebsk Art Museum, Mogilev regional Art Museum and the Polotsk art gallery.

The history of art in Belarus can be traced back to Byzantine influences in the 14th century, which saw the emergence of iconography and manuscript illustration.

After the October Revolution in Russia in 1917, the northern Belarus town of Vitebsk became the centre for the revolutionary avant-garde movement.

Marc Chagall, one of the most famous Belarusians, was born in Vitebsk in 1887 and founded an art school in the city.

The vast collection of the National Museum of Art in Minsk features the works of Belarusian artists from the 17th to the 20th century, as well as 15th-century iconography.

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Symbols and Anthem of the Republic of Belarus

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Symbols and Anthem of the Republic of Belarus

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The State Flag of the Republic of Belarus

The State Flag of the Republic of Belarus is a rectangular canvas made of two horizontal coloured stripes. The upper one is red and makes up two thirds of the width while the lower one is green and as large as one third of the flag width. A vertical red-on-white Belarusian national pattern as large as one ninth of the flag length is located near the flagpole.

The State Emblem of the Republic of Belarus

The State Emblem of the Republic of Belarus is made up of a green outline of the Republic of Belarus lit by the golden rays of the sun rising over the globe. A five-pointed red star is located at the top of the outline. The emblem is encircled by a wreath of golden wheat heads intertwined with clover flowers on the right and flax flowers on the left. The wheat heads are embraced by a red-and-green ribbon with a golden inscription “Republic of Belarus”.

The Republic of Belarus celebrates the state holiday of the Belarus State Flag and State Emblem Day on the second Sunday of May every year.

The State Anthem of the Republic of Belarus

The music for the State Anthem of the Republic of Belarus has been written by Nestor Sokolovsky, the lyrics — by Mikhail Klimkovich and Vladimir Korizna.

The State Anthem of the modern Belarus retains the musical basis of the anthem of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic. The music by Nestor Sokolovsky has been popular and respected by generations of Belarusians, this is why it was decided to keep it when the anthem of the independent Belarus was created. After that a contest for the anthem lyrics was announced.

The words of the State Anthem reflect development of the Republic of Belarus as a sovereign and peace-loving country. They emphasise patriotism and diligence of the nation, brotherly relations between all nationalities that live in the country.

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Belarus enjoys a rich cultural and artistic heritage that dates back many centuries, taking in several significant schools of art and architecture and producing many unique musical and literary works.

All surviving masterpieces are now officially protected by the state, and showcased for all to enjoy in museum collections and libraries. Classic works of Belarusian music and drama are regularly staged in concert halls and theatres across the country.

Modern-day art culture in Belarus is equally varied and dynamic. There are numerous art exhibitions, musicals, theatrical performances and cinema festivals – all of which are easily accessible to Belarusians and visitors alike.

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The country of Belarus is divided into six administrative districts, each centred around a major city:

Brest region

Gomel region

Grodno region

Minsk region

Mogilev region

Vitebsk region

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Belarus in the Stone Age (100,000-3,000 BC)

The first signs of settlements in ancient Belarus date back approximately 100,000-35,000 years.

The most significant Stone Age settlements have been discovered in the Gomel region. Sites discovered from the Palaeolithic period in the village of Yurovichi (Kalinkovichi area) existed approximately 26 000 years ago.  Sites discovered in the village of Berdysh (Chechersk area) date back 23,000-24,000 years. Ancient cultural relics have also been discovered in the Mogilev, Grodno and Minsk regions.

Belarus in the Bronze Age (8th-6th Century BC)

Artefacts dating back to the Bronze Age have been found in settlements across Belarus.

Belarus in the Iron Age and Middle Ages (8/7th Century BC-8th Century AD)

At the beginning of the Iron Age there were 3 main settlements in Belarus around the major river basins of the Dneiper, Dvina, and Pripyat rivers.

Milogradskaya culture

Pomorskiy culture

Dneiper-Dvinskiy culture (ancestors of the Letts)

First states to be formed on Belarusian territory (7th-13th Century AD)

Belarus colonization by the Slavs began in the early centuries AD. Over the next few centuries they had settled over the entire region, replacing the earlier Baltic culture.

In the 6th to 9th centuries East Slavs formed the first political associations – the unions of tribes.

The 9th century gives us the first recorded accounts of Polotsk and the Polotsk Duchy in the territory of modern Vitebsk and the northern part of the Minsk regions. It remained the dominating force in the region until the 13th century.

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Rus and Samogotia (13th-16th Centuries)

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Rus and Samogotia was a powerful state spanning Belarus, Lithuania, the Kiev, Chernigov and Volyn areas of the Ukraine and western Russia from the Baltics to the Black Sea.

The Grand Duchy began its rise to power under the reign of Mindovg (Mindaugas) in the 13th century and only began to lose its authority after a number of wars in the 16th century.

In 1569 the Grand Duchy and the Kingdom of Poland signed the Union of Lublin: on equal terms the Duchy and the Crown united in a federative state – Rzecz Pospolita. It signified the start of a new chapter in Belarusian history.

Rzecz Pospolita (1569-1795)

This was a particularly turbulent time in Belarusian history. The state was drawn into wars in Europe and with Russia including:

1654-1667 – war with Russia

1700-1721 – North War (Sweden and Russia)

Rzecz Pospolita led to long wars which weakened the state, and it lost its independence. In 1772 the western provinces of Belarus were annexed to the Russian Empire and in 1795 Rcecz Pospolitsa was divided between Russia, Austria and Prussia.

The Russian Empire (1772-1917)

As a result of the division of Rzecz Pospolita into three parts, Belarus land became part of the Russian Empire. In these new territories the Russian Government started to pursue a policy of russification.

1794 to the First World War – a string of conflicts including:

Revolt under Tadeusz Kostushko’s leadership (1794)

Napoleonic invasion of Russia (1812)

Polish Revolt (1830 – 1831)

Great Rebellion, headed by Kastus Kalinovski (1863-1864)

In the 1880s the revolutionary organisation Gomon was established by Belarusian students in Saint Petersburg. This was the precursor to the first Belarusian national political party Gromada, formed in 1903.

In 1906 the Stolypin agrarian reform began. Mass displacement of the peasant classes (from 1906 – 1916) saw more than 33,000 move from Belarusian territory to Siberia.

World War 1 (1914-1918)

1915 - 1916 – Belarusian territory was the scene of bloody battles between German and Russian forces.

3rd March 1918 – signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, marking Belarus’ exit from World War One. The Belarusian territories were occupied by German forces until 1918.

Revolution in Russia (1917-1919)

March 1917 – Revolution in Russia resulted in the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II.

November 1917 – Bolsheviks seized power in Russia.

March 1918 – the Belarusian People’s Republic declared independence. This lasted until the German withdrawal later that year.

1 January 1919– creation of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic.

Russo-Polish War (1919-1921)

1921 – the Riga Peace Treaty resulted in the partitioning of Belarus between the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic and Poland.

1921-1941

1921-1928 – New Economic Policy (NEP) introduced across Belarus.

1921-1930s – the Polish part of Belarus subjected to Polonisation.

1922 – Belarusian SSR became a part of the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

1932-1933 – famine brought about by Soviet economic policy and introduction of collective farming (Kolkhoz).

1936-1940 – the Great Purge. More than 86,000 Belarusians suffered political oppression and over 28,000 were sentenced to death at Kuropaty camp near Minsk.

World War 2

17 September 1939 – two weeks after the outbreak of World War Two, the Red Army moved into West Belarus.

June 1941 – the start of the Great Patriotic War in Belarus.

June-July 1941 – resistance in Brest against German invaders lasted 6 weeks. The city was occupied until Soviet troops liberated it in 1944.

September 1941 – Belarus fully occupied by the German army.  Invaders start to establish so-called “new order” based on terror.

June 1941 – Germans established Minsk ghetto and moved Belarusian, German and Czech Jews in.  Mass executions of prisoners from the Minsk ghetto in Tuchinki occurred until October 1943.

End of 1941 – Partisan movement begins in Belarus and becomes the biggest movement in Europe before 1944.

1943 – German General Commissioner Kube assassinated in Minsk.

End of June - July 1944 – Operation Bagration saw the liberation of Belarusian SSR by the Red Army from fascist invaders.  On 3 July, Minsk is liberated.

February 1945 – Yalta conference expelled Poles from the western region of Belarus. The region was officially recognised as part of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic.

1945 - 1994

May 1945 – The Great Patriotic War of the Soviet people against fascist aggressors ended.

1945 – Belarus becomes a member of the Organisation of the Incorporated Nations(United Nations)

1954 – Belarus enters the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)

April 1986 – Chernobyl Nuclear reactor disaster pollutes large areas of Belarusian territories.

27 July 1990 – The Supreme Council of the Belarusian SSR adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic.

25 August 1991 – The Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic was given the status of constitutional law. The move virtually proclaimed the independence of the Belarusian SSR.

19 September 1991 – The name of the state was adopted – the Republic of Belarus.

8 December 1991 – The dissolution of the Soviet Union was officially announced at a meeting of the heads of state of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus in Viskuli, Brest Oblast.

15 March 1994 – Belarus' new Constitution was adopted by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Belarus, with presidency introduced.

1994 – The first presidential election in the independent republic was held. Alexander Lukashenko became the first President of the Republic of Belarus. The head of state was inaugurated on 20 June 1994.

14 May 1995 – Parliamentary elections and the first referendum in the history of independent Belarus were held. The referendum took care of giving the Russian language an equal status with the Belarusian language, establishment of a new national flag and a new national emblem of the Republic of Belarus, economic integration with the Russian Federation...

7 June 1995 – A Belarus President decree approved the new State Emblem and State Flag of the Republic of Belarus.

2 April 1996 – Presidents of Belarus and Russia Alexander Lukashenko and Boris Yeltsin signed the Treaty on establishing the Community of Belarus and Russia, and on April 2, 1997 the treaty on the Union of Belarus and the Russian Federation was signed. This date is celebrated as the Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia.

19-20 October 1996 – the 1st All-Belarusian People’s Congress was held. It became a strong social institution afterwards. The representatives from all over the country gathered to discuss the main tendencies of social and economic development in the country.

24 November 1996 – A referendum was held. Amendments and addenda were introduced to the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus to create a bicameral parliament, expand the powers of the President. The Independence Day was moved to 3 July – the day of Belarus’ liberation from the Nazi invaders during the Great Patriotic War.

8 December 1999 – the treaty to set up the Union State of Belarus and Russia was signed, an action program to implement the agreement was adopted.

10 October 2000 – Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan signed the treaty on establishing the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC).

27 November 2009 – The heads of state of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia signed documents to create the Customs Union as from 1 January 2010.

18 November 2011 – The declaration on the Eurasian economic integration was adopted. The treaty signed by Belarus, Russia, and Kazakhstan to set up the Single Economic Space came into force on 1 January 2012.

22 July 2012 – the Belarusian satellite (BKA) designed to enable the remote sensing of the Earth was launched into outer space from the Baikonur space launch site.

29 May 2014 – The Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) treaty was signed by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, Russia President Vladimir Putin, and Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev in Astana. The document took effect on 1 January 2015.

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Sports facilities in Belarus

The government policy is to make sports accessible to all in Belarus, and this means that the country has excellent sporting facilities in pre-schools, schools and higher education facilities.

There are 23,000 sports facilities in Belarus for general public that include:

144 stadiums

332 swimming pools

4,588 gymnasiums

52 athletics centres

35 ice rinks

Most popular Belarus sports

Many sports are played in Belarus. Amongst the most popular are:

track and field athletics

football

gymnastics

skiing

hockey

tennis

fencing

wrestling

volleyball

handball

swimming

chess and checkers

Raubichi Centre

The National Winter Olympic Training Center Raubichi is considered one of the best biathlon centers in the world.

Raubichi facilities include:

6.2km roller ski track

20.5km ski tracks

shooting grounds

indoor skating rink with locker rooms, a sauna, a gym, a cafe, equipment rentals

gyms

150m ski track

freestyle skiing slope

synthetic tennis courts

outdoor playground

equipment rentals

Apart from sports facilities, the National Winter Olympic Training Center Raubichi has two 4-star hotels, restaurants, cafes, conference rooms.

Professional sports in Belarus

Belarus has extensive training facilities for professional sportsmen and women.

These include:

Belarusian State University of Physical Education

11 Olympic-standard colleges

165 Olympic-standard specialised schools

Over 250 youth sports schools

Belarus has already produced 280 world and European champions in a wide range of sporting disciplines.

Belarus and the Olympics

The country has an excellent record at the Olympic Games. 76 Belarusians have so far claimed Olympic champion titles.

Belarusians first took part in the Olympics in the  1952 Helsinki games, as part of a combined USSR team.

The country has an excellent record at the Olympic games. The first independent Belarus Olympic team took part in the 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer and won two silver medals.

In the Beijing 2008 games, Belarus won 19 medals, including 4 gold and 5 silver. The team was most successful in athletics, canoeing and weightlifting, and finished 16th in the medals table overall.

Belarus also joined the list of champions at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games with a gold in freestyle, silver and bronze in biathlon.

At the London 2012 Summer Olympics Belarusian athletes won a total of 12 medalsincluding 2 golds and 5 silvers. Belarus ranked 26rd in the Olympic medal count.

At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi Belarusian athletes won six medals (5 gold and 1 bronze), providing a record of Belarus in the history of sovereign – 8th place in the medals table overall.

The 31st Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro Team Belarus was represented in 75 disciplines and occupied 40th place in the overall standings. Belarus' haul in Rio 2016 comprises 9 medals.

There are 3 Olympic training centres in Belarus, in Stayki, Raubichi and Ratomka.

Many famous Olympians have come from Belarus.

Belarus and the Paralympics

Belarus also fields a strong Paralympics team. At the 2008 Beijing Paralympics Belarus won a total of 13 medals including 5 golds. At the 10th Winter Paralympics in Canadain 2010 Belarusian athletes took 9 medals (2 golds, 7 bronzes) landing 9th in the overall medal standings, repeating their success in Turin in 2006 (1 gold, 6 silvers and 2 bronzes).

With ten medals (five golds, two silvers and three bronzes) Belarus finished 25th in the medal table of the 14th Summer Paralympics. Out of 10 medals six were brought to Belarus by swimmer Igor Boki in S13 and SM13 classifications.

At the Winter Paralympic Games 2014 in Sochi Belarusian team with 3 bronze medals placed 18th in the overall medal table. Belarus’ Vasily Shapteboi and Jadwiga Skorobogataya won bronze medals in biathlon and cross-country skiing.

International Competitions Calendar 2012/2020 Belarus

2012

ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships
Minsk, 27 February - 4 March                           more info…

Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup Final
Minsk, 13 - 15 July

2013

UCI Track Cycling World Championships
Minsk, 20 - 24 February                                    more info…

European Rowing Junior Championships
Zaslavl (Minsk Oblast), 25 - 26 May

European Boxing Championships
Minsk, 30 May - 9 June                                    more info...

2014

IIHF World Championship
Minsk, 9 - 25 May                                           more info…

World University Canoe Sprint Championship
Zaslavl (Minsk Oblast), August 2014                more info…

2015

2015 IBU Youth/Junior World Championships
Minsk Oblast, Raubichi, 17 - 24 February        more info…

FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup (Aerials)
Minsk Oblast, Raubichi, 1 March

AMF Futsal Men’s World Cup
Minsk, Brest, Pinsk, Borisov, Molodechno, 17 - 25 April

more info...

31st European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships
Minsk, 1 - 3 May                                           more info...

Modern Pentathlon World Cup Final
Minsk, 12 - 14 June

3x3 U18 European Championships
Minsk, 21 - 23 August                                    more info...

2016

World Canoeing Junior Championships
Zaslavl (Minsk Oblast)                                    more info…

UEFA European Women’s U17
Minsk

ISU European Speed Skating Championships
Minsk, 9 - 10 January

EuroHockey Indoor Championships, Women
Minsk, 22 - 24 January

2017

ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup
Minsk, 10 - 12 February                                    more info...

European Fencing U23 Championships
Minsk, 21 - 25 April                                           more info...

European 10,000m Cup
Minsk, 10 June

FIG World Challenge Cup 2017
Minsk, 4 - 6 August

FIG Trampoline World Cup
Minsk, 16 - 20 August

European Para Taekwondo Championships    more info...
Minsk, 7 - 10 September

Minsk Half Marathon
Minsk, 7 - 10 September

2017 Fed Cup Final (women). Belarus - USA  more info...
Minsk, 11 - 12 November

International Martial Arts Games, CIS Open Cup - World Cup Taekwondo ITF
Minsk, 29 November – 4 December

2018

FISU World University Speed Skating Championships
Minsk

UCI Track Cycling World Cup
Minsk, 19 - 21 January                                      more info...

European Rowing Under 23 Championships
Brest, September

2019

Summer European Youth Olympic Festival
Minsk                                                       more info...

ISU European Figure Skating Championship
Minsk, 21 - 27 January                              more info...

Second European Games                       more info...

2019 European Spochan Championship more info...

2019 IBU Summer Biathlon World Championships more info...

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Belarusian architecture through the ages

Despite its turbulent history of war and destruction, many architectural treasures and attractions of Belarus have survived to tell the history of this fascinating country.

Some of the oldest buildings of Belarus date from the Middle Ages.

Artistic movements and religions have played their part in shaping the architecture of Belarus, with fine examples of Romanesque and Gothic, Baroque and Classicism,Modernism and Eclecticism to be found across the country.

Architecture in the Brest region

Brest fortress is the main architectural tourist attraction in the city of Brest. It dates back to 1830s. Other noteworthy buildings include:

St Simeon’s Orthodox Cathedral, an example of architecture of pseudo-Russian style (1865)

Roman Catholic Church of Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Vozdvizhenie Sviatogo Kresta) (1856)

Railway station, an example of architecture of the Pseudo-Russian style (1886).

Architectural monuments in the Brest area include:

Kamenets tower (Belaya Vezha), a fine example of defensive architecture (13th Century)

Charles Baramesha's Church in Pinsk, an example of baroque architecture (18th Century)

Butrimovich Palace in Pinsk, an example of late baroque architecture (1784-1790)

The Palace complex in Ruzhany (17th – 18th Century)

Kossovo Palace, which shows elements of classicism (19th Century).

Architecture in the Gomel region

The main attraction of Gomel is the palace-park ensemble centred around the classical-style palace of Rumyantsev-Paskevich (1799-1819).

Architectural attractions of the Gomel area include:

Mozyr church and Bernadine Cloister, an example of baroque architecture (1648)

Cistercian Cloister (1743-1745)

Petrikovsky Nikolaev church, an example of the Pseudo-Byzantian style architecture (2nd half of 19th Century)

Chechersk town hall, classical style (2nd  half of 18th Century).

Architecture in the Grodno region

The Grodno region offers the visitor a wealth of ancient and beautiful buildings to discover and enjoy.

The unique architectural monuments of Grodno include:

Borisoglebsky (Kalozhskaya) church, an example of Old Russian architecture (2nd half of 12th Century)

Royal Palace, an example of rococo architecture (1734-1751)

Church of St. Franziska Ksaverij, an example of baroque architecture (late 17th – 18th Century).

Franciscan monastery, an example of baroque architecture (18th Century).

In the Grodno the most prominent remaining ancient castles are:

Mir Castle, a UNESCO world heritage site – one of the famous castles in Belarus and an outstanding example of defensive architecture (16th Century)

Lida Castle (14th – 15th Century).

Historical religious monuments include:

Piously-Mikhailovsky church in the village Synkovichi (Zelva area), an example of defensive architecture with gothic features (late 15th to early 16th Century).

Church-fortress in the village of Murovanka (Schuchin area), an example of defensive architecture (early 16th Century)

St. Uspensky Zhirovichi Monastery (17th – 18th Century)

Architecture in the Minsk region

Although many important buildings and monuments in the Minsk region were destroyed by war, those that have survived include:

Petropavlovskaya Orthodox Church, an example of architecture with elements of renaissance and baroque (1611)

Deva Maria Catholic Church (1798)

Alexander Nevsky Church, an example of the retrospektiva-Russian style (1898)

Kalvarijsky church, an example of neo-gothic style (19th Century).

The Church of St. Simon and Elena (Red church), a neo-gothic building with modernist features (1908-1910).

The main attractions in the Minsk region are architectural monuments found in the town of Nesvizh:

Nesvizh palace - park complex (16th – 19th Century).

Nesvizh church of the Divine Body, an example of baroque architecture (1584-1593).

Slutsk Brahma, an example of baroque architecture (17th – 18th Century)

Other architectural monuments of the Minsk region:

Bernardin Church in Budslav (Myadel area), an example of baroque architecture (18th Century)

Voskresensky Cathedral in Borisov, an example of the Pseudo-Russian style (1874)

Spaso-Preobrazhenskaya Church in Zaslavl (late 16th to early 17th Century)

Architecture in the Mogilev region

Surviving architectural monuments of the ancient city Mogilev:

Nikolaevskaya Tserkov, an example of baroque architecture (1669-1672)

Stanislavskiy Kostiol, an example of baroque architecture (1738-1752)

Archiepiscopal palace, an example of architecture of classicism (about 1780)

Mogilev town hall (17th – 20th Century).

Mogilev region:

Shklov town hall, an example of classical architecture (late 18th Century)

Preobrazhensky church in Shklov, an example of the neo-Russian architecture (early 20th Century).

Sviato-Troitskaya Tserkov in Bykhov, wooden style (mid-19th Century)

Synagogue in Bykhov, an example of architecture of the late Renaissance (mid-17th Century)

Bobruisk Fortress, an example of defensive architecture (1st half 19th Century).

Bykhov Castle, an example of palace-castle architecture (late 16th to early 17th Century).

Palace in Zhilichi (Kirov area), an example of classical style (1830s)

Architecture in the Vitebsk region

Orthodox and Catholic churches of the Vitebsk area represent various styles of temple architecture. Surviving buildings in Vitebsk include:

Blagoveshchenskaya church, an example of Old Russian architecture (mid-12th Century)

Kazan church, a specimen with elements of baroque and early classical architecture (1760)

Varvariansky church, in the neo-Romantic style (1785)

Ancient architectural sights in the town of  Polotsk include:

St. Sofia Cathedral, (11th - 18th Century), one of three Old Russian temples devoted to St. Sofia. (The others are in Kiev and Novgorod.)

Spaso-Evfrosinievsky church, an example of Old Russian architecture (1152-1161). Unique ancient frescos are still visible on its walls and columns.

Original examples of temple architecture in  the Vitebsk region include:

St. John Krestitelja Church in Kamai (Postavy area), a monument combining forms of defensive, Gothic and Renaissance architecture (1603-1606)

Church in Sariya (Verkhnedvinsk area), an example of neo-gothic architecture (1852-1857).

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Belarus people

The people of Belarus are a kind, friendly and good humoured nation. The patience and peacefulness of the Belarusian people has been determined by the nation’s history that has been darkened by endless wars which the Belarusians did not start, but fell victim to. Belarus is welcoming to all visitors and interested in sharing its culture, traditions and sense of community with them.

Ethnic Belarusians make up more than 80% of the population. But because of the history of Belarus, many other nationalities have also settled in the country, many of whom have been established for several generations.

Here are the main minority groups that make up the people of Belarus:

Russians (8.2%) have always lived in the region, with a large influx into the country after the Second World War

Poles (3.1%) have lived in the western side of the country for centuries

Ukrainians (1.7%) – the largest influx came in the 18th and 19th centuries

Jews (0,13%): the first Jews settled in Belarus in the 15th century, but emigration to Israel and other states since the 1980s means that the Jewish population of Belarus is now less than 30,000

Other significant minority groups in Belarus include Tatars, Roma, Lithuanians andLetts.

Languages of Belarus

Belarusian and Russian are the official languages of Belarus.

Other languages such as Polish, Ukrainian and Hebrew are spoken within local communities.

National clothing of Belarus

National costume is still popular in Belarus but usually worn only on festival days and for celebrations.

Traditional crafts in Belarus

There’s a long and rich history of traditional arts and crafts in Belarus, and many of these skills are alive and well today.

The main crafts include:

weaving

woodworking

glass blowing

Traditional folk dancing remains popular, with a number of folk theatres around Belarus.

Music and art also play an important part in the national life of Belarus, with national and international festivals held regularly across the country. The best known of these is the Slavyanskiy Bazaar in Vitebsk

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Religions in Belarus (non-Orthodox)

Orthodox religion is by no means the only Belarus religion. Many other religions are also well represented in the country, including:

Roman Catholics (almost 400 churches)

Protestants (over 500 communities including Lutherans, Mormons, Baptists, Calvinists)

Jews (more than 40 Hebrew communities)

Muslims (27 communities and nine mosques)

There are up to 25 religious confessions in Belarus, the number of religious communities amounts to more than 3.4 thousand (January, 2015).

Orthodox religion

Orthodox is the principal religion of Belarus.

There are over 1000 Orthodox churches in Belarus and an increasing number of cloisters are being revived.

Many of the country’s most famous monuments and architectural attractions are inspired by the Orthodox tradition.

Religious freedom and tolerance

Work continues to protect the different Belarus religious groups and Belarus churches, and to guard against the influence of religious sects.

The Minsk Theological Academy, the first of its kind in Belarus, opened in 1995.

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15 March - Constitution Day

15 March marks the day in 1994 when Belarus established its new Constitution.

2 April - Union Day of Belarus and Russia

This is the official holiday marking the union of the states of Belarus and Russia. On this day in 1996 the President of Belarus (Alexander Lukashenko) and the then-President of Russia (Boris Yeltsin) signed the Commonwealth agreement of Belarus and Russia in Moscow. One year later, on 2 April 1997, came the agreement to form a Belarus-Russia Union.

2nd Sunday in May - Day of the National Emblem and Flag of Belarus

This holiday is dedicated to the main symbols of the country which embody the ideas of national unity and are the major attributes of sovereignty and independence in Belarus.

9 May - Victory Day

Victory Day commemorates victory in the World War 2 (known as the Great Patriotic War).

During the war, 25 per cent of the population of Belarus died. The occasion is marked with a large parade in Minsk Victory Square led by war veterans.

3 July - Independence Day

In Belarus, Independence Day is celebrated on 3 July and marks the liberation of Minsk in 1944 from fascist aggressors.

The occasion is marked with a large military parade in Pobeditilei Avenue.   Independence Day demonstrates the achievements of a sovereign Belarus and reminds the people that by suffering great loss, they have won the freedom of their country.

Other holidays and memorable dates in Belarus

Holidays:

1 January: New Year

7 January: Orthodox Christmas

23 February: Fatherland Defenders and Armed Forces day of the Republic of Belarus – a day that pays tribute to servicemen past and present, and recognises all men too.

8 March: Women’s Day – This day was established following the revolution in 1917. In modern Belarus 8 March is a celebration of love and respect toward women.

1 May: Labour Day (Worker’s Day) - International Labour Day is one of the most popular holidays in Belarus. To celebrate there are lots of concerts and public entertainment and many families celebrate with picnics and shashlyk barbecues.

7 November: October Revolution Day

25 December: Catholic Christmas

Memorable dates:
Belarus officially established memorable dates to acknowledge victims of great tragedy and to pay respect to those that died.

9 th day after Orthodox Easter: Commemoration Day (Radonitsa) – on this day, people in Belarus usually visit cemeteries to pay respect and lay flowers on the tombs of relatives and friends.

26 April:  Day of Remembrance of the Chernobyl tragedy

22 June: Day of Remembrance of the victims of the Great Patriotic War

National holidays

Apart from the official holidays in Belarus there are also popular ancient national holidays:

6 – 7 July: Kupalle – Celebrated over the entire night of 6 July, this holiday is accompanied by songs, dances and traditions such as fire-jumping and night swims.

National holidays when all offices are closed:

1 January: New Year

7 January: Orthodox Christmas

8 March: Women’s Day

9th day after Orthodox Easter: Radonitsa

1 May: Labour Day

9 May: Victory Day

3 July: Independence Day

7 November: October Revolution Day

25 December: Catholic Christmas

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Official Name

Republic of Belarus

President of Belarus

Alexander Lukashenko (1994 - present )

Prime Minister of Belarus

Andrei Kobyakov (2014 - present )

Total land area of Belarus

207,600 km²

Nationality of Belarus

Population – 9.495,5 million (on 1 July 2017)

Life expectancy at birth – 73.2 years

Population living in cities – 77.9%

The capital is Minsk – 1.974,8 million inhabitants

Regional centres of Belarus (on 1 January 2017):

Brest Oblast – 1.386,4 million inhabitants          (Brest – 340 thousand)

Vitebsk Oblast – 1.188,0 million inhabitants          (Vitebsk – 376 thousand)

Gomel Oblast – 1.420,6 million inhabitants          (Gomel – 531 thousand)

Grodno Oblast – 1.047,5 million inhabitants          (Grodno – 366 thousand)

Mogilev Oblast – 1.064,4 million inhabitants          (Mogilev – 378 thousand)

Minsk Oblast – 1.423,0 million inhabitants

Ethnicity

Belarusian
Russian
Polish
Ukrainian
Jewish | 83.7%
8.3%
3.1%
1.7%
0.1%
(Source: 2009 census)

Languages spoken in Belarus

Belarusian and Russian

National holidays in Belarus

Independence Day, 3 July

Currency of Belarus

Belarusian rouble (Br)

Economic indicators

GDP (2016) Br94.3 billion; per capita: Br9.9 thousand

Commodity structure of export (2016):

mineral products – 21.6%

chemical industry production, rubber – 20.2%

cars, equipment and vehicles – 18.4%

black, nonferrous metals and products from them – 6.9%

articles of food and agricultural raw materials – 17.5%

others – 15.4%

Commodity structure of import (2016):

mineral products – 27.5%

cars, equipment and vehicles – 22.8%

black, nonferrous metals and products from them – 8.1%

chemical industry production, rubber – 15.0%

articles of food and agricultural raw materials – 14.6%

others – 11.0%

Main Business Partners of Belarus (2016)

Russia

Ukraine

China

United Kingdom

Germany

Poland

Netherlands

Lithuania

Turkey

Italy

Main Industries of Belarus

metallurgical

mechanical engineering, including tractors and agricultural, cars, machine-tool constructing and tool industry, instrument making, radio engineering, electro technical, electronic, optics-mechanical industry; and metal working

chemical and petrochemical

light industry

food industry

Area of farmland in Belarus

8582 thousands hectares (on 1 January 2016)

Agriculture

Areas of speciality in agriculture: grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beet, flax, meat and dairy industry

Natural resources

wood

peat

potash and rock salts

small oil and natural gas fields

granite

dolomite

limestone

clay

sand

Number of people in employment

4.4 million (2016)

Breakdown of employed population by type of economic activity (2016):

production sector – 23.3%

agriculture, hunting, forestry industry – 9.6%

civil engineering – 7.3%

transportation and communication – 6.7%

retail; repairs of automobiles, household goods, and personal-use items – 14.5%

education – 10.2%

others – 28.4%

Unemployment in Belarus

45.2 thousand unemployed (2016)

Communications

Number of mobile communication subscribers – 11.4 million.

Penetration of LTE-powered mobile communication services – 60%. At present the services are available in Minsk and all the oblast capitals as well as major district capitals across the country.

Number of fixed telephony subscribers – 47.5 phones per 100 residents.

Number of Internet service subscribers and users  – over 11 million, including over 3 million of fixed broadband Internet access subscribers. According to the International Telecommunication Union, in 2016 Belarus was ranked 23rd by the number of broadband subscribers.

International bandwidth – 1,110Gbps.

According to a research by the International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union, the Republic of Belarus is ranked 3rd among 87 countries in the development of digital postal services.

Transportation

Railways – 5480 km, including 1131 km of electric track

Highways – 101,600 km, including paved roads 87,700 km

Oil pipelines – 2,983 km

Gas pipelines – 7,837 km

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Print mass media in Belarus

As of 3 January 2017, 729 newspapers and 829 magazines were published in Belarus. More than two thirds of them are private.

Printed press is available mainly in the Belarusian and Russian languages, though there are some newspapers in English, Polish, Ukrainian and German.

The most influential newspapers include Belarus Segodnya and the Respublika. Local editions of major Russian newspapers Komsomolskaya Pravda and Argumenty i Fakty are very popular in Belarus, too.

All in all, more than 4,000 print media outlets are distributed throughout the country, including those from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, the USA, the UK, Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia.

News Agencies of Belarus

Nine national news agencies, including seven private ones, operate in Belarus.

The BelTA News Agency is the country’s biggest news agency, having the correspondent network in all the regions of the country.

Besides the local news agencies, Russia’s TASS and Prime news agencies have their offices in Minsk. The correspondents of the leading world agencies Reuters and Associated Press also work in Minsk.

E-media in Belarus

As of 3 January 2017, there were 174 radio broadcast stations and 99 television broadcast stations in Belarus. 25 radio stations and 59 TV broadcast stations were private.

The majority of public radio stations is run by the local authorities.

There are around 30 FM radio stations in Belarus, including Radius FM, Radio Unistar (Belarusian-German media project), Europe plus and others.

The target audience of the Belarus radio station are foreigners interested in local events. The radio station airs programs not only in Belarusian and Russian, but also in English, German, Polish, French, Spanish and Chinese.

There are national TV broadcasters in Belarus: Belarus 1 TV Channel, Belarus 2 (targeting youth audience), Belarus 3 (social and cultural), Belarus 5 (sport), National Television (ONT), Capital city television (STV).

A new regional TV channel Belarus 4 is available as of September 2015. The channel provides a platform for all the oblasts of the country. In each oblast the channel offers an original TV product with a different label for each region: Belarus 4. Mogilev, Belarus 4. Gomel and so on...

The first and only Belarus’ international satellite TV channel, Belarus 24, began broadcasting in 2005 (Belarus TV). Today it broadcasts 24/7 for 270,000,000 viewers in 100 countries. The main TV content is news and analysis on major events in the country and the world, interesting TV projects, high-quality films, and, of course, a lot of programs on Belarus: the unique history and culture of the country, the main attractions and tourist destinations, Belarusian cuisine, famous brands, outstanding people.

The programs of the channel are transmitted via ABS-2, HotBird А13 and Galaxy 19 satellites. The channel is available to viewers in Europe, Middle East, Central Asia, Africa and North America. The programs are aired 24/7 in the Russian and Belarusian languages. The channel also provides online broadcasting on the Internet.

Around 200 international channels, including Euronews, BBC, Eurosport are broadcasted via cable TV in Belarus.

By June 2015 Belarus completed the switch from analog to digital broadcast television. Today digital broadcasting (the first multiplex of 8 TV and 1 radio channels) is available practically to 100% of the population.

Mass Media Legislation in Belarus

The Constitution of the Republic of Belarus and the Law "On Mass Media" (updated in 2008 and amended in 2014) constitutes the legal basis of the media activity in Belarus.

The Constitution of the Republic of Belarus guarantees the freedom of thought, belief and expression, prohibits the monopolization of the media and censorship.

The Law "On Mass Media" formalizes the basic principles of mass media’s activity: accuracy, equality, respect for human rights and freedoms, diversity of views; protection of morals; observance of the norms of journalist’s professional ethics.

The law is the basis for introducing the elements of self-regulation in the media field in Belarus. To this end, the Public Coordination Council on the Media was set up.  It consists of representatives of mass media, journalism organizations and experts.

Media and publishing forums in Belarus

International expo Mass Media in Belarus

Belarusian international media forum Partnership for the Future

Forum of young journalists

Minsk International Book Fair

The Belarusian Written Language Day, an annual celebration of the Belarusian culture, language, and literature, occupies a special place in the calendar of public events in Belarus.

Journalism contests in Belarus

National contest for print media Zolotaya Litera

National writing contest Zolotoye Pero

National television contest Televershina

Contests for media outlets and professional journalists are held in every region of Belarus.