Belarus' Unique Claims To Fame

Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is famous for its magnificent nature and amazing architecture, combining the heritage of Western European and East Slavic traditions. Belarus is also known for its friendly and hospitable people, delicious national cuisine, vibrant sports culture, and rich history. Here are some key aspects that Belarus is renowned for:

- Nature and Geography: Belarus is called the lungs of Europe due to its vast forests and lakes. About 40% of the country is covered by forests, and it has nearly 11,000 lakes. The country has a diverse landscape, including flatlands, hills, lowlands, marshes, and rivers.

- Architecture: Belarus showcases a blend of Western European and East Slavic architectural styles. Its cities feature wide avenues, cobbled streets, majestic castles, and wooden huts in the villages.

- Culture and Hospitality: Belarusians are known for their warmth, friendliness, and hospitality. They have a rich cultural heritage, including music, art, and literature. Belarus hosts various cultural and sports events, such as music festivals, theatre festivals, and national culture festivals.

- Cuisine: Belarusian cuisine is hearty and delicious, with potatoes being a staple. Traditional dishes include potato pancakes, tukmachi (layered potato cake), and kalduny (potato-wrapped minced meat dumplings).

- History and Politics: Belarus has a long and ancient history, having been part of various states throughout the centuries. It gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and is now a democratic welfare rule-of-law state with a presidential republic system.

- Famous Personalities: Belarus has produced several renowned individuals, including artists like Marc Chagall, scientists such as Nobel Prize winner Zhores Alferov, and athletes such as tennis player Victoria Azarenka.

Forests and lakes

Belarus is famous for its forests and lakes. Nicknamed the "lungs of Europe", around 40% of the country is covered by forest. The country is home to one of the last and largest remaining parts of the primeval forest that once stretched across the European Plain—the Białowieża Forest. This forest complex straddles the border between Poland and Belarus and is home to more than 800 European bisons, Europe's heaviest land animal.

The Belarusian landscape is very green, with natural vegetation covering 93.1% of the land, and forests accounting for about a third of all green spaces. Birch, pine, and conifer trees can be found across the country, while oak trees are more common in the southern areas. Belovezhskaya Pushcha, a pristine old-growth forest, is a true source of pride for Belarus. Some of the oldest trees in this forest are between 600 and 800 years old.

The country also boasts almost 11,000 lakes, with the majority located in the northern regions. This area is known as the Belarusian Lake District. The lakes were formed during the Ice Age when huge glacier boulders left depressions that filled with water as the glaciers melted. The biggest lake in Belarus is Naroch, spanning 79.6 square metres, while the deepest lake is Dolgoye, with a depth of 53.6 metres.

The abundant lakes play a crucial role in meeting the country's needs. They serve as a source of drinking water and provide fish resources. Additionally, the wetlands, dubbed the "lungs of Europe", are essential for cleaning the air by absorbing carbon dioxide and preserving rare animal and plant species.

The natural environment of Belarus is not limited to its forests and lakes; it also includes an array of rare plant and animal species, as well as several national parks and conservation projects. The country's diverse flora features about 14,000 plant species, with over 500 species having economic significance.

Rich history and traditions

Belarus has a rich history and a diverse cultural heritage. The country has been influenced by both Western European and East Slavic traditions, with its architecture, cuisine, and culture reflecting this unique blend.

Medieval Saints and National Heroes

Saint Euphrosyne, born in the 12th century, is considered the patron saint of Belarus. She dedicated her life to helping the poor and building churches and monasteries across the country. Another important figure is Tadeusz Kosciuszko, a national hero in America, Belarus, and Poland for his leadership in the American Revolutionary War and the uprising against Imperial Russia and the Prussian Empire in 1794.

Religious Traditions

Francysk Skaryna, born in 1486, is known for translating the Bible into Belarusian. The Belarusian Byzantine Catholic Church was formed by the Poles during this period to bring Orthodox Christians into the See of Rome, and it entered into full communion with the Latin Church in 1595 while retaining its Byzantine liturgy.

Scientific Achievements

Belarus has produced several renowned scientists, including geologist Ignat Domejko, geographer and explorer Ivan (Yan) Chersky, ethnographer and biologist Nikolai Sudzilovsky (Nicholas Russell), and astrophysicist Aleksandr Chizhevsky. The country also boasts Nobel Prize winners, such as physicist Zhores Alferov and writer Svetlana Alexievich.

Artistic Masters

Belarus has been home to several famous artists, including master of classic avant-garde art, Marc Chagall, and Leon Bakst, a famed artist, stage designer, and dress designer. Napoleon Orda, a painter and composer, created over 1,000 sketches of buildings in Belarus, Lithuania, and Poland, which have become invaluable resources for architects and restorers.

Political Figures

Barbara Radziwill served as the Grand Duchess and Queen of Poland, while Lev Sapega was a prominent political and military figure, diplomat, and philosopher. He played a crucial role in establishing the Statute of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1588, considered the first European Constitution.

Sporting Champions

Belarus has produced numerous talented athletes across various sports, including gymnastics, wrestling, tennis, and biathlon. Olga Korbut, a legendary gymnast, won four Olympic gold medals, while Vitaly Shcherbo dominated artistic gymnastics with multiple gold medals at the Olympics and World Championships. The country has also produced tennis stars such as Victoria Azarenka and Maxim Mirnyi, who have won major titles and Olympic medals.

Sport

Belarus has hosted many international sporting competitions, including the 2014 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, the 2015 IBU Youth/Junior World Championships, the 2018 UCI Track Cycling World Cup, and the 2019 European Games in Minsk. The country has also sent athletes to the Olympic Games since 1952, initially as part of the USSR team, and then as an independent nation from 1994. Belarus has consistently placed among the top 20 nations at the Olympic Games, and its athletes have won numerous medals in both the Olympics and Paralympics.

Some of the most popular sports in Belarus include:

• Football (soccer): The Belarusian Premier League is the top professional football competition in the country, and the national team has had notable successes, such as reaching the quarterfinals at the 2004 Olympics.
• Ice hockey: The Belarusian Extraliga is the premier ice hockey league, and the national team has performed well in international competitions, including a victory over Sweden at the 2002 Winter Olympics.
• Athletics: From track and field to marathons, athletics is a widely followed sport in Belarus, with athletes like Yulia Nesterenko, a gold medallist in the women's 100m at the 2004 Athens Olympics, achieving notable successes.
• Basketball: The Belarusian Premier League showcases the best of Belarusian basketball talent, and the national team competes in international tournaments such as the EuroBasket Women championship.
• Swimming: While Belarus does not have a dedicated swimming league, swimmers from the country often compete in international tournaments, and Aliaksandra Herasimenia, a celebrated Belarusian swimmer, has won multiple Olympic medals.
• Fencing: Fencers like Aleksandr Romankov have raised Belarus's profile in this sport, winning numerous World Championship titles and Olympic medals.
• Skiing: Both cross-country and Alpine skiing are popular winter sports in Belarus, with skiers like Aleksei Grishin achieving international success.
• Cycling: Cycling is a popular sport in Belarus, with both professional and leisure cyclists taking advantage of the country's extensive network of cycling trails. Vasil Kiryienka, a leading Belarusian cyclist, has achieved notable successes in events such as the Giro d’Italia and the UCI Road World Championships.

Food

Belarusian cuisine is heavily influenced by Slavic roots, as well as neighbouring countries like Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine and Russia. The country's location at the intersection of many international routes has also contributed to its culinary diversity.

Potatoes

Potatoes are a staple in Belarusian cuisine, so much so that they are called the "second bread" of Belarusians. The humble potato forms the basis of many Belarusian dishes, with over 300 potato-based dishes recorded in the country. The most well-known potato dish is draniki, which are thick pancakes made from grated potatoes. Draniki can be served with a variety of fillings and toppings, including meat, mushrooms, sour cabbage, fish, sour cream, cheese, and bacon or ham.

Other Vegetables

In addition to potatoes, other commonly used vegetables include cabbage, turnips, beets, carrots, parsnips, pumpkins, cucumbers, onions, garlic, sorrel, nettle, quinoa, and orpine roots. These vegetables are used in a variety of dishes, including soups, salads, and side dishes.

Meat

Meat was traditionally consumed in limited quantities and was mainly served on festive occasions. However, over time, the variety of meat used in Belarusian cuisine expanded. Commonly used meat includes poultry (chicken, duck, goose, turkey), game (elk, roe, boar, beaver), and pork. Traditional meat dishes include vereshchaka (or machanka), a stew made with pieces of short ribs, sausage, and other ingredients, and zrazy, meat rolls with stuffing.

Fish

Belarusian cuisine also features a variety of fish dishes, mostly river fish such as tench, sturgeon, pike, eelpout, bream, eel, trout, perch, and carp. Smoked and stuffed eels are a specialty in the northwestern part of Belarus, adjacent to Latvia and Lithuania.

Dairy

Common dairy products in Belarusian cuisine include curd cheese (made from cow or goat milk), sour cream, and butter. Dairy is used in a variety of dishes, including soups, porridges, and desserts.

Bread

Traditional Belarusian bread is made with rye flour and has a slightly sour taste. It is heavier than bread from other cuisines and is often baked using a special leaven instead of yeast.

Desserts

Traditional Belarusian desserts are typically made from forest berries or garden fruits such as apples and plums. These ingredients are used to make dishes such as kisel (a thick sweet drink), kulaga (a beverage made from berries, flour, sugar, and honey), and puddings. Baked apples filled with honey and apple pancakes are also popular treats.

Beverages

The traditional non-alcoholic drinks of Belarus include kvass and cranberry juice. Alcoholic beverages include medovukha, khrenovukha, and samogon (a homemade vodka). Mead, an ancient alcoholic beverage made from honey, is also popular and holds a sacred place in Belarusian culture, often served during festive feasts and religious rites.

Nobel Prize winners

Belarus is a country with a rich history and culture, beautiful nature, and friendly people. It is famous for its lush forests and stunning lakes—aptly nicknamed the "lungs of Europe". Belarus has a lot to offer, from its delicious national cuisine to its vibrant festivals and sporting events.

One of Belarus's most notable figures is Svetlana Alexandrovna Alexievich, a Belarusian investigative journalist, essayist, and oral historian. In 2015, she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature "for her polyphonic writings, a monument to suffering and courage in our time". Her works include oral histories of significant events in Soviet history, such as World War II, the Afghan War, the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and the Chernobyl disaster. Alexievich's writings provide a unique perspective on the emotional history of the Soviet and post-Soviet individuals through carefully crafted collages of interviews and testimonies.

Alexievich's notable works include "War's Unwomanly Face", which sold over two million copies, and "The Last Witnesses: The Book of Unchildlike Stories", which offers a glimpse of children's personal memories during wartime. Her book "Zinky Boys: Soviet Voices from a Forgotten War" provides a collection of first-hand accounts from the war in Afghanistan. Alexievich's writings have been described as "a monument to suffering and courage in our time".

In addition to the Nobel Prize, Alexievich has received numerous other awards, including the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, the Sonning Prize, and the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. She has been an active member of the Belarusian opposition movement and was the last member of the leadership to remain in the country before leaving for Germany in 2020 due to political persecution.

Frequently asked questions