ARCHITECTURAL MONUMENTS OF THE MIR AND NESVIZH (9 h)
In the Mir you will get acquainted with a pearl of the Belarussian architecture - the Mir castle - the first monument of the national culture which have been switched in the List of the world heritage of UNESCO. Constructied by magnates Il'inichi in 1540 in the style of the Belarusian gothic style, it amazes with greatness and today. 5 towers in height up to 27 m are connected among themselves by thick defensive walls. The unique ensemble of the castle is organically entered in environmental landscape. The castle is one of the most popular excursion objects of the republic.
The program of excursion includes acquaintance with well-known the Nesvizh castle - a former residence of a powerful magnate family of Belarus Radzivill's. For decorate of their residence the best European architects, artists, woodcarvers, gardeners - display arrangers, jewellers (the legend about hidden gold apostles Radzivillov does not give rest to much till now) were invited. Nesvizh has turned into one of the most beautiful nooks of Belarus. You will see splendid monuments which gave a name to city "Northern Paris", "inofficial capital of the Great Lithuanian Principality". They are Sloutsk Gate (1690 yr), the town's square with the Town Hall, the Catholic church, the building of a printer's and the great belarusian enlightener Symon Budny monument, well-known park complex. Nesvizh is a city-treasure which charm is not lost in the course of time. The excursion is one of the most popular in republic.
The people highly appreciated the feat of the defenders of Brest fortress. By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 8 May 1965 Brest fortress was awarded the honorary title “Fortress-hero” with the presentation of the Lenin order and the medal “Gold Star”, which were placed on perpetual deposit in the museum of the memorial complex.
By enactment of the Council of Ministers of the BSSR a creative group was founded in 1967 with the purpose of developing the project of a monument. It was headed by sculptor Aleksandr Pavlovich Kibalnikov, a laureate of the Lenin and State Prizes of the USSR, a popular painter of the USSR. The creative group included: V. Korol, a popular architect of the USSR; sculptor A. Bembel, a popular painter of the BSSR; V. Zankovich, a laureate of the Lenin Prize; architect O. Stakhovich, a laureate of the State Prize; architect G. Sysoyev, a laureate of the State Prize of the BSSR; sculptor V. Bobyl; architects V. Volchek and Yu. Kazakov.
|
|
|
25 building and construction organisations sent their best specialists to erect the memorial. The collectives of Brest enterprises, organisations and educational institutions participated actively in the construction of the memorial complex.
A mourning meeting took place in the fortress on 18 September 1971. The mortal remains discovered during the construction in the territory of the memorial, as well as those of the fortress defenders who had been interred in the garrison cemetery before were buried with great respect under memorial gravestones.
The inauguration of the memorial complex "Brest fortress-hero" was held on 25 September 1971. One of the honourable visitors was writer Sergey Sergeyevich Smirnov, who had dedicated more than 10 years of his life to the search of fortress defenders. He had restored for history the names of the dead heroes, and become a support and close friend of the survivors. For the book “Brest fortress”, which raised several generations of readers, S.S. Smirnov was awarded the Lenin prize.
The integrated architectural and artistic complex, which immortalised the legendary but true story of the heroes of Brest fortress, represents ruins of the old fortress, battle spots, and monumental sculptural compositions.
The Main entrance has become an original overture to the sculptural poem. A five-point star, a symbol of military valour and honour, looks as if it is carved in a reinforced-concrete block. Sounds of the metronome counting down the last peaceful moments are heard under the vaults of the Main entrance. Then one can hear the increasing roar of the approaching bombers; the deafening howling and thunder of exploding bombs and shells; the song “The Sacred War” by A. Aleksandrov is played; announcer Yu. Levitan reads the text of the governmental message on occasion of the treacherous aggression of the troops of fascist Germany against the Soviet Union.
The central alley leads to the Citadel. The sculptural composition “Thirst” symbolising thirst for life, struggle and victory is erected to the left of the bridge on the bank of the Mukhavets River. Ceremonial Square begins from the ruins of the White Palace. The 100-m titanium-coated bayonet obelisk, a symbol of military bravery, can be seen from afar. The Main monument 31.5 m in height and 50 m in width, made of reinforced concrete, towers over the ruins of the former Engineering board. In the severe stare of a warrior, who looks as if he is stepping forth from an unfolded banner, one can see sorrow at his dead comrades, enormous will-power, courage and inflexible resolution to stand to the bitter end. On the backside of the monument one can find bas-reliefs representing the most important episodes of the fortress defence.
|
|
|
Three tiers of granite gravestones are situated in the centre of the architectural complex. The remains of 962 people who died in the fortress lie under them. The names of 269 fortress defenders and members of their families are written on the gravestones. The others are mentioned as “unknown”.
Eternal flame is burning in front of the ruins of the former Engineering board in a cavity coated with black labradorite. The moderate and majestic melody “Daydreams” by Schumann imparts special emphasis to the words inscribed at the fire: “They have stood to the death. Praise the heroes!” Piotr MironovichMasherov, First secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist party of Byelorussia, a Hero of the Soviet Union, lit the eternal flame on the day of the inauguration. A memorial area of the cities-heroes was laid near the eternal flame on 9 May 1985.
Not only the music and sound accompaniment has an influence upon the visitors, but also the evening artistic and decorative illumination of the memorial. The footpaths and the square in front of the Main entrance are coated with red asphalt. The territory of the memorial is planted around with roses, weeping willows, thujas, and silver fir-trees.
During the years of the museum and the memorial the fortress on the Bug has become a centre of military and patriotic upbringing. Many good traditions have formed there. Memorial groups from schools and vocational schools of the city keep honourable watch on the Memory Post. Every year on the Victory Day of 9 May people gather to pay the tribute to the dead and living participants of the Great Patriotic War. Young soldiers of Brest garrison swear on the sacred ground of the fortress. Newly wedded couples bring flowers to the fortress on the wedding day. On 1 September students are presented with student cards in Ceremonial Square.
|
|
|
St. Nicholas’ church, which was handed to Brest/Kobrin eparchy in 1994, is situated in the territory of the fortress. Since September 1995 Orthodox believers have been coming to find spiritual satisfaction there. Requiem liturgies are chanted yearly on 22 June to honour those who died in that territory. Works on the general overhaul and restoration of the memorial complex and the temple are going on.
People of all ages, convictions and trades come to the fortress, and few of them remain indifferent, and few of them are not shocked at what they can see or hear there. In opening pages of the history of the Great Patriotic war for the young generation, Brest fortress and its defenders have tenderly kept the memory of the past during all those years and helped treat the present with wisdom and responsibility.
1
In the early 1960's it was decided to create a memorial complex in the fortress. The entire country was involved in it. Contributions flowed into Byelorussia from citizens in all areas of the country. Hundreds and thousands of roubles were donated for the construction of this memorial. These contributions alone were not sufficient, naturally, but they signified the feelings of the people involved. Hundreds of sculptors, artists, and architects took part in competitions for the best project for the memorial. The final project chosen was carried out by a team of Russian and Byelorussian artists and architects: Alexander Kibalnikov (chief artist), People's Artist of the USSR and Lenin and State Prizes winner; Vladimir Korol (chief architect), People's Architect of the USSR; Andrei Bembel, People's Artist of the Byelorussian SSR; Valentin Zankovich, Lenin Prize winner; GeorgiSysoyev, winner of the State Prize of the Byelorussian SSR; sculptor Vladimir Bobyl; architects Victor Volchik and Yuri Kazakov, and Oleg Stakhovich, winner of the State Prize of the Byelorussian SSR. The general project was adopted by the Soviet of Ministry of Belarus in November 6, 1969. The Heroic Brest Fortress memorial complex was unveiled at an official ceremony on the fortress grounds on September 25, 1971. The complex consists of the fortress, the surrounding landscape, and the memorial structures.
|
|
|
The ruins and the walls are carefully preserved. Restoration and conservation work has been carried out on the Kholm Gate, and the ruins of the Engineering. Headquarters in front of the main monument are also being preserved.
The main part of the memorial complex is the Square of Ceremonies where of the most important meetings take place and young soldiers swear an oath to be worthy of their fathers' and grandfathers' glory and to be loyal to their country on this sacred land. And the building of the Museum of the Defence of the Brest Fortress and the ruins of the White Palace adjoin the Square of Ceremonies.
The Compositional Centre of the Complex is the Main Monument "Courage" by name which is made of concrete, 33,5 metres high, on the black side of which there are carvings. They tell about the separate episodes of the heroic defence. "The Counterattack", "The Meeting of the Commanding Officers", "The Last Grenade", "The Machine Gun Men".
The bayonet obelisk is seen from any part of the Fortress. This obelisk is equipped with a specially constructed counter weights at the 91 metre and 93 metre marks weighting, respectively, 2 tons and 3,65 tons. The total weight of the Bayonet obelisk is 620 tons 100 metres high.
The visitors walk up the stone steps leading to the Eternal Flame and read the words "They stood to the last man. Glory to our heroes", and one understands better the feat performed by the fortress defenders, men and woman who loved life and dreamed of happiness on earth. The Pantheons three rows of tombstones link the main monument and the bayonet obelisk into one whole (the length of each row is 45 metres the height is 3 metres and the height is 80 centimetres).
The tombstones bear the names of the fallen heroes. However, the word "unknown" is also seen very often. Today, the names of 265 of 962 defenders of the fortress buried here are known. The search for their names continues.
Keeping the fortress grounds green is also important for the memorial complex. Thousand of roses, weeping willows oaks and other trees were planted here.
The lighting, music and sound effects at the memorial are an important emotional element in its perception. At night the complex and the fortress walls are lit up by 500 floodlights and more than 760 lamps of red, white, green colours. At the main entrance one can hear the song "Sacred War" and the voice of radio announcer saying: "Today at 4 o'clock in the morning, the German Army invaded the Soviet Union without any declaration of war" read by U. Levitan. At the Eternal Flame one can hear the music by Shuman. In a temple of the Brest Fortress, which is in a process of restoration since 1995 on June 22, on the Day of Memory and Grief, there has been a funeral service in honour of the killed during World War II.
Excursion to Zhirovichi Monastery
On Saturday, July 30, thirty-eight IBA employees and their families went on an excursion to the small Belarusian city Slonim and the well-known village Zhirovichi. The excursion was organized within the social program «Sports and Tourism» implemented in IBA.
The 30-degree heat did not affect the visitors’ impressions of the churches and belfries of the Zhirovichi cloister, the saint spring with a bathhouse, the seminary, the historical center of Slonim, and the short rest in the wild nature on the way to Minsk.
12. POLOTSK - THE MOST ANCIENT CITY OF BELARUS
(13 h)
Arisen on a trading way "from variag to Greeks", Polotsk for the first time mentions in the ancient annals "the Story of time years". In X-XII cc. the capital of the Polotsk princedom was Polotsk; the Scandinavian sagas narrate about the Polotsk teams gone under walls Tsargrad; "Word about shelf Igor" glorify courage of townsmen and wisdom of prince Vseslav.
During a sightseeing tour you'll visit the Sofia Cathedral which like a white bird has risen on a high coast of Zapadnaya Dvina already in XI c, will visit a museum, and it is possible, will hear a concert organ's music. We'll visit to Spaso-Euphrasinia church laid down in 1120: it amaze with the architectural forms and a miracle the escaped frescos of XII c. EphrasiniaPolotskaya's power - Heavenly patroness of Belarus are based in the cathedral. You will get acquainted with a history of publishing in the Museum of the Belarussian publishing, that in a building of brotherly school at former man's at a monastery: here in XVIII c the poet and playwright Symon Polotsky taught. The defensive earthen shaft reminds about Livonian war, "the Red bridge" - about events 1812. In the centre of the city is the monument of the first printer Frantsysk Skaryna, native of Polotsk. There are 97 monuments of archeology, histories and cultures under protection of the state is situated in Polotsk. You can get acquainted on the excursion with the most interesting of them.
13. THE MAGNIFICENT GRODNO (13 h)
On safety of historical building the city of Grodno is on the first place in republic. Magnificent catholic and ortodox churches, monasteries and museums form shape of old city, drawing numerous travellers. A sightseeing tour by the city with visiting Boris and Gleb church - a masterpiece of XII c (the mention in Ipatyievskaya manuscripts is dated 1183), an oustanding monument of old russian and Vyzantian architecture. Visiting of the Virgin Mary church constructed in 1720-51 by Italian architect I.Fontano - a monument of architecture of transitive style from a baroque to a classicism; catholic church of Bernardines (XVI-XVIII cc.); catholic church of Jesuites - fine trimmed, with a tremendous interior - you see such original, refined wooden sculpture no more anywhere. Visiting of one of museums (history-archeologic, history of religion, museum of Maxim Bogdanovich) and the Grodno zoo.
Boris andGleb church
catholic church of Bernardines
catholic church of Jesuites
Sofia Cathedral
Spaso-Euphrasinia church
Дата добавления: 2018-08-06; просмотров: 295; Мы поможем в написании вашей работы! |
Мы поможем в написании ваших работ!