Top 10 interesting facts about Belarus

Not much is known about Belarus even to close neighbors. And people from “far abroad” are often interested in where this mysterious country is located and what it is like. Belarus is an amazing country with beautiful villages, virgin forests and a friendly, hospitable culture. Here are some interesting facts about Belarus that you need to know!

10 Stork is a symbolic figure in Belarus

The stork has a unique status in this country and is considered its unofficial symbol.. Many Belarusians consider this bird sacred.

There is a legend that the stork used to be a man. God had to give him a bag of snakes and ordered him to be thrown into the pit. However, the man did not know what the contents of the mysterious bag were hiding, and, despite the ban, decided to untie it. The snakes managed to escape and hide. God, seeing the behavior of a man, turned away from him and turned him into a stork, which he ordered to collect snakes throughout the country.

Belarusians believe that storks build their nests only on the roofs of the houses of kind people, and when they do this, their inhabitants will live happily ever after. It is also considered a good omen to see a flying stork in spring. It is said to bring happiness for the whole year.

And the killing of a stork, according to Belarusians, should lead to disaster. By the way, this bird is also depicted on the coins and government documents of Belarus.

9. Belarusian unemployment

From January 1, 2015, unemployment in Belarus is qualified as a crime. President of the country Alexander Lukashenko supported the law banning unemployment and proposed to restore the old term “social parasitism”. He also proposes to restore the punishment of those who willfully avoid work. It is worth noting that the unemployment rate in Belarus is less than 1 percent.

8. Castle complex in Nesvizh

This architectural object is located in the north-eastern part of the city, surrounded by ponds in the valley of the Usha River. The initiative to build a brick castle belongs to the first Niasvizh Order of Mykolaj Krzysztof Radziwill “Orphans” (1549–1616).

The first stage of the construction of the castle began in 1583. From 1586 to 1599, the construction work was led by the Italian architect Giovanni Maria Bernardoni. Construction was completed at the beginning of the XNUMXth century. The dam, about twenty meters high, was reinforced with a stone bench.

In the 17th century, four defensive towers were built at the corners of the bastions. The entrance to the castle from the west was protected by a triangular rampart, to which two access roads led. Along the main axis there were brick gates with a drawbridge and a three-story castle with small octagonal towers at the corners. On the left side of the gate there was a two-story extension, and on the right side there were three-story barracks with a high observation tower.

In addition, the castle complex included a gardening house, a bakery, a stable and a foundry. The fortress complex was constantly built and rebuilt over several centuries (16-19 centuries), so it combines elements of medieval, late Renaissance, baroque, classic and independent architecture of local masters.

7. Russian language prevails in communication

Belarusian and Russian are considered official languages ​​in Belarus, but only about 10% of citizens use Belarusian in everyday communication. Many residents speak Trasianka, a mixture of Belarusian and Russian..

6. Potatoes are the staple food of Belarusians

According to statisticians, Belarusians can cook almost two thousand potato dishes. This is largely due to the history of the country – in the past, potatoes often saved people from starvation.

Belarusians consume more potatoes per capita than any other country – an estimated 180 kg, which is about half a kilogram per day. Belarusian scientists often invent new varieties of potatoes that differ in taste, color and size.

Belarus ranks seventh in the world in potato production. Here, the potato is not only a traditional food of the local population, but also another unofficial national symbol. Because of this, the Minsk authorities decided to erect an appropriate monument.

5. Belarusians Get Double Days Off During Christian Holidays

Orthodoxy and Catholicism coexist in Belarus as two established religions. On this background both Catholic and Orthodox Christmas and Easter are celebrated as national holidays.

4. Belovezhskaya Pushcha – the largest and oldest forest in Europe

Belarus has the largest old European forest – Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Belovezhskaya Pushcha, the birthplace of bison and many other animals and birds, is all that remains of a virgin forest that once stretched across the vast European plain. Some of the oaks growing in this forest are over 600 years old.

However, Belovezhskaya Pushcha is also notable because it was here that on December 8, 1991, the leaders of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement to dissolve the Soviet Union in a hunting hut in the forest.

By the way, almost half of the territory of Belarus consists of forests – this is evidenced by the green stripe on the flag of the country. Belarus is sometimes called the “lung of Europe” because of its countless forests, rivers and lakes. Therefore, if you love to explore beautiful natural landscapes, Belarus is the perfect place for you.

3. High level of confectionery production

Belarus is famous for its variety of sweets, both authentic Belarusian and traditional Soviet. Zephyr, chocolate, glazed cranberries, condensed milk are popular with locals and guests from neighboring countries. Marshmallow is made from applesauce, berry puree, egg white and sugar. All this is then covered with delicious milk chocolate.

Belarusian condensed milk is sweet and very tasty. Two cities compete in the production of this product – Rogachev and Glubokoe, where local residents are divided into two groups: those who love Rogachev condensed milk and those who prefer Glubokoe condensed milk.

2. 13th largest country in Europe

Minsk is one of the largest European cities, and Belarus is one of the largest countries in Europe. Most foreigners consider Belarus “a small country located somewhere near Russia”. Actually, Belarus ranks 13th in Europe out of 50 countries by area.

Of course, it is difficult for her to compare with France, Germany or Ukraine. However, some Denmark, Switzerland or the Netherlands – in size resemble the Minsk region. The entire Baltic States with Belgium or Bulgaria with Hungary could be accommodated on the territory of Belarus. And in terms of population, Minsk is in 10th place in Europe.

1. Country of five Nobel Laureates

Belarus is famous for its Nobel laureates. Among them Simon Smith, winner of the 1971 Nobel Prize in Economics, and Zhores Alferov, winner of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Physics. There are also two Nobel Peace Prize winners – Shimon Peres, who received it in 1994, and Menachem Begin, who was awarded the title of laureate in 1998.

Perhaps the most notable of these is Svetlana Alekseevich – the first woman from Belarus to receive the Nobel Prize in 2015 for her achievements in the field of literature.