Ivenets. The lost world in the center of Belarus.

The ancient Ivenets, famous since the 14th century, is an ideal place for a day trip.

This village is capable of surprising: cultures, religions and destinies of self-taught geniuses are intertwined here in a small space. This is a real time machine, where every corner breathes history.

Start your acquaintance with the spiritual heart of the city - two majestic churches.

On the main square stands the white-stone Church of St. Michael the Archangel, a monument of the Vilna Baroque (1749). Having survived the closure and re-consecration, today he meets parishioners again.

And on the outskirts, in the old cemetery, the Neo-Gothic red brick Church of St. Alexei is hidden - a real gift from Emperor Nicholas II to the local population in a difficult time for Catholics.

The history of the town is inextricably linked with Jewish culture.

A unique wooden synagogue from 1912 has been preserved on Shkolnaya Street, one of the few in Belarus. Her fate is tragic, but the old paintings found under layers of plaster are still waiting for the revival of this monument.

To experience the folk traditions, visit the Ivenets Museum of Traditional Culture.

Located in the former Plevako estate, it houses about 20,000 exhibits. Here you can see the famous Ivenets ceramics, whose traditions date back to the 16th century, and learn about the life of the Dzerzhinsky family.

There is also a Craft Center, where you can try your hand at pottery or weaving.

But the main miracle of Ivenets is the House Museum of the national master Apollinari Pupko.

The carver turned his home into a fantasy world: the facade is guarded by wooden Atlanteans, and inside the walls and ceilings are covered with intricate carvings with mythological creatures. Excursions are conducted here by the master's daughter, Sophia.

A walk through Ivenets is a lively dialogue with history, where the ruins of the Plevako estate are side by side with revived shrines, and ancient crafts are gaining new life.