Belovezhskaya Pushcha

The “Estate of the Belarusian Father Frost” is a living fairy tale of Belovezhskaya Pushcha, where you can plunge into a magical, enchanting world created by the skillful hands of master wood carvers. The estate is a continuation of the bewitching magic of the ancient forest, a fairy tale created by human hands that naturally fits into its flavor.

The estate opened on December 16, 2003, and occupies almost 15 hectares. This is an area included in the protected area, but at the same time it is separated from the wild thicket by safe fences, and walking paths are laid inside. About 150 thousand people visit the Estate every year. This is one of the most beautiful places where Santa Claus “lives,” of which there are many in the world now. Houses decorated with openwork carvings, lovingly made sculptures of fairy-tale characters, an elegant New Year tree, garlands of multi-colored light bulbs sparkling with thousands of lights create an atmosphere of an enduring holiday, a feeling of magic.

The house of Father Frost looks especially elegant with wooden columns, decorated with intricate carvings and frosty paintings on the windows, entwined with garlands of miniature light bulbs. Smoke above the chimney, flowers and greenery near the house in the summer emphasize its residential appearance.

Many objects of the Estate - the Snow Maiden's Tower, the Magic Mill, which turns bad deeds into dust and sand, the glade of the Twelve Months, the living New Year Tree, the alley of signs of the Eastern Calendar and others - have their own legends, stories and beliefs. In the Estate you can make your deepest wishes and ask Santa Claus to help fulfill them. The good wizard's assistants will definitely give a gift to his guests. At the entrance to the Estate you can take a ride on the New Year's train, buy souvenirs in the shopping arcades near the bus stop, go to the comfortably equipped “Dzed Maroz's Hut” to eat pancakes and taste a variety of Belarusian cuisine. For relaxation, there are numerous gazebos, tables under covered canopies and under the shade of huge trees.

The estate is open all year round, and almost every day Santa Claus, as the main culprit of the festive mood, comes out to communicate with the public. Depending on the weather, his outfit changes - it could be a light linen shirt, a brocade caftan or a sheepskin coat with high pointed boots. The main attribute remains unchanged - a magical staff, which, if necessary, will immediately bring a cold to the surrounding area.

The Museum of Nature of Belovezhskaya Pushcha, which has no analogues in the republic, is a unique exhibition complex of its kind, dedicated not so much to classical local history as to ecology and the preservation of the irreplaceable riches of Polesie. Now it has 26 exhibitions and more than 1000 storage units, which illustrate the rich flora and fauna of the region, which has survived several terrible historical eras.

On several floors of the educational center at the reserve there is a real treasury that will show all the beauty, wealth and elusive charm of the virgin Belarusian region. The halls are designed in such a way as to interest everyone - both naturalists and ordinary guests who decide to take a closer look at the mysteries of the local thicket and swamps.

The first halls tell the story of the development of Belarusian lands by ancient man. They recreate the milestones of the settlement of Polesie territories, and also present the most valuable archaeological finds of the pre-Christian era.

The second part of the exhibition presents seasonal features and the most striking features of nature at different times of the year. A snow-covered winter forest and characteristic scenes of spring, summer and autumn give an idea of the life of the inhabitants of the Pushcha forest. Visitors are also introduced to the scale of the barbarity of the legendary “royal hunts” - how many bison and deer were killed, how the habitat of other animals was reduced, and how various rulers tried to restore their numbers.

The third part displays the biodiversity of the Pushcha's wetland ecosystems, as well as individual characteristic episodes from the life of forest inhabitants.

The final halls are a story about remote corners of the forest, where it is impossible or forbidden for an ordinary tourist to go. For example, photographs of the Wild Swamp are displayed here, into which there is a single dirt road that is washed away in the off-season, which is why it is not always easy for even the reserve staff to get there.

In 1952, the museum officially opened in a specially built building. At that time, the collection already consisted of about a thousand exhibits. The main message for decades was recreation - bison were on the verge of extinction, and leading Soviet scientists were engaged not only in selection, but also in the search for “lost” individuals. As soon as the animal died a natural death, its carcass was carefully transported to a taxidermist laboratory - this is how the famous stuffed animals appeared. Around the same time, the interactive component of large-scale exhibitions began to take shape. As far as technical means allowed, a background was created for the installations - the sound of the wind, the singing of birds, the murmur of ponds and the annoying buzzing of insects. The use of photographs of forest landscapes to decorate the background of dioramas seems to shift their boundaries and expand the space. To more fully show the biodiversity of the region, projection screens are placed in the museum halls, which show photographs of natural, historical and cultural objects of Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

Belovezhskaya Pushcha is the largest remnant of a relict primeval lowland forest, which, according to the ideas prevailing in modern science, grew in prehistoric times in Europe. Gradually it was cut down, but in a relatively untouched state it was preserved in the form of a large massif only in the Belovezhskaya region on the territory of modern Belarus and Poland. Belovezhskaya Pushcha belongs to the ecoregion called “Sarmatian mixed forest”.

To preserve the unique nature in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, four functional zones with different protection regimes have been identified: a protected area, a regulated use zone, a recreational and economic zone. In addition, a security (buffer) zone has been created around the Pushcha.

In 1979, by decision of UNESCO, Bialowieza National Park (Poland) was included in the World Heritage List. In 1992, this UNESCO conservation site expanded to include the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park (Belarus).

Belovezhskaya Pushcha is a unique and largest tract of ancient forests, typical of the plains of Central Europe. 86% of the territory is under forest. Pine forests predominate (59.3%) - mainly blueberry and mossy forests. The average age of trees in the forests of Belovezhskaya Pushcha is 81 years; in some areas of the forest, trees are 250-350 years old and have a diameter of up to 150 cm. More than a thousand giant trees have been registered in the Pushcha (Tsar Oak and other 400-600-year-old oaks, 250 -350-year-old ash and pine trees, 200-250-year-old spruce trees).

Belovezhskaya Pushcha has no equal in Europe in terms of the number of plant and animal species. 958 species of vascular spore and seed plants grow here, 260 species of mosses and bryophytes, more than 290 species of lichens and 570 species of fungi are recorded. The list of fauna of Belovezhskaya Pushcha includes 59 species of mammals, 256 species of birds, 7 species of reptiles, 11 species of amphibians, 24 species of fish and more than 11,000 invertebrate animals. It is home to the world's largest population of bison. Semi-wild “conic” ponies also live in the national park; they are bred in an attempt to recreate an extinct breed of horse - tartans, which were once popular throughout Europe, as well as bison - a cross between bison and cows. Among the 59 species of mammals are wolves, red deer, roe deer, lynxes, beavers, moose, and wild boars. The European Bison Reserve allows you to see these animals in a small park.