Village Lesnaya. Memorial complex.

The memorial complex, which is one of the historical and cultural values of Belarus, was built on this historical site of the battle in 1908. It was a difficult battle, the outcome of which deprived the Swedish army of a huge number of soldiers and, as a result, did not leave it with the opportunity to carry out its march on Moscow.

As a monument to the tragedy of that war, there is a memorial stone chapel or church of Saints Peter and Paul. It is built as a three-tiered defensive tower in the Russian style, with a bell tower and an onion dome. On the facade there is a mosaic icon of the Mother of God with the baby, on the other side - an image of Saint Peter. The chapel is active, services are held in it.

Next to the chapel there is a monument in the form of an eagle sitting on top of a stone cliff with a fallen enemy banner. Here on the stone there is also a board with a list of the regiments that participated in the Battle of Lesnaya.

Not far from here there is a library-museum, in the courtyard of which there is an exhibition also dedicated to the battle near the village of Lesnaya.

The significance of this battle, which changed the course of history, can be assessed differently, but we must not forget the tragic fates of ordinary people on both warring sides (historians estimate the Swedish losses at 8,000 killed and wounded, and about 1,000 captured. The Russians lost about 4,000 killed and wounded).

The memorial is not only a monument to a glorious victory, it is also a monument to tragic military events, primarily to the fallen soldiers who were drawn into the political games of the powers that be against their will.

The entire complex is impressive and evokes mixed emotions: the place where three centuries ago many people died and where there was a terrible roar of carnage, is now in silence, which allows us to calmly pay tribute to the memory of the dead and brings to mind the mercilessness and senselessness of wars.