Dvor-Toronkovichi. A pagan temple.

In the Lepel district of the Vitebsk region, among the picturesque hills and fields, there is a place shrouded in mystery and ancient energy. Locals call it the "Lepel Stonehenge". This pagan temple near the village of Toronkovichi (also known as the Dvor-Toronkovichi) is a unique monument of ancient culture that attracts not only historians, but also anyone who wants to touch the past.

Stones that remember the ages.

The main attraction of this place is the stone crosses scattered across a picturesque field on a hill near the lake. However, researchers claim that these are not just crosses, but ancient idols. Upon careful examination, the figures of people can really be guessed in their outlines: some sculptures have shoulders, asymmetrical shapes, resembling a silhouette. According to archaeologists, these could be images of pagan deities - Dazhbog (the god of the Sun) and Perun (the god of thunder), who were especially revered in the Belarusian lands.

The height of most sculptures is about a meter, but some reach one and a half meters. On some of the stones, you can see solar signs - symbols of the sun, which were probably applied to the sculptures later, already in the Christian era.

The exact age of the temple is difficult to determine. Scientists date it in different ways: from the IX–X to the XIII century. This means that these stones are at least 800 years old, and they have witnessed a change of eras and beliefs on this earth.

The story of salvation.

Surprisingly, this historical monument may not have survived to this day. During the Soviet years, when there was an active struggle against religion, stone crosses were often destroyed or used for household needs. The Toronkovichi idols did not escape this fate either: they were simply taken from the field to the nearest forest so that they would not interfere with plowing.

For many years, the stone statues lay in the thicket until they were discovered by local history enthusiasts in the 1960s. They returned the ancient idols to their historical place, arranging them in the order they considered the most reliable. It is thanks to these caring people that today we can see the temple as it supposedly was hundreds of years ago.

In addition to the idols themselves, a huge stone altar can be found on the temple. Its length is more than four meters. Looking at it, it's easy to imagine how ancient rituals and offerings to the gods were performed here thousands of years ago.

A special place of power.

Today, the temple in Toronkovichi is not just a tourist attraction. Many visitors note that this place has an amazing, powerful energy. "Personally, the stone sculptures had not a visual, but a deep emotional and energetic effect on me," one of the travelers shares her impressions. "Being on the site of an ancient temple, you feel your involvement with the centuries-old history."

How to get:

The village of Dvor-Toronkovichi is located in the Lepel district. The roads are paved all the way, and only the last hundred meters to the clearing itself are paved. For those traveling with a navigator, the coordinates of the location are: 54°46'24"N, 28°55'14"E. If you get lost, the locals in the lake house are always ready to help.

The pagan temple in the village of Toronkovichi is a place where time flows differently. There is no noise of hiking trails and signs with loud inscriptions. There is only the wind, the sky, the ancient earth, and the silent stone guards that await those who are ready to hear them.