A former school building is being reconstructed as the Church of St. Harlampius in Noŭka. Together with a memorial and two small lakes, it gives the village a distinct character. The R-25 road and Medvyodka railway station are also useful landmarks for getting around.
Noŭka: Memorial, Church and Lakes
Noŭka lies on the R-25 between Vitebsk and Senno. The village is also associated with Medvyodka railway station on the Vitebsk–Orsha line. If you are planning to travel by train, check the current timetable in advance.
A monument commemorates the burial site of 402 Soviet soldiers who died during the liberation of Vitebsk District in June 1944. The monument was erected in 1965. The Church of St. Harlampius is being reconstructed from a former school building; services have been held there since 1994. Noŭka thus brings together a specific memorial site and an unusual place of worship, whose history is linked to its former use as a school.
Noŭka is also associated with the two small lakes Novinskoye and Bezymyannoye. The memorial site, church and lakes offer different ways to explore the village: visitors can learn about its history and architectural history, as well as take in the local landscape.
In the wider travel destination of Vitebsk Region: Nature and Landscapes
Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve is a nature reserve of national significance. It preserves natural complexes of the Eastern European mixed-forest zone, as well as unique forest and wetland ecosystems. An ecological forest trail passes through several typical habitats: mixed forest, secondary birch forest, pine forest and raised bog. The reserve’s Natural History Museum is open daily, from 09:00 to 18:00 from May to September and from 09:00 to 17:00 from October to April. Check opening hours before your visit, as they may change.
In Braslav Lakes National Park, Mayak Hill is a viewpoint between Lakes Snudy and Strusto. From there, the view stretches across the lakes, islands and shallows. The Mayak Hill ecological trail starts at the foot of the hill and offers a different way to experience the landscape than the viewpoint. The Slobodkovskaya Ozyovaya Ridge trail focuses on rare glacial landforms and rare protected plant species of Belarus. The route also includes an archaeological settlement dating to periods from the 7th century BC to the 6th century AD, and from the 11th to the 13th century AD.
In the wider travel destination of Vitebsk Region: Museums and History
In Polotsk, the National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve comprises eleven museums. The Cathedral of Saint Sophia is a particular focus: the Museum of the History of its Architecture is located in the cathedral, a monument dating from the mid-11th to the mid-18th century. Visitors can see masonry fragments from the 11th century, an almost fully preserved floor plan or foundation, and frescoes from the late 11th century. The Polotsk Art Gallery presents the history of the city and Belarus through religious and secular artworks. The Museum of Traditional Hand Weaving of the Lakeland Region focuses on flax cultivation and processing in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as the weaving traditions of northern Belarus.
Braslav also offers several historical perspectives. Its Museum of History and Local Lore has six halls with a permanent exhibition. An official sightseeing route includes Zamkovaya Hill, a former fortified settlement dating from the 9th to the 18th century. Belmont Park was laid out in the mid-18th century and covers 62 hectares. In Polotsk, the Museum of Nature and Ecology combines its location in a former water tower with themes such as local fauna and nature conservation in urban environments.
Activities and Regional Cuisine
Activities in Braslav Lakes National Park include excursions by sightseeing boat or motorboat, as well as cycling and SUP. In Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve, visitors can go on one- or two-hour horseback rides in the forest. The different durations help you gauge how long an excursion takes; they do not guarantee availability on the day of your visit.
Regional cuisine is also represented by a specific offering: the food tour at the Drivyaty restaurant includes pike-perch with vegetables and roast game. Thus, the wider travel destination of Vitebsk Region offers not only nature trails and scenic views but also museums, historic sites and culinary experiences. Noŭka itself remains defined by its memorial, reconstructed church and two small lakes.
Discover more destinations: Polotsk, Rasony, Domniki, Senno, Lyntupy, Moiseevo, Zastadollie, Vuscie.
For the wider travel overview: Vitebsk Region.
