Symbols & Nature
The national bird of Belarus
White Stork
The national poet of Belarus, author of the famous poem "New Land"
Yakub Kolas
The capital city of Belarus.
Minsk
A traditional Belarusian harvest festival celebrated with wreaths and the last sheaf of grain
Dożynki
The most famous Belarusian potato pancakes
Draniki
This ancient forest is one of the oldest national parks in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage site, home to bison.
Belovezhskaya Pushcha
The first female cosmonaut of independent Belarus who flew to space in 2015
Marina Vasilevskaya
A 16th-century castle complex in the Grodno region, a UNESCO World Heritage site
Mir Castle
The year Belarus declared its independence from the Soviet Union
1991
A dark, made from rye, a daily staple in Belarus
Black Bread
The national flower of Belarus, a symbol of pure love
Cornflower
A world-famous avant-garde artist born in Vitebsk, creator of the "Black Square"
Kazimir Malevich
A memorial complex built on the site of a village burned down with its inhabitants during WWII.
Khatyn
Expensive, hand-woven belts once worn by nobles, the most famous were made in Slutsk
Slutsk Sashes (or Slutsk Belts)
A traditional potato casserole with meat or mushrooms
"babka"
A famous blue-eyed lake located in the ___ Lakes region, often called "Belarusian Switzerland"
Braslav
A Belarusian tennis player, former world No. 1 in doubles and Olympic gold medalist in singles
Victoria Azarenka
A library in Minsk known for its unique diamond shape
National Library of Belarus
An ancient pagan summer solstice holiday where people jump over bonfires and look for a magical fern flower.
Kupala Night (Ivana Kupala)
refreshing drink made from birch, collected in early spring
Berezovyy Sok (Birch Sap)
The colors of the national flag (excluding the ornamental pattern) and their symbolic meaning.
Red (victory/life) and Green (hope/forests/nature)
A 16th-century Belarusian printer and enlightener, born in Polotsk, who printed the first book in Eastern Europe ("The Apostle")
Francysk Skaryna
The city that has two famous castles – the Old Castle and the New Castle – located on the banks of the Neman River.
Grodno
The first medieval East Slavic state on Belarusian territory, with Polotsk as its capital.
Principality(княжество) of Polotsk
A cold soup served with sour cream, popular in summer
Khalodnik