Top 20 attractions of Belgorod, Russia

Belgorod residents believe that Prince Vladimir the Red Sun had a hand in the foundation of their city, although one can hardly find architectural monuments of that time (or their ruins) here. The oldest temples of Belgorod belong to the XVII-XVIII centuries, the rest of the sights are the property of later eras.

The city will primarily be of interest to lovers of museums and parks, as well as the modern design of the Philharmonic building and the original appearance of the temple of Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia built in our time.

Belgorod looks quite pleasant, especially in the warm season, when it's time for long walks in the evenings and a series of sunny days. In summer it is good to walk along one of the central squares, ride a bike or sit in a small cafe.

What to see and where to go in Belgorod?

The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.

Cathedral Square

Central square with museums and public buildings located around. It differs from similar places in other cities with its original pavement pattern - a circle in the form of a sun is laid out on the paving stones, in the center of which is placed a copper map of the Belgorod region, and around the perimeter there are coats of arms of all regions and districts of the region. Holidays, parades, rallies and other events often take place on the square.

Monument to Vladimir the Great

The monument is located on the Kharkov mountain. The seven-meter figure of the prince is placed on a 15-meter pedestal. The entire structure rises above the surrounding space and is clearly visible from afar. It is believed that it was Vladimir who founded the first settlement on the site of Belgorod, although there is no documentary evidence of this fact. The monument in his honor was erected in 1998, it took 1.5 tons of copper to make it.

"Battle of Kursk. Belgorod direction»

Museum-diorama dedicated to the Battle of Prokhorov. It opened in 1987. The exposition consists of military equipment placed on the observation deck in the open air, and the main building, which houses collections of documents, photographs, personal items and fine art dedicated to military subjects. The central place is occupied by the Arc of Fire diorama, which depicts a tank battle near Prokhorovka.

Art Museum

The museum opened in 1983 in a former cinema building. In the late 1990s, he moved into a new Art Nouveau house. The basis of the art collection is the work of the local artist M. Dobronravov (several hundred canvases). In addition to paintings, more than 4 thousand works of art of the 18th-20th centuries are stored and exhibited in the gallery. At the same time, up to 15 temporary exhibitions can take place in the halls of the museum, and there is also a concert hall in the building.

Museum of History and Local Lore

One of the oldest museum institutions in Belgorod, opened in 1924. During the Second World War, part of the collection was looted, the other part was destroyed. The museum reopened in 1948, the exhibits had to be reassembled. The expositions are devoted to the history of the Belgorod region, as well as its role in the fate of the country. The team is engaged in active cultural and educational activities, organizing scientific conferences and open lectures.

Literary Museum

In 1999, the Literary Museum was opened as a branch of the Museum of Local Lore in the building of an 18th century estate built in the classical style. The building is an architectural monument and is the only example of this style of construction in Belgorod. The exposition is dedicated to the literary history of the city and the work of people whose lives and activities were associated with Belgorod.

Drama Theater named after M. S. Shchepkin

The stage opened in the 1930s under the name of the Belgorod State Farm Theatre. The institution was organized in order to bring theatrical art closer to the people. Today it is located in a 1962 building built in a classical style with Soviet elements. The repertoire is made up of classical and modern performances, there are performances for children. Performances are held on the big and small stages.

Belgorod State Philharmonic

The building of the Belgorod State Philharmonic Society is an adornment of the city landscape; it stands out favorably against the background of other buildings. It acquired its modern look after the reconstruction of the 2000s. Symphony, jazz and several chamber orchestras, a choir, a choreographic ensemble and a show ballet perform at three concert venues (large, small and Gothic-style organ hall).

Museum of Folk Culture

The museum started operating in 1999 as a branch of the Belgorod State Center for Folk Art, later it became an independent institution. The collections consist of tools, household utensils, jewelry, clothing, documents, archaeological artifacts. The most ancient exhibits date back to the times of the Khazar Khaganate of the 8th-10th centuries. In separate rooms, expositions are presented that tell about the history of the Russian peasantry, traditional crafts and crafts.

Sundial

The sundial is located on Narodny Boulevard in the center of Belgorod. They are made of bronze and granite and have quite impressive dimensions (the diameter of the composition reaches 11 meters). The chronometer was presented to the city by its creator, sculptor T. Kostenko, in 2008. During the day in sunny weather, the clock shows the time with an accuracy of 10 minutes, at night you can see the stars on the dial.

Monument to an honest traffic cop

The prototype of the "honest traffic cop" was a very real character - P.K. Grechikhin, who worked in the traffic police in the middle of the 20th century. He became famous for not taking bribes and not forgiving violators even the slightest disrespect for traffic rules. It is strange that due to such zeal, he was not promoted, and he retired with the rank of foreman. A monument in his honor was erected in Belgorod in 2004.

Transfiguration Cathedral

The temple was built in the 19th century according to the project of E. A. Vasilyev with donations from parishioners. Previously, a dilapidated wooden church stood in its place. The first time the cathedral was closed in the 1930s, the second time in the 1960s with the transfer of the building to the local history museum, which took care of its restoration. In the 1990s, the temple was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church. In architectural terms, the building is an example of Russian provincial classicism.

Temple of Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia

Temple of the 2000s, dedicated to the holy martyrs (all their names are contained in the title). The building has as many as 17 domes, the height of the central one exceeds 38 meters. The structure looks very picturesque: the facade and walls are made of wood and stone, the window openings are decorated with carvings, the main building is built in the form of a complex, multi-tiered structure, gilded domes gleam brightly in the sun.

Church of the Archangel Gabriel

The building of the temple is located on the University Square and belongs to the Belgorod State University. It was built in 2001 on the initiative of the Governor E.S. Savchenko. It was assumed that the main parishioners would be students. Church ministers patronize young people, conduct spiritual conversations with them and prevent the rooting of vice in the student environment.

Assumption-Nikolaev Cathedral

The construction of the late XVII - early XVIII centuries, which was built, including donations from Peter I. The cathedral was erected in the manner of Moscow architecture, characteristic of church construction at that time. The construction is based on a quadrangle with five domes and a free-standing hipped bell tower. Since 1986, the Assumption-Nikolaev Cathedral has been recognized as an architectural monument; in 1993, a convent was founded under it.

Smolensky Cathedral

An 18th-century church in the Moscow Baroque style, a valuable architectural monument and cultural heritage site. The main quadrangle has an elongated rectangular shape and ends with a semicircular apse. The built-in bell tower consists of two tiers and ends with a spire with a cross. The facade and walls are not full of a lot of decor. From the side, the building looks quite massive and solid.

Belgorod Zoo

The city zoo was founded as a zoo corner in 1988 and until 1991 was part of the Pobeda park. About 90 species of animals (more than 200 individuals) live in it, 15 species are listed in the Red Book. Representatives of the cat family, bears, foxes, wolves, as well as exotic camels and kangaroos live in the enclosures. There is a petting zoo for children, where you can stroke rabbits, kids and hold chickens in your arms.

Central Park

By tradition, the central city park bears the name of V. I. Lenin. It was founded in the 1950s. It is hard to imagine that at that time a public place would have been given a different, non-revolutionary name. After almost 50 years of proper operation, in the early 2000s, the territory underwent a large-scale reconstruction, which included modern attractions, a children's playground and an amusement park.

Victory Park

The park was founded in 1989 on the site where fierce battles took place during the Second World War, and on August 5, 1943, fireworks were launched in honor of the first victories over the German army. In memory of those events, several memorials were erected in the park and an Alley of Glory was laid. Also here you can see the busts of the Heroes of the USSR, including the image of Marshal G.K. Zhukov. The space is decorated with a small fountain equipped with beautiful lighting.

Picnic Park in Solomino

Modern park space, specially organized for outdoor recreation: picnics, river and hiking trips, cycling, sunbathing on the beach in warm weather. Solomino has a huge variety of entertainment. Visitors can play laser tag and airsoft, shoot at a shooting range or try their hand at a rope park. For the little ones there is a children's playground.