The rout: Minsk – Kamai - Pastavy – Lučaj – Salaŭjova (ostrich farm) - Minsk.
Length: 400 km.
Duration: 10 hours.
Postavy region is situated on the North-West of Belarus. Great historic events usually passed these lands by. There were no great fights during the latest war, Napoleon wasn’t killed here and no one ever found the treasures of Vikings in this region. However Pastavy can impress even the most critical tourist.
For example the unique Uniate Church that was built as a small defensive castle in1606 in Kamai. The stone cannonball from the times of the war with the Swedes is still sitting in the wall of this church. And in front of the entrance stays ancient cross carved from stone that dates back to pre-Christian times.
In Pastavy we will see the church of St. Nikolay and the Catholic Church Anthony of Padua in gothic revival style. Along the central square stay small one and two-storeyed houses that draw attention by their unusual shape. These houses are the heritage of famous podskarbi of the Great Duchy of Lithuania and mighty magnate Antoni Tyzenhaus. He invited to Belarus the craftsmen from all the Europe in order to organize the manufacture in the Great Duchy of Lithuania. These houses were built for the craftsmen and they have remained miraculously till our days. The palace of Tyzenhauses in Pastavy has also remained till today. The doctors of Pastavy hospital are now the owners of the palace and they organize excursions around it.
If drive 20 kilometers to the East from Pastavy you will eventually see the beautiful baroque Catholic Church of St. Todeush. The unique paintings of XVIII century have remained on the walls inside the church. Thanks to the efforts of the young priest the cathedral is surrounded by an unusual landscaped park.
The spirit of enterprise of this wonderful region hasn’t stopped on the Tyzenhaus’s innovations. The first ostrich farm in Belarus appeared in 1990s here in Postavy. It exists now near village Solovjiha and looks like a small zoo with different exotic animals. Everyone can visit this zoo. So will we
