Lida - the cultural capital of Belarus

Lida is a city located in the northwestern part of Belarus, close to the border with Lithuania, not far from the Polish border. Lida was the seat of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania: the founder Gediminas, after his death his son Olgirdas and his sons Jogaila and Vytautas. Repeatedly besieged by Teutonic armies, it was captured only once. This was possible thanks to the massive castle, built on a quadrangular plan. The walls with two Gothic towers can still be admired today.

The origins of this fortress date back to the first half of the 14th. The castle was part of the border of the Lithuanian state. In the 18th century, its importance declined significantly, until it was eventually abandoned and began to fall into disrepair. The castle's present shape was restored by a restoration that took 20 years and was completed only in 2010. Today, under the high walls, knightly tournaments are held and various exhibitions are held inside. A museum has its headquarters in one of the preserved towers.

Being in Lida, it is impossible to miss the beautiful Baroque parish church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross from 1770. This Catholic church is still in continuous operation today. Inside is the image of Our Lady of the Rosary, which, according to local legends, was brought to Lida by the Franciscans as early as the 14th century.An interesting fact is that the church contains the grave of Father Stanislaw Rojek, considered a hero . The priest, who died in 1996, as parish priest led the local parish throughout the communist period, despite constant persecution by the authorities and the KGB.

Also worth a visit is the former Piarist church and the wooden church in Slobodka, which dates back to the 1930s. The city of Lida has been declared the cultural capital of Belarus 2020.

An important site for Poles here is also the parish cemetery, where Polish airmen are buried.

The city is also home to a brewery established during the years of the Second Republic. So it's worth trying the local beer, which is served in jars.

Lida is a city with a rich, centuries-old history, full of peculiar places and corners. Visiting Belarus should be a must-see on the tourist map.

Our coaches leave daily from Bialystok, for example, and the prices of the connections are very attractive.

The bus stop in Lida is located at the Bus Station, Kniazia Gedymina Boulevard 1.

You are welcome to board our buses!

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