Mir, Belarus

By | November 25, 2022

About 90 km from the capital of Belarus, almost at the intersection of the Brest, Grodno and Minsk regions, there is a small place with the amazing name Mir. Officially, it is not even a city and is considered an “urban-type settlement”, but, nevertheless, many tourists who come to Belarus arrange their trip in such a way that they definitely get there, and many specially go to “see the World”. And believe that they are all very pleased with this visit.

How to get to Mir

From the centers of all three regions, Mir is easily accessible by bus. The road from Minsk will take 2 hours and will cost about 9 BYN. Buses leave both from the central bus station (the one next to the railway station) and from the eastern one, in the direction of Novogrudok. Check jibin123 for customs regulations and visa requirements of Belarus.

A trip from Grodno (direction to Soligorsk) will take 4 hours, but from Nesvizh, also beloved by tourists, only 40 minutes. Since all buses are passing, tickets for them are sold upon arrival of the transport and the station, they cannot be bought in advance.

Since the distance between Mir and Nesvizh is approximately 30 km, both towns can be visited on the same day. In this case, it is better to start the journey from Nesvizh, and from there go to Mir. You can go not only by scheduled buses, but also by agreeing with excursion buses, whose drivers often go towards tourists.

Getting to Mir by train is not very convenient. All trains go to the station Stolbtsy (or Gorodeya), from which you still need to take a bus to the end point. The ride is not long, at most 30 minutes, but there may not be any seats in a passing bus, here it’s how lucky. If such a prospect does not scare you, then you can safely take an electric train in Minsk (Brest or Baranovichi), the route of which includes the stop Stolbtsy or Gorodeya and go. Departure takes place from the station Minsk-Passenger and from the stop “Institute of Culture”.

Cuisine and restaurants of the World

Like any tourist site, Mir has several cafes where you can eat and relax, tired of walking and impressions. At your service there is a cafe at the Usadba hotel, a cafe in the Straunya castle, as well as the Road of Castles, Mirum and Ragneda, which offers an amazing view of the castle. We must pay tribute to the fact that the food is tasty and plentiful in all the restaurants of the World, so which institution you like the most, you can dine there. And, of course, do not miss the opportunity to have a picnic in the summer on the banks of the Miryanka River, just do not light fires.

Shopping and stores

What can be bought in the World? The souvenir shops of the castle and the town have a rich selection of all kinds of authentic souvenirs, including old (or antique-styled) coins, pottery, various figurines and amulets, bells, wickerwork and carvings, as well as beautiful photographs with views of the castle and paintings by local artists. It is not for nothing that a vocational art college is located in Mir!

Entertainment and attractions of the World

The main attraction of the World, which attracts tourists like a magnet, is the Mir Castle of the 16th century. In 2000, this historical object was included in the UNESCO heritage list, and in 2011 received the status of an independent museum. You can admire the castle from Mir (the view across the lake is simply amazing!) and you can walk around its surroundings for free. But only those who have purchased a ticket are allowed into the territory of this majestic red brick structure through revolving doors.

Entrance: adults – 14 BYN; schoolchildren, students – 7 BYN.

Everyone who has visited the castle at least once especially recommends that beautiful ladies refrain from high heels. And not even because the area of ​​the castle is paved with paving stones, but because of the real test – the stairs to the tower with its extremely steep and narrow steps.

The castle experiences a particularly powerful influx of visitors during the days when knightly festivals are held under its walls. Then the guests of the World have a unique opportunity to attend a real medieval tournament, and maybe even try their hand at some competitions. Well, lovers of more peaceful pursuits will certainly be interested in the June festival called “Musical Evenings in the Mir Castle”.

In addition to the castle itself, you can take a walk in the local park, visit the chapel-tomb of the princes Svyatopolk-Mirsky, St. George’s chapel, Holy Trinity Church, the church of St. Nicholas, the synagogue courtyard and the building of the former silence at the burial place of the victims of fascism. And to unwind, take a look at the Mirsky Posad estate-museum, where a local enthusiast collected many historical finds in the building of a former tavern.

There you can learn about the tragic fate of worldly Jews, hear local legends, see a treasure trove of old coins, and even sit on the bed of Prince Mikhail Svyatopolk-Mirsky, which can restore youth to the fairer sex. Might be worth checking it out…

Mir, Belarus