# Grodno Oblast

Grodno Oblast, or Hrodna Voblast, is a region in the western part of Belarus.

## Cities and towns

* 53.66666723.8166671 Grodno — the center of the region and one of the oldest cities in Belarus. Hrodna is a home to a 12th-century church, an old castle, and numerous remarkable buildings from the late 17th-early 20th century.
* 54.42525.93752 Ashmyany — a town with several interesting churches and a well-preserved brick synagogue.
* 54.61361125.9552783 Astravyets — some interesting churches in the town, and more in the neighborhood.
* 53.4525.44 Dziatlava (Дзятлава) — a small town with a nice Catholic church from 17th century and a number of interesting secular buildings.
* 53.9307125.770265 Iǔje — a settlement with an old Catholic church and an unusual wooden mosque, one of the few surviving pieces of the traditional architecture of the Belarusian Tatars.
* 53.89555625.2958336 Lida — an old city with a Gothic castle from the 14th-century.
* 53.424.5333337 Masty (Масты)
* 53.58333325.8166678 Navahrudak — an ancient town with the ruins of a 13th-century castle and fine churches from the 18th-19th century.
* 53.08333325.3166679 Slonim — a town with well-preserved churches and secular buildings from the 18th-early 20th century.
* 54.48361126.410 Smarhoń — an interesting old church (originally Kalvinist) and some World War I fortifications.
* 53.16666724.46666711 Vaǔkavysk — a town with picturesque surroundings, including the hills on which the mediaeval settlement originally stood.
* 53.1524.81666712 Zeĺva (Зэльва)

## Other destinations

* 54.692526.1411111 Hierviaty (Гервяты) — a village with a magnificent neo-gothic church
* 53.12455624.3439442 Hniezna (Гнезна) — a village that preserves a fine gothic church from the 16th-century.
* 54.25576626.0142763 Haĺšany (Holszany, Гальшаны) – a village with a ruined castle and a Baroque monastery, once a seat of a princely Holszanski family.
* 54.11472225.5855564 Hieraniony (Gieranony, Геранёны) – the ruins of a Gothic castle which once belonged to Olbracht Gasztołd (d. 1539), the Grand Chancellor of Lithuania.
* 54.31083326.2833335 Kreva (Крэва) – a town with a 14th-century castle where Kęstutis of Lithuania was murdered and the first union treaty between Poland and Lithuania was signed.
* 53.75194426.0572226 Liubča (Любча) – yet another Renaissance castle of the Radziwill family can be seen in this small town.
* 53.45472226.4666677 Mir (Мір) — one of the most-known destinations in Belarus, with an original castle from the 16th century and a nice old town with 19th-century buildings.
* 53.71916725.7980568 Usialiub (Usyalub, Уселюб) — a village with a Catholic church from the 15th century. In the 19th century, the village was owned by a branch of the Irish O'Rourke family, whose funeral chapel survives to the present day.
* 53.01305625.3447229 Žyrovičy (Жыровіцы) — a village that is home to a large monastery dating back to the early 17th century.

## See
### Fortified Gothic churches

Fortified Gothic churches can be seen in several regions of Europe (notably in Transylvania in Romania). Those in Belarus add one more element to the curious blend: they are Orthodox, and the corresponding architectural tradition has its share of influence on these buildings as well.
* 53.12325.15741 Church of St. Michael, Synkavičy. The most fortified church in the whole region.
* 53.697725.00012 Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God, Muravanka. This well-preserved fortified church is especially beautifully decorated.

### Struve Geodetic Arc

A world heritage site with two points in Grodno Oblast:
* 54.29166726.0452783 "Tupischki": Tupishki, Ashmyany - About 500m southwest of the hamlet lies the marker; apparently at a height of 311 m ASL. It's marked by a small black obelisk with a globe representing the Earth on the top of it.
* 53.56055624.8697224 "Lopati": Lopaty, Zelva - The Lopati marker is easily accessible in the middle of a field right next to the P141 road.

## Go next

* Poland
* Lithuania