Brest  is the center of Brest region, situated on the right bank of the Western Bug where the Muchaviec river flows into it. It is located in the very west of Belarus. The first description of it in the chronicles-Apovest minulych hadou (Tale of the Bygone Years) - was in 1019. In 1319 Brest was included into the Great Duchy of Lithuania (the GDL). In 1390 the town gained its self-government. Very often it was a battlefield of various wars. In 1840s Brest was totally ruined and on its ruins Russians erected the Brest Fortress.

Brest region
The Brest region located in the south-western part of the Republic, it has borders with Poland
and the Ukraine. The center of the region is the city of Brest (population: 300,000 people).
The whole southern part of the region is occupied by a unique natural and ethno-cultural territory -Belarusian Polesie. The main waterway of the region, river Prypiat with its multiple tributaries flows here.
With the aim to preserve natural peculiarities of the territory 12 reserves and 29 protected monuments of nature were set up in the region. But, of course, the special pride of this land is the State National Park "Belovezhskaya
Pushcha" (Belavezha forest reserve), a unique woodland in the north-western part of the region. The total territory of the park in theregion is 87.6 thousand hectares, above 900 types of plants grow here and about 60 types
of animals live here, including the symbol of Belarus - the Belavezha bison. It's right here, in the village of Viskouly, the leaders of Russia, Belarus and the Ukraine signed the famous "Belavezha agreement", which stipulated the final disintegration of the USSR. Today the place of the "death" of the previously formidable empire is quite popular among tourists. In the village of Kamieniuky (Kamenets district) there is a museum of Belovezhskaya pushcha. Don't miss the opportunity to visit one of the national symbols of Belarus - the famous
Kamenets pillar, more known under the name of Belaya vezha (White tower). This tower, built in the XIII century, impresses greatly with the power and elegance of its lines even today. Tourists can stay at several hotels.
Please contact in advance by phone: (01631) 56498,56572.56543. The Brest land is rich with historical and cul-
tural monuments. About 120 ancient parks and estates, 2084 monuments of history and architecture are situated here. Among the most ancient ones is the archaeological complex "Berestye", which includes buildings of
the XI-Xllc.c.
The most precious historical and architectural monuments include the catholic church in the original style of "Belarusian Gothic" in the village of Ishkold of the Baranovichy district and the catholic church in the style of
Renaissance in Chernovchitsy village of the Brest district, the monastery of the Cartesian Order in Bereza, St. George church in Sinkevichy village of the Luninets district. Despite of its semi-ruined condition, the remains of the Sapegas' palace in Ruzhany (XVII-XVIII c.c.) make an unforgettable impression - columns of the proud fasade
look imposingly, elegant galleries "embrace" the palace.
Brest is the traditional "western gate" of the country, a city with glorious centuries-old history and very interesting present. The first mentioning of it is dated by 1019. In 1390 it was the first city in Belarus that obtained self-
government on the basis of the Magdeburg Law. The historical Union, which reconciled and united catholic and orthodox confessions in Belarus, was concluded here in 1596. Again here in 1917 Lenin's government con-
cluded the "Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty" with Germany during WWI. In WWII the city became famous for the unparalleled feat of the defenders of the Brest fortress, which later received the title "Hero-fortress". The
feat of the Soviet soldiers, who were the first to accept the treacherous blow of the fascist Germany in the summer of 1941 and held defense - almost incredible under those conditions! - so as to give the whole vast country time to gather strength, - this feat is really legendary and deserves eternal memory. Look at the red walls of the fortress, riddled with machine-gun fire - for 60 years now they have been reminding about the heroes.
Well, and the contemporary Brest is, first of all, a border city, ebullient and energetic one. The opening of a free economic zone here for the period of 50 years promoted considerable reanimation of business activities.

pictures of Brest and Brest region