GRODNO, 4 February (BelTA) – Signature festivals, the revival of crafts and historical monuments, award-winning projects contribute to building the region's image and popularity. The topic was high on the agenda of a meeting of the Culture Department of the Grodno Oblast Executive Committee to review the 2025 year's results and to outline the future plans, BelTA has learned.
“If we talk about cultural workers, their number in Grodno Oblast is actually relatively small, just over 5,000 people. But when we start listing all the festivals, holidays, and concerts that took place in 2025, we arrive at a figure exceeding 137,000 events. That’s amazing. More than 200 events on this list are signature events based on the local heritage and traditions, and are known far beyond their home region,” Vice Governor Viktor Pranyuk said while describing the culture sector's contribution to creating a unique image for Grodno Oblast and boosting its tourism appeal.
The Festival of National Cultures (which will be held for the 15th time this year), the Batskava Bulka bread festival, PROzharka po-volkovyssku [Volkovysk-Style Roast], and Voranausky Dranik [Voronovo Potato Pancake] attract thousands of guests. During the season, there are queues of visitors to the restored Old Castle in Grodno. Tourists eagerly participate in workshops led by folk craftsmen, learning about traditional techniques of weaving, paper cutting (vytsinanka), pottery, and other crafts that Belarusians have mastered for centuries. All this contributes to the region's tourism appeal, and tourism is one of the key priorities for the social and economic development of our country.
Builders and restorers worked on 44 historical and cultural heritage sites last year, said Yelena Klimovich, Head of the Culture Department of the Grodno Oblast Executive Committee. The reconstruction of the Church of the Apparition of the Holy Dormition Zhirovichi Monastery has been completed, the walls of Krevo Castle have been stabilized, the historical fence of the fortified church in the village of Muravanka in Shchuchin District has been renewed, and the facade of the former Albertin Estate in Slonim has been given a new appearance, with interior work planned next.
Work is in progress on the scientific and project documentation for the second phase of the Old Castle complex in Grodno, the most popular tourist site in the region. Pre-project documentation is being prepared for the reconstruction and restoration of the mill on the grounds of the former Oginski Palace in Zalesye.
The list of such objects in the historically rich Grodno Oblast is extensive: work is ongoing in the main building of the former Bridgettine monastery, the complex of buildings of the former brewery in Grodno, Svyatsk palace and park, and St. Nicholas Church in the town of Mir. Last year, the famous building of the Grodno Regional Drama Theater, one of the iconic landmarks of the city on the Neman River, was granted the status of a historical and cultural heritage site.
The region has 1,130 artisans. Nearly 40 of them hold the honorary title of People’s Master of the Republic of Belarus, with 7 receiving this status in 2025.
The State Register of Historical and Cultural Heritage Sites of the Republic of Belarus includes 25 elements of intangible heritage from Grodno Obast. Just at the end of last year, the tradition of black-glazed pottery making in Svisloch District was granted the status of historical and cultural heritage element. A two-chamber kiln has been reconstructed in the district center, allowing both masters and tourists to see and learn this ancient craft.
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