Drogichin

General information

Drogichin is a town and the district center of Brest region, Belarus. The small town of Drogichin is located in the heart of the Belarusian Polesie near the border with Ukraine. Drogichin attracts the attention of visitors on holiday in Belarus due to its picturesque nature. There are a couple of theories circulating in terms of where the name of the town has originated from. Some associate it with Dregovichi which is a Slavic tribe that once inhabited the southern part of Belarus and the other theory is that the placement of Drogichin is at the crossroad of important road and in Russian ‘doroga’ means road.

The region is situated within the boundaries of the plain with the highest point of 173 meters. The minerals here are peat, clay and construction sand.

History of Drogichin

Drogichin was first referred to in 1452 although at the time it had the slightly different name of Dovecherkovichi which was gradually replaced by name it is known as today. The town suffered great destruction as a result of war. Residents were under constant attacks from the Tatars and the Swedish troops of King Charles 12. Drogichin became part of the Russian Empire after the third partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795.

The structure of Drogichin traditionally formed in such a way that there was ease of access to the main roads. The development stretched along the streets that depart from the Market Square. Around the market a number of merchants and craftsmen would be settled and in the center there was a wooden town hall, which connected to the shops and warehouse buildings. In addition to craftsmen and traders, serfs also settled themselves in this town, so the construction of Drogichin combined rural and urban types of settlements which were typical of small cities and towns of Belarus.

Drogichin reference information

Sightseeing in Drogichin

There are not a lot of monuments in Drogichin; however there are certain interesting sites that are worth visiting. The wooden Sretenskaya church is the oldest urban construction that was built in 1863 and it is a remarkable example of wooden architecture. Unfortunately the Virgin Mary church has not been able to preserve its beauty unlike many other churches. This particular church was built in 1928 but with the advent of Soviet power the church was closed and was not returned to churchmen until now.

The Festival of Orthodox religious chants, ‘Sing to God, Sing’ became a well known activity in Drogichin. During this particular holiday the churchmen from around the country gather in celebration and this festival takes place annually in the month of May.

To explore the history of the region in depth one can visit the National Museum of Partisan Glory. Tourists will be able to see the valuable exhibits as well as hear the stories about the Great Patriotic War.

Trips to Drogichin are included in some tours around Belarus, as well as historical and ecological cycling routes. These are the tours during which travelers will visit several towns and villages and experience the wealth of local nature and history of Polesie. Trip to this region, its forests and landscapes will leave a memorable impression.

Accommodation in Drogichin

There are a couple of hotels, a wellness center and farmsteads for accommodation.

Economy

Various enterprises in Drogichin specialize in the production of grain, feed, soft drinks and hematogen. The town has a tractor repairing factory, feed mills, ‘Ekzon’, ‘Ekzon –glyukoza’, ‘Frost and Co’, and construction companies. Agriculture specializes in meat and dairy products, wheat, oats, barley, buckwheat, potatoes and sugar beets.