Kobrin

General information

Kobrin is a town in the Brest region and the administrative center of the Kobrin district. Located in the west just 40 kilometers from Brest, Kobrin is known as a cozy and hospitable place. Kobrin has existed for more than seven hundred years; it is placed where the river Mukhavets flows into Dnieper-Bug canal. Kobrin is home to over 50 thousand people and it is the fourth largest settlement in the Brest region.

History of Kobrin

Kobrin was first mentioned in chronicles in 1287. The question of the origin of its name is still open. According to one version, Kobrin was once inhabited by the ‘obry’ – nomadic Turkic people, and they subsequently gave it the name it goes by today. According to another version, Kobrin is named after its founder the legendary Obra. In 1589, Kobrin received the Magdeburg rights and coat of arms which is the French shield with images of the Mother of God, the baby Jesus and St. Anne. As in any free city, the town hall was built here which unfortunately is not accessible today due to the fact that it was not preserved in the right conditions.

At various points in history Kobrin belonged to the Roman Ratnenski, Queen Bona, Anna Jagellonka, and the Russian Empress Catherine II. After the 3rd partition of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795, Catherine II granted Suvorov the mansion ‘Kobrinskiy klyuch’ for the suppression of Tadeusz Kosciuszko uprising. In 1813, famous Russian poet A.S.Griboedov lived in Kobrin.

Kobrin reference information

Sightseeing in Kobrin

Starting your tour of Kobrin from the pedestrian Suvorov Street is sincerely recommended. It takes you to the old park, founded in the mid-18th century, where you will be able to see its main hallmark which is the museum of Russian commander Alexander Suvorov. Kobrin takes pride in such a historical connection to the famous general.

Spassky Monastery in Kobrin, according to some legends was built by Prince Ivan Semenovich in the 15th century and is the oldest building of the town. Until recently the building was being used as a police station, but in 2010 the building was once again reopened as a monastery.

St. Nicholas church in Kobrin is a prime example of wooden architecture and is located on the banks of the river Mukhavets. On the other side of the river is the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky. Not far from the church of Saints Peter and Paul there is a cemetery for Polish soldiers who died during the Polish-Soviet War. The surviving buildings of the late 19th century of Kobrin create a special atmosphere – it is easy to imagine just how Kobrin looked like a hundred years ago.

It is impossible not to notice the monument to Prince Vladimir Vasilkovich and Princess Olga Romanovna, whose names are associated with the first mentioning of Kobrin, while strolling through the historic center. Further on the bank of the river Mukhavets, near the Ice Palace, there is a monument to the boatswain with a parrot on his shoulder. There is also a monument erected in honour of the first victory of the Russian troops over the French in July 15th 1812 in a battle near Kobrin. Lovers of outdoor activities in Belarus may enjoy a visit to the aqua park.

Accommodation in Kobrin

Choice of accommodation depends on one’s preferences. There are a number of hotels, motels, farmsteads, cottages with saunas and a couple of sanatoriums called ‘White Tower’ and ‘Sunny’.

Economy

The district has 19 industrial enterprises. Majority are food industry enterprises such as Kobrin konservniy and maslodelniy and Gorodetsky konservniy zavodi. Metalworking enterprises, weaving, and furniture factories are also functioning in Kobrin. The district specializes in the production of milk, meat, grain, sugar beets and canola.