Kossovo

General information

Kossovo is a small town in the Ivatsevichi district of the Brest region which is 15 kilometers from Ivatsevichi. Kossovo is an amazing place with unique architectural monuments. This small town with a population of just about 2 thousand people is home to the famous general and politician Tadeusz Kosciuszko.

Kossovo is known to be a former Jewish ghetto, a place of forced relocation of Jews during their persecution and extermination after Belarus was occupied by Nazi Germany forces during World War II.

History of Kossovo

The town was first mentioned in 1494 as a possession of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Marshal I.Hreptovich. The settlement grew slowly and for a long time remained in the shadow of its big neighbours. In 1510, King Sigismund I the Old, issued a decree allowing Kossovo to hold biddings and fairs. However, the town reached its prime with the new owners the Puslovsky tycoons who bought the land in the second half of the 18th century. One of the most well-known members of the family, Vandalin Puslovsky, began to construct a palace that later became one of the most beautiful in Belarus.

From 1915, Kossovo was occupied by the Germans, from 1921 to 1939 it was part of Poland and the center of the district and from 1939, and the town became a part of the BSSR.

Kossovo reference information

Sightseeing in Kossovo

It is impossible to imagine an excursion in Kossovo without a visit to the Puslovsky castle. Puslovsky castle or as it is often called Kossovskiy Castle is an architectural monument of the first half of the 19th century. Its construction lasted more than ten years and was completed in 1850.

Puslovsky invited famous architects Yascholda and Marconi to work on the palace and park ensemble and they created this incredible architectural monument. There were various legends about the luxury aspects of the palace; there were talks of a tamed lion walking along the corridors, exotic fish swimming in a room under a glass floor and a secret underground passage connecting the castle with Ruzhansky palace. Unfortunately, destructive powers of war did not surpass this beautiful ensemble. During World War I, ancient collections of manuscripts, paintings and sculptures were stolen and the park suffered immensely. In 1943, the partisans set fire to the palace; the fire lasted for more than ten days bringing huge destruction. Restoration of the unique monument of architecture was started recently. Tourists should take a stroll through the ancient park ensemble which has an interesting ponds system.

Another hallmark attracting the attention of many tourists is Kosciuszko museum-estate in Kossovo. Tadeusz Kosciuszko was born here on February 4th 1746; he was the famous leader of the liberation uprising against the Russian occupation and the national hero of Poland, the USA, Lithuania and Belarus. The family estate had been reproduced in 2004 and has been restored based on Napoleon Orda drawings and is now open to visitors. Every year on February 4th, Kossovo celebrates the birthday of Kosciuszko.

Tourists should also pay attention to the ancient churches of Kossovo. In 1877, on the site of a wooden church a stone Trinity Church was erected. Church of St. Anthony from 1868 and the wooden Church of the Assumption from 1871 have also been preserved. There is an old Catholic cemetery on the outskirts of town, where in addition to the chapel with unusual architecture, tourists will find the graves of those who took part in the Kastus Kalinovski uprising of 1863-1864. Gravestones monument was erected by the Polish authorities in 1928.

Accommodation in Kossovo

Choice of accommodation varies depending on one’s preferences. There are a number of hotels motels, farmsteads and wellness centers nearby.

Economy

Agricultural Production Company ‘Kossovo’ includes 5 settlements. The main activities of the company are animal breeding (cattle) and crop production. The farm ‘Kossovo’ produces the following products which are lupine, pelyushka, wheat, triticale, rye, oats, malting barley, corn, milk and meat.