Lyakhovichi

General information

Lyakhovichi is a town in the Lyakhovichsky district of the Brest region; it is the largest administrative center of the region. The railway station in the town lies on the route from Baranovichi to Luninets. The population is about 11,500 people.

Lyakhovichi lies on the banks of the river Vedma and it is 225 kilometers to the north-east of Brest. The town is surrounded by many legends and stories, which lovers of history might find especially interesting.

History of Lyakhovichi

The town was first mentioned in 1572 in connection with King Sigismund Augustus transferring it to tycoon Jan Jerome Chodkiewicz. Son of the latter, Jan Karol, Hetman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, was known for his victories over the Swedes (1605) and the Turks (1621). In the early 17th century Karol built one of the most powerful fortresses in Belarus with the palace in the center of the defensive complex. The length of ‘Lyakhovichi Fortecia’ was more than one kilometer. The fortress was surrounded by a river isolated by a dam.

As a result of prolonged war and siege, the town was abandoned in the late 16th century and remained a small settlement. Its inhabitants were the Belarusians, Jews, and Tatars – they engaged in agriculture, small trade and craft. Half a century later the city came into possession of Sapieha.

In the 2nd division of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1793, Lyakhovichi became a part of Russia. In 1885, after the completion of the railway construction connecting Baranovichi – Luninets, Lyakhovichi’s population began to increase and the town acquired a commercial importance. In 1897, the town had a population of 5,000 people. On February 18th 1918, troops of Imperial Germany occupied the town and prevented the Soviet power from settling there, however the town was recovered in December 1918 after the offensive of the Red Army.

Lyakhovichi reference information

Sightseeing in Lyakhovichi

In spite of the ravages of war and the devastation it caused, the town has managed to retain some of its attractions. One of the most attractive sites is the Church of the Holy Yazep. The church was built in 1907, but after reconstruction work in 1950 it has lost some of its originality as the new design significantly changed its appearance. Soviet authorities gave the church building away to the local clinic and it is located within the walls of the church to this day.

Fans of military history are encouraged to visit the famous ramparts along the Vedma River. Memorial boulder sign depicting the coat of arms of the town is placed at the spot where centuries ago the wall of fortress was built.

Among other attractions are the terraced houses from the 19th to 20th centuries that are still in their original architectural forms. The Christian cemetery in Lyakhovichi is worth visiting where samples of ritual architecture of the 19th century can be found. The chapel-tomb of the Soltanov family was built in the 1830s and a chapel above the grave of D.Reytan in the 1850s. An obelisk on the graves of the Russian soldiers stands as a reminder about the bloodiest battles of World War I.

Accommodation in Lyakhovichi

There are hotels, motel, farmsteads and a wellness center called ‘Magistralniy’ available for accommodation.

Economy

There are 5 industrial and 12 agricultural enterprises in the region. The leading sector is the processing industry. Production is oriented mainly on processing the local raw materials such as casein, flax and peat bricks to name but a few. The produce of the three companies is exported to the CIS countries and abroad. The Industrial complex in the Lyakhovichi district is represented by five companies and these are ‘Lyakhovichi molochniy zavod’,’Lyakhovichi konservniy zavod’ ‘Lyakhovichi koopprom’ and ‘Lyakhovichi lnozavod’.