Three distinct themes stand out for a trip to Ushachy: partisan art and wartime history, the literary connection to Vasyl Bykau, and the Barkovshchina Springs near the town. Bychki is associated with Vasyl Bykau and adds his birthplace to the literary theme. The wider destination of Ushachy District also includes other museums, historic buildings and landscape features.
Art, literature and remembrance
The partisan art gallery at the Ushachy Museum features wartime sketches, caricatures and oil paintings by partisan artists. After an exhibition at the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, the collection later returned to the town museum. The works offer an artistic perspective on the town’s history, distinct from a purely military account of events.
Another cultural connection leads to Bychki: the village in the Ushachy area is associated with the writer Vasyl Bykau. His restored birthplace is used as a museum. This adds a literary theme to consider for your trip alongside the partisan art.
The Proryv Memorial Complex commemorates a night battle in which partisans broke out of an encirclement. Its central figure depicts a partisan breaking through a concrete wall. The monument thus links the historical event to a striking sculptural representation.
Springs and wellness history
The Barkovshchina Springs near Ushachy are considered a historic wellness destination. The Lesnye Ozero Sanatorium is surrounded by six springs. Those interested in this part of the area’s history will find a different thematic experience here than at the museums and memorials.
In the wider destination of Ushachy District
The Vasily Bykov Family Museum-Estate is located in the village of Bychki in Ushachskiy Rayon. Its exhibits include documents, photographs, works by V. V. Bykov, copies of his drawings and the writer’s personal belongings. Guided tours are available to visitors by prior arrangement. If a tour is part of your plans, check the current visitor arrangements before travelling.
The Ushachy Museum of People's Glory devotes four exhibition halls to the history of the partisan movement in Ushachy during the Second World War. The exhibition also includes materials on Ushachy’s historical past. This offers a broader museum perspective on local wartime history.
The region’s architectural heritage spans different periods and styles. The 1913 St. Lawrence Church is located in Ushachy. In Orekhovno, there is a manor house dating from the mid-19th century. The Church of St. Veronica in Selišče was built in 1726 at a Bernardine monastery; today, only building ruins remain of the Selišče Bernardine complex. Check access to the ruins locally.
The lakes also offer their own perspective on the landscape: Lake Vechelye is one of the ten deepest lakes in Belarus. Lake Otolovo ranks second in Belarus for the distinctiveness of its shoreline. These details highlight two different features of the lakes in Ushachy District.
Getting there and finding accommodation
The R29 republican highway runs through Ushachy. Ushachskiy Rayon is connected to other cities and regions of Belarus by bus. Check current schedules before travelling.
To search for a holiday apartment, set Ushachy as your preferred search location. When considering a specific listing, compare its address with the places you want to visit. If you plan to include destinations in Ushachy District, plan travel to each one separately.
For the wider travel overview: Ushachy District.
