A heavy IS-2 tank on a pedestal and a memorial wall bearing the names of partisan units show two different forms of remembrance in Navlya. There is also a museum dedicated to partisans and underground fighters, as well as a separate exhibition area devoted to singer Anastasia Vyaltseva. The town thus brings together the history of the war and a personal, musical exhibition theme.

Partisan History at the Museum

The exhibition at the Museum of Partisan Glory focuses mainly on the actions of partisans and underground fighters from Navlya during the Great Patriotic War. A separate section is devoted to Anastasia Vyaltseva (1871–1913), where visitors can listen to recordings of her voice. The themes therefore unfold on two levels: the collective events of local history on the one hand, and the life of a singer and the preservation of her voice on the other. For practical visit planning, it is advisable to check the museum’s current visiting arrangements in advance.

Monuments and Memorial Sites

The obelisk to the liberators and partisans was erected in the centre of Navlya on 17 September 1968. Memorial plaques were added in 1971; one of them lists 14 partisan units formed in the district between 1941 and 1943. This monument thus brings together the units of the war years and the plaques added later.

Another memorial site is the monument to the tank crews of the 10th Independent Guards Tank Brigade of the 1st Tank Corps of the 11th Guards Tank Army of the Bryansk Front. It was erected in May 1985 and commemorates the unit that took part in the liberation of the district centre. A heavy IS-2 tank stands on a pedestal. While the obelisk foregrounds the memorial plaques and the units, here the tank crews and the displayed vehicle shape the impression.

P. I. Derevyanko Square in the centre of Navlya was named in 2008. In 2010, a memorial wall bearing the names of the 14 partisan units of the “Death to the German Occupiers!” brigade and a bust of the brigade commander, Pyotr Ilyich Derevyanko, were installed there. The square commemorates both the units and their commander. The Square of the Komsomol Underground Fighters is also among Navlya’s sights.

Walking Trail and Natural Monument

The “Around the Partisan Oak” tourist trail was developed in 2013. For Navlinsky District, the plan included visits to the Square of the Komsomol Underground Fighters and the Museum of Partisan Glory in Navlya. If you plan to include the trail in your trip, check its current status in advance. The federally and regionally significant “Partisan Oak” natural monument is located nearby, at Glinnoye. It adds a distinct connection with nature to the historical focus.

More to Explore in Bryansk Oblast

For a broader look beyond Navlya, Bryansk Oblast offers its own cultural and natural history themes. The Khatsun Memorial Complex commemorates the victims of the Nazi occupation regime in the Bryansk region and the Russian villages destroyed during the Great Patriotic War. At the Bryansky Les Nature Reserve, visitors can experience wilderness through environmental education, routes, and wildlife observation. The reserve lies between the Desna and Nerussa rivers and is the oblast’s only nature reserve. It is also one of the centres for breeding and reintroducing bison, which historically lived in this area.

A Dated Occasion

On 20 and 21 July 2021, a joint service for the patronal feast was held in Navlya at the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. This specific date adds a religious occasion from local history to the memorial sites and museum.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Kokorevka, Krasnaya, Suponevo, Belyaeva, Krasnyy Most, Pochep, Novaya Salyn', Titovka.

For the broader travel overview: Bryansk Oblast.