January 2019 – My friend Marie came to Belarus to visit me for a week. We decided to go on an adventure on the West side of the country, to visit Grodno. It was a very interesting visit for us both as it was the first (and only so far) time I went there. It was quite (quite meaning really in this case) cold which was a bit painful for our hands, especially when we were trying to take pictures, but I have to say the landscape was worth it : half happy-in-winterland, half the-end-of-the-world-is-coming. My favourite. No wonder why I love Eastern Europe.
Churches
I love churches, and I love worship places in general. When I go on holidays with my friends I usually go « churching » which is really annoying for everyone but me. Usually, after one or two places, they get tired of it and leave me behind. I’m sorry! It’s stronger than me! And in Grodno, I was very happy because… There are a lot of churches! And of different kinds : Orthodox church, Catholic church, Protestant Church… Even a Synagogue (which is under reconstruction, but the rabbi allowed us to visit it, even late at night) (how nice) (okay we may had to contribute financially too) (but still). I was able to tell Marie, look, it’s another type of church. So we have to visit it. Anyway, there is not so much else to visit in Grodno on a 12th January. And there is no wind inside. So…
The Jesuit Catholic Church 
Inside the Church 
Christmas crib (new word for your vocabulary) is still displayed 
Nice Christmas tree very cute and golden 
Oh look! Another church! 
You can even get cheap and super-typical souvenirs (for your information this is chocolate and wine, I mean, Belarusian Orthodox have understood it all) 
Very interesting icon (this is not a joke) representing the Soviet army threatening the pope 
Another icon 
Belarusian believers – in Orthodox churches, people are standing all the time and women have to cover their hair. 
A woman is cleaning the floor at all times – resulting in very shiny floor 
Evangelical Lutherian Church – protestant church are usually very geometric and very simple (not very fun for the all-golden-painted-orthodox-churches fan that I am) 
Check this out! One more! Looking super stylish – it’s Kalozha Church 
Also known as Saint Boris and Gleb chuch. It’s the oldest one in Grodno (you would have guessed that right) 
It was a bit renovated but with a lot of taste 
This church has a real atmosphere, time has stopped here… It also has a great souvenir shop. I love orthodox churches. Did I mention it? 
Roof of a monastery – monks were singing prayers in a polychonic choir. Did I mention I love polyphonic choir. 
Last but not least of our churching trip : the Synagogue 
There is not so much inside and it still needs some work but it’s quite impressive anyway 
Detail of the Synagogue
Tarkhun
While visiting so many churches – and the Synagogue – came a time when Marie and I got thirsty, hungry and, therefore, a bit angry too. We decided to explore a bit of the city as well and ultimately found the best place to have a lunch break in Grodno. This place is called Nesterka, it’s vegan (we are not vegan but vegan places usually mean good food and young and trendy atmosphere) and it is located inside one of the strangest building of the city : the Opera.
Walking in Grodno’s downtown 
I don’t know what to say. It’s different. On the side is written « Grodno, 890 years ». I don’t know why people are celebrating cities’ birthday but it’s a very common thing in Belarus 
Marie and I enjoy experimenting new things. We tried « Baïkal » on the left which is like Soviet-Cola (very nice) and « Tarkhun » on the right, made of tarragon (estragon en français) (unexpectedly not that bad)
The dear Lenin
Alright, alright, not so dear, but still, he is in every Belarusian city, right on the main square, leading us towards the what-would-have-been-very-grey-future. How not to get attached to him? Just to be clear, I’m not nostalgic of Lenin himself. But I do enjoy the statues though. It’s like Belarus is in another time-zone, another part of the Universe, which makes it really interesting. Anyway.
Himself – on the main square – in front of an administrative building 
Workers working 
A very modest monument 
It was built for the 850th anniversary of the city 
Black birds, cold wind and grey tours : welcome to Belarus 
A church, a tank, and a kitsch hotel : welcome to Belarus 2
I really hope you enjoyed this little virtual trip to Grodno. Marie and I spent there only one day but we actually had time to visit more or less everything. It was a tiring day though (meaning even if you can visit everything in one day, it’s better to stay a bit more, of course). I love winter and those snowy landscapes (I’ll add a couple more photos that couldn’t really fit in any of the previous chapter), but there is a lot more things happening in the summer obviously, which is actually true for all the cities in Belarus and maybe in the world. I didn’t mention it but there is also an old castle, and a « new old castle » – yeah, it’s funny, ask the locals – that you can maybe visit now but were still under construction last year.
Little houses and snowy roads 
The view from the almost frozen river
No my friend, I didn’t forget you! Thank you dear Aleksander for being our dear guide, showing us around all day long in the cold, and thank you to your friends for welcoming us and making us try some Russian « cocktails » (what is the name again?). We had a lovely day, a lovely evening, and a very difficult next morning 🙂
Le Ponpon sur la Garonne 
Une réflexion sur “Belarus #8 One day in Grodno : churches, tarkhun and the dear Lenin”