Berezovka

General description

Berezovka is located on the left bank of River Neman. The town hosts a famous glass factory and a museum of glass and china industry that attract many tourists.

Geographic information

Berezovka is situated 27 km away from Lida and 8 km away from Neman railway station (Lida-Baranovichi railway line). Motorways link the town with Lida, Novogrudok and Dyatlovo.

History

The history of Berezovka is closely linked with the development of glass and china industry in Belarus. The town was founded in the late 19^th century.

First glass-blowing shops appeared in Belarus in 1875, 1883 and 1894.

In 1883 local landlord Zenon Lenski founded a glass factory near the village of Novaya Guta. In 1891 the factory was handed over to professional glass-makers Wilhelm Krayevski and Julius Stolle, who built their own factory some time later. It was their factory that gave birth to the town of Berezovka.

Famous people

Wilhelm Krayevski and Julius Stolle — professional glass-makers.

Attractions

One of the major attractions of Berezovka is the two-storey office of the administration of the glass factory that was built in 1925.

In addition, there is a museum of glass industry, whose exhibits are true works of arts. Many exhibits won prizes and diplomas at international exhibitions.

Most tourists also visit the monument to two hundred POWs who were shot by fascist invaders in 1941.

Masses in the local Holy Spirit cathedral may be mentioned among tourist attractions, since they are accompanied by a brass band made of the glass factory personnel.

Landmark

Berezovka’s neman used to be the third biggest glass factory in the USSR. Today the enterprise makes a wide range of goods of crystal, color and colorless glass.

Neman products enjoy a great deman all over the world, including Russia, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, France, the USA, Canada, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia.

On June 10 2002 Belarus officially registered the emblem of Berezovka — a cross of two silver glass-blowing pipes and a silver cup.

Events

The anniversary of the Neman glass factory foundation is celebrated in September.

Infrastructure

Accommodation services provided by the hotel of Neman Glass Factory OJSC.

There is a café and a bar in Berezovka.

Tourist potential

Numerous excursions involve walking around Berezovka surroundings and rafting down River Neman.

To enjoy secluded farm life, come to Nad Nemanom farmstead.

Legends and traditions

The legendary glass-blowers of Berezovka were wide-known in the Russian Empire and later in the Soviet Union. Local craftsmen once helped famous Soviet sculptor Vera Mukhina fulfill the government’s order.

Tours

Grodno-Based Intour-Service LLC offers an excursion to Berezovka (including the glass industry museum and the shop), Lida and Schuchin. It is a one-day excursion by bus that begins and ends in Grodno.

Svelna travel agency offers a bus excursion to Lida and Berezovka with Minsk as a point of departure.

Thrill-seekers may raft down rivers Zapadnaya Berezina and Neman (Ostrovtsy-Naberezhnaya-Neman-Ogorodniki-Orlya-Luna). It is a five-day water trip with a stop in Berezovka. The trip embraces four stages, (MinskTourist travel company).

• Accomodation
  • Hotels
• Rural tourism