It is hard to imagine even one Russian who has never heard the famous song «Belovezhskaya Pushcha» of the legendary Belarusian ensemble Pesnyary. The lyrics, written by Alexandra Pakhmutova, became the anthem of the renowned national park simultaneously located in two countries, Poland and Belarus, and of the former Soviet Republic.

Today, the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park is a symbol of Belarus and the oldest biosphere reserve in Europe. For the first time, the primeval forests of these lands appeared in the records of the 10th century. Later, they were considered Poland’s territory, and only under the reign of Catherine the Great, some of them became part of the Russian Empire. These lands attracted princes, kings, and emperors with the diversity of their wild animals. Soon, Belovezhskaya Pushcha turned into a famous royal hunting ground for bison and deer. Because of such royal entertainment, the number of the reserve’s inhabitants decreased drastically. The world would have never seen beautiful bison if not for the decree of Emperor Alexander I, prohibiting the bison hunts and calling to restore the population of red deer.

The territories of Belovezhskaya Pushcha belong to both Poland and Belarus. The national park of Belarus includes the Museum of Nature devoted to Belovezhskaya Pushcha, the Belarusian Father Frost’s Residence, the Viskuli hunting residence, and, of course, the bison breeding center, the favorite place of all tourists. In the unique museum, you can get acquainted with the richness of local flora and fauna, trace the history of how these lands developed under the guard of our ancestors, and see the impenetrable thickets of the forest, unreachable on foot. Father Frost’s residence is located at the very entrance to the park, and the sister of Baba Yaga, Kargota, works as a guide here. Every guest is welcome to get acquainted with Father Frost and Snow Maiden, sit on the throne of ice, and touch the magic staff, but the best surprises are in there for little travelers only.

In the Viskuli residence, the Belovezha Accords on the dissolution of the Soviet Union were signed. Today, you can ride there sitting in an old carriage or a comfortable chair of a retro car. But the main reason tourists visit Belovezhskaya Pushcha is the bison breeding center, home to more than 1,000 amazing furry creatures.