Kobryn, Belarus lies at the center of the Kobrin region at Brest Voblasc. It is located about 52 kilometers to the east of Brest. Kobryn, Belarus actually lies on the Muchaviec River. The city once used to be a part of Poland. Kobryn is one of the well known tourist destinations in Belarus.
Kobryn, Belarus stands at the center of the Kobryn Raion. It is situated at the southwestern corner of Belarus where the Mukhavets River and the Dnepr-Bug Canal meets. Kobryn, Belarus is about 52 Kilometers east of the city of Brest, placed at an altitude of 485 feet. There is a station named Kobryn on the Brest-Homiel Railway line. The population of the city is roughly 51,500.
The city of Kobryn is in existence since the year 1287. During the 13th century it belonged to the Volhynian Prince Vladimir Vasilevich. Kobryn, Belarus actually belonged to the Lithuanian and the Polish states, then to Imperial Russia and the Belorussian SSR. Basically Kobryn was inhabited by the Jews from the 17th century and in course of time, the numbers inflated and depleted to a great extent.
The history of the city reflects that when Germany declared war against Russia which is known as the great Patriotic War. The Germans first occupied Belarus then captured Kobrin. Gradually the Nazis started a mass Jewish killing operation. Only very few from the Jewish community existed as most of them were either killed or fled to some other countries. The Red Army liberated the country but the Jewish community was never been revived to the region.
The historical background of Kobryn, Belarus actually belonged to the Lithuanian and the Polish states, then to Imperial Russia and the Belorussian SSR dates back to the period of the Polish Defence War in the year 1939. A heavy battle took place between the Polish 60th Infantry division of Colonel Adam Epler and the German XIX Panzer Corps of General Heinz Guderian. A fierce fight took place for three days until the Polish moved southwards.
One of the most important tourist attractions in Kobryn is the Jewish Synagogue, located at the Pinskaya Street, where majority of the Jews used to live. The Synagogue is fenced with a brick fence in the east and the north. The west is bordered by the 'Kabrinke' river through the bridge of which one crosses the Horodnikas Street.
The Synagogue was built according to the old Polish architecture with three gates, all facing the west. The Synagogue was the place where the old Jews used to pray in the Sephardi style. The first gate leads to the great entrance and the third to the wooden stairs to the women's gallery. There is a double door, very wide and painted in dark brown. This door will take you inside the synagogue. During the Second World War the Nazis turned the synagogue into a grain silo.
The other attractions that can be visited during sightseeing in Kobryn are:
- Hero-Fortress
- Railway Museum
- A Holocaust Museum
- Brest City Park
For getting to Kobryn one can take a flight to Minsk, the capital city of Belarus and then reach Kobryn, by availing of the trains or some other public transport.
So enjoy the Kobryn Tour along the beaten tracks of the historical city.
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