Press releases

12 Jan 2026

Ruins of Bernardine convent in Brest to undergo conservation

BREST, 12 January (BelTA) - In Brest Oblast work will be carried out on two landmark sites as part of the state program Cultural Space for 2026-2030, Svetlana Romanyuk, Deputy Head of the Department for Coordinating the Activities of Cultural Institutions at Culture Directorate of the Brest Oblast Executive Committee, BelTA has learned.

Specifically, conservation work is planned for the ruins of the Bernardine convent located within the Volyn Fortification of the Brest Fortress. “After the conservation of this site and the improvement of the surrounding area, it can be integrated into a tourist route related to the medieval history of the city. This is one of the oldest buildings of Brest-Litovsk, situated near the Berestye archaeological museum,” Svetlana Romanyuk noted.

The Bernardine monastery complex in Brest-Litovsk was founded in the 17th century and was the only one within the borders of modern Belarus. For a long time, this area with its church served as a spiritual center. From 1842 to 1854, the former buildings of the Bernardine monks and nuns housed the Brest Alexander Cadet Corps, and from 1854 onward, they were used as a military hospital. From 1944 until the 1990s, its ruins were part of the Soviet military grounds. The Volyn Fortification was closed to the public. After the withdrawal of military units in the early 1990s, this site has remained unused.

Additionally, the Cultural Space program spells out work on the grounds of the Sapieha Palace in Ruzhany. “We envisage conservation with elements of restoration for the main building. Work there began in 2025. The restored Eastern Wing will be adapted for modern use. Design and cost estimate documentation for two phases has already been prepared, and work on installing the engineering infrastructure began at the end of last year,” she said.

The restoration of the palace in Ruzhany began in 2008. Since then, the central entrance gate has been renovated, and the side wings, which now house a museum, have been restored. The northeast arcade has undergone restoration. External restoration work on the two-story Eastern (Theater) Wing has been completed. Plans are in place to accommodate museum space, archival storage, a multifunctional hall, a hotel, and a cafe within this wing.