BREST, Oct 21 (BelTA/APP): The Brest Hero Fortress memorial complex has already been visited by more than 660,000 organized tourists in January-September 2025, Yelena Mityukova, Deputy Director for Research at the memorial complex, told BelTA.
The number of visitors from January to September increased by more than 150,000 compared to the same period last year. For reference, throughout the entire year of 2023, Brest Fortress was visited by over 602,000 organized tourists. The staff of the memorial complex conducted more than 11,200 tours.
In addition to residents from Belarus, Brest Fortress hosts foreign visitors. For instance, in January-September 2025 visitors from 30 countries toured the fortress. Besides citizens from CIS countries, Brest fortress welcomed tourists from Cuba, China, Latvia, the United Kingdom, Vietnam, Germany, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Israel, India, Indonesia, Italy, Iran, Canada, Kenya, Lithuania, Malaysia, the UAE, Poland, Slovakia, the United States, Tanzania, Sweden, and Ukraine.
“Nearly 100,000 foreigners visited us as part of tour groups. This number is higher than during the same period of last year. The geography of visitors is also expanding,” Yelena Mityukova noted.
Primarily, foreign tourists visit Brest Fortress because it is on the list of Belarus’s most popular attractions. “As a rule, foreigners know something about our history; they are prepared for a trip. They want to see it all with their own eyes and learn more. Perhaps they don’t perceive it as emotionally as we do. But foreigners show a very respectful attitude and great interest in our history. They ask where they can read more on the topic and take souvenirs with them,” she said.
Foreign guests are always profoundly impressed by the defense of the Brest Fortress and the conditions people had to fight back. “The fortress was surrounded, in the rear, without help, without reserves, without communication with the outside world. In a situation of hopelessness, people nevertheless continued to fight. This is always impressive, as are the fates of some people. After all, there were also civilians on the territory of the fortress. Of course, some managed to break through and fight on various fronts, in the partisan movement. But it is precisely the conditions of the people’s existence, their sufferings and deprivations that always evoke empathy,” Yelena Mityukova said.