Pinsk is a city in Belarus in Brest Oblast located at the confluence of the Pina and Prypiat rivers. First mentioned in 1097, it enjoyed reasonable local importance for centuries, being at different times a seat of Orthodox bishops, a location of a big Jesuit college, and home for a thriving Jewish community. Today it has a population of around 130,000.

Get in

Pinsk is conveniently reachable by railway from Minsk and from Brest.

See

Main city sights are located along Pina river banks:

Jesuit Collegium

• Franciscan Convent with the Assumption Cathedral. This fine complex of Baroque buildings now houses a seminary. 
• 1 Buildings of the former Jesuit college. Large complex built between 1635–48 in Mannerist style. Today houses a school and a museum. 

Struve Geodetic Arc

Three points of this world heritage site are in Brest Oblast; to the west and northwest of Pinsk.

• 2 "Ossownitza": Ossovnitsa, Ivanovo - The point is in a field, about 500 m south of the road between Moladava and Osovnitsa/Asaunitsa. Nevertheless the paths from the road zigzag back and forth so the distance is almost certainly longer. This is again a black pedestal with a black globe on top. Next to it there's a tripod with a "barrel" a few meters above ground.

• 3 "Tchekutsk": Chekutsk, Ivanovo - Similar in design to the other two points in the region, this marker is in the middle of a pine forest a few hundred meters from the Motal-Ivanava road.

• 4 "Leskowitschi": Leskovichi, Ivanovo - In a field, reportedly it's good to rubber boots when walking here to avoid getting your feet wet. It's again a black marker and a barrel on a tripod.

Go next

• Brest
• Gomel