P.M. Masherov Avenue

    The avenue is over 3 km long, running east to west, parallels the Mukhavets river at a distance of 300 - 600 m off the river. Its widest stretch between the shopping center and the Intourist Hotel is over 100 m broad. It looks like a boulevard having 2 parallel side lanes separated from the main traffic artery by 2 wide strips lined with tall trees.

 A clock tower dominates the shopping center.    

   The flag of the city is atop the tower.

The previous names:

Russian period

 

Shosseynaya street (Highway street) as it was a stretch of Warsaw - Moscow Highway

Polish period

ulica Jagiellonska

The street commemorated the royal dynasty  of the Jagiellonians in Poland

Soviet period

Moskovskaya street (Moscow street) as it leads to Moscow)

Belarusian period

It was renamed Masherov Avenue to commemorate the late leader of Byelorussian communists Pyotr M. Masherov who died in a car accident  in the 1970s.

The main attractions in the street

The head post office

was originally constructed in the mid 19th century before the advent of railways. Here Moscow Highway, a principal road of the Russian Empire started, that was laid in 1848. Originally, it comprised a stage house, a tavern, later a post station where horses were posted in readiness for use on a journey for post service and passengers who traveled in stage·coach, or "post", i.e. by post-chaise or relay. There was a network of yamas, or relay stations. They were located every 20 to 30 miles. The word "relay" comes from an old French word meaning to replace tired animals. Here travelers could overnight in the stage house and take meals in an inn till the late 19th century.

 

 

After the renovation the old head post office looks attractive

 

 

Today the shopping center, that was constructed in the 1970s, comprises a lot of  large  and small shops. The tower with the clock is a good landmark on this traffic artery.  

 

On January 01,2008

 

                

the Department Store in winter

 

.. and in summer

 

that Avenue is the best route for traditional bikers' parades

 

 

 

 

Intourist Hotel

It was constructed in the 1970s to accommodate numerous foreign tourists coming to Brest.

 

 

The view during the renovation of the facade  in 2004

The view in winter after the renovation

  

and in summer

The fountain in front of the hotel reminds of the days of the Soviet Union, a big family of nations.

The view from the avenue. St. Simon's Cathedral is seen behind the Hotel.

St. Simon's Orthodox cathedral 

 

        The Russian Orthodox cathedral was constructed in 1865. It was dedicated to  St. Simon

          

 

The monument to the Belarusian martyr Afanasy Brestsky was unveiled in October 2005 at the corner of Masherov Avenue and Sovietskikh Pogranichnikov Street, between the Intourist Hotel and St. Simon's Orthodox cathedral.

 

 

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"Old and New Brest"