Belgorod is in the southernmost part of Central Russia, only 40 km from the Ukrainian border. The city has many interesting tourist attractions, most of which are concentrated around the Cathedral Square.
Belgorod was founded in 1593 by the order of Tsar Feodor I of Russia as the main outpost of the fortified line, which defended Russian lands from the raids of nomadic tribes from southern steppes. The fortified line with fortresses stretched for some 800 kilometers. In 1667 Belgorod eparchy was established, and so Belgorod became not only an administrative but also a spiritual center in the south of Russia. In 1779 Belgorod Province was abolished and Belgorod was included in Kursk Province.
The Sobornaya Square is a historical center of Belgorod where the third Belgorod fortress was built in 17 century. The first two fortresses were not far from it, but the formation of the city began just in that place. The buildings of regional administration and theatre appeared on the Sobornaya Square in the 50th of the past century.
Svyato-Troitsky Boulevard stretches from the square to the Marfo-Mariinsky Monastery. For several centuries near the boulevard the Holy Trinity Cathedral was located. It was the main church of the city where the relics of St. Ioasaph, the patron saint of Belgorod land, were kept. Now the building of Belgorod metropolitanate is on the place of the cathedral. The glass-domed Cave of St. Ioasaph, the burial place of the saint, is in the court of the metropolitanate. Today the relics of St. Ioasaph are kept in the Transfiguration Cathedral of the city.
Apart from visiting the center of the city you should plan a trip to Prokhorovskoye Field (70 kilometers to the north) where the greatest tank battle of World War II took place on July 12, 1943. Later a large memorial complex was opened there. On the field properly, near the high ground 252.5 where the most fierce fighting took place, the bell tower and the Victory Park are located. The museum «The Third Battlefield of Russia» and the memorial church of Peter and Paul are in the center of Prokhorovka. The church has the shape of a lit candle. In the church one can see marble slabs with the names of 10 thousand soldiers, which were killed near Prokhorovka.
