Narachanski National Park is a nature preserve around lake Narach in
Belarus. It was established on July 28 1999 to protect a biosphere
around the lake and its wetlands. Narachanski National Park covers
an area of 87,000 hectares. Narachanski National Park is a fairly
popular Belorussian park with several lakes, rivers and patches of a
virgin forest spread through the region. It offers a chance for
horseback riding, hiking, camping, fishing, swimming and other
activities. Visitor center for Narachanski National Park is located
in a town of Naroch that stands on the shores of Naroch Lake.
Additionally Narachanski National Park contains several historic
buildings. One of the oldest signs of human settlement is a small
fortress on the island in the middle of the Myadel lake (Мядель)
that date back to the 11th century.
Other notable buildings
include Catholic Church of Our lady of the Scapular (17th century)
in Myadel, Saint Andrew's Church in the village of Naroch, Saint
Nicholas Church and a wooden church in the town of Svir, Carmelite
Monastery (17th century) in the village Zasvir and many others. A
network of well marked hiking trails is spread across Narachanski
National Park. It makes access to all parts of the protected bio
reserve very easy.
The flora on the territory of the Naroch
Park reflects the typical structure of subtaiga broad-leaved-spruce
forests in the south-west of the Belarusian Poozerie.
The
flora of the national park has about 1400 species of higher plants,
of which more than 107 are rare and endangered species. The modern
vegetation cover is represented by forests, meadows, swamps and
shrubs.
The largest forest tracts are confined to the
southwestern spurs of the Sventsyansky ridges and the
Narochansko-Myadel upland part of the Naroch-Vileika lowland.
Swamp and meadow vegetation has undergone strong changes.
Significant areas of bogs (lowland and transitional types) and boggy
meadows have undergone hydrotechnical reclamation.
Animal
world
On the territory of the national park, there are a number
of natural objects valuable from the faunistic point of view. These
include the natural boundaries: Blue Lakes, Cheremshitsa,
Nekasetsky, Pasynki, Rudakovo, Urliki.
The region of Lake
Naroch is distinguished by a diverse fauna. The network of
reservoirs creates conditions for the existence of a rich complex of
aquatic animals: fish, coastal terrestrial vertebrates; provides an
opportunity for the concentration of various waterfowl here during
the period of seasonal migrations. The territory of the national
park is inhabited by at least 243 species of terrestrial
vertebrates: 10 species of amphibians; 5 types of reptiles; at least
179 species of nesting and about 40 species of migratory, wintering,
migratory birds; 49 species of mammals.
The richest bird
complex in the region is forest, which includes 95 bird species.
Among them are such species of the northern taiga complex as hazel
grouse, Upland owl, nutcracker, etc. The aquatic ornithocomplex,
which includes 35 species, is quite fully represented. Birds of open
spaces are represented by 32 species, raised bogs include 3 rare
species (ptarmigan, great curlew, gray shrike), settlements - 14
species.
The forests of the Naroch Territory are winter
habitats of ungulates and are not able to provide for the existence
of any large populations of elk, wild boar, and roe deer throughout
the year.
In the ichthyofauna of the rivers and lakes of the
region, 32 species of fish were recorded, including brook trout,
chub, minnow, bark, char, stickleback, vendace, peled, whitefish,
ide, etc. On this territory, areas of special faunistic value were
identified: the reserve "Cheremshitsa", on the territory of which a
badger, a black-throated loon, a large bittern, a gogol, a
merganser, etc. live. In the area of Lake Dyagili live partridge,
a gray crane, an osprey, a viper, etc. Blue Lakes ”live badger,
gogol, merganser, black stork, owl, etc.
History of creation
Narochansky National Park was created by the decree of the President
of the Republic of Belarus on July 28, 1999 No. 447 in order to
preserve unique natural complexes, more complete and efficient use
of the recreational opportunities of the natural resources of the
Myadel region and adjacent territories.
The national park
includes 7 reserves:
"Blue Lakes" (landscape);
"Nekasetsky",
"Cheremshitsy" and "Shvakshty" (hydrological);
"Peninsula
Cherevki" (geological);
"Rudakovo", "Stepsons" (biological).
Architectural monuments
Monuments of architecture on the
territory of the national park are represented by religious
buildings (the Catholic Church of the Mother of God of the Scapular
of the 17th century in the town of Myadel, the St. in the village of
Konstantinovo, the Church of the Mother of God in the urban village
of Krivichi, etc.), manor complexes and old parks (resort village
Naroch, urban village Svir, villages Konstantinovo, Komarovo,
Olshevo, etc.).
Additional Information
Naroch Territory is
located in the transition zone of two historical and ethnographic
regions - Ponemania and Podvinya (Poozerye). Archaeological sites of
the second half of the 1st and the beginning of the 2nd millennium
A.D. e. testify to the coexistence of Baltic and Slavic tribes on
this territory.
The most ancient archaeological sites of the
Naroch region belong to the Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) and date
back to the 7th-6th millennium BC. e. (parking near the villages of
Kusevshchina, Strugolapy, Laposi, Krasyan). The cultural layer of
the Neolithic era, known from the excavations near the villages of
Nikolsky and Kochergi (the culture of pit-comb ceramics), dates back
to the 4th-3rd millennium BC. e. The monuments of the Corded Ware
culture are represented by archaeological finds near the villages of
Nikoltsy, Rybka, Rasokhi (Bronze Age sites of 2200-700 BC). Traces
of the ancient era of the Iron Age are relatively well preserved in
the form of burial mounds, fortified settlements and settlements
(the villages of Oleshki, Guski, Shklyanikovo, Zasvir, etc.).