About Zelva District

The Zelva region is situated in the south of the Grodno oblast. The region occupies 872 square meters. The region borders on the Mosty and Dyatlovo regions in the north, the Volkovysk region in the west, the Pruzhany region of the Brest oblast in the south.

Forests occupy 18% of the total area of the region. There is the National State Biological Reserve Medukhovo and the game reserve Staroselsky in the region. The Zelva water reservoir is the biggest reservoir in the Grodno oblast. It occupies 1190 hectares. There is a park (54 hectares) and the children’s recuperation center Golubaya Volna on the shore of this artificial lake.

The history of the Zelva region dates back to the 13th century. According to the Hypatian Chronicle, the settlement which was located in the territory of the modern-day Zelva was mentioned in 1252. Fifty-four historical monuments, 12 species of architecture, 11 archeological sites survive in the Zelva region. The most famous is St. Michael Orthodox Church in the village of Synkovichi. The Synkovichi church-fortress is unmatched in the world in terms of its architectural peculiarities.

By the end of the 19th century there were two breweries, a mead-making plant, a candles-making plant, men and women’s colleges, a hospital and a saw-mill.

The Zelva region was founded on January 15, 1940.

In 1941, the World War II interrupted the peaceful life of residents of the Zelva region. The Nazis occupied the region by July 14, 1941.

The partisan movement in the region emerged during the first months of the war.

The Zelva region was liberated from the Nazis on July 12, 1944. Some 2241 soldiers were killed during defense and liberation operation of the region. More than a thousand soldiers, natives of the Zelva region, and 6049 locals were killed during the World War II.