Administrative center : the city of Belgorod, founded in 1596.
The region was formed : January 6, 1954.
Belgorod region in the south and west borders on the Lugansk, Kharkov and Sumy regions of Ukraine, in the north and north-west - on the Kursk region, in the east - on the Voronezh region. The total length of the region's borders is about 1,150 km, of which 540 km with Ukraine. The length of the region from north to south is about 190 km, from west to east - about 270 km.
Department of Economic Development of the Belgorod Region
The area of the Belgorod region is 27,134 sq km, the population is 1.55 million people (2019).
The climate in the region is temperate continental with rather mild winters with snowfalls and thaws and long summers. The average annual air temperature varies from + 5.4C in the north to + 6.7C in the southeast. The coldest month is January. The frost-free period is 155-160 days. The average annual precipitation is 420-590 mm (with fluctuations in some years from 260 mm to 750 mm). 80-85% of precipitation falls in the form of rain, the rest is solid precipitation, mainly in the form of snow.
Department of Economic Development of the Belgorod Region
On the Belgorod land during the Great Patriotic War, the famous Prokhorovka tank battle took place, which became the starting point of the Victory over Nazi Germany. In memory of him, at the epicenter of the Arc of Fire on the Third Military Field of Russia - Prokhorovskoye - the Victory Monument - the Belfry - was erected, and in the village itself, the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul was built with donations from the people.
Department of Economic Development of the Belgorod Region
In memory of the Prokhorov tank battle, the largest in Russia museum-diorama "The Fire Arc" was created. The ideological and artistic concept was based on a tank battle near Prokhorovka on July 12, 1943, the victory in which became a turning point in the Battle of Kursk. The canvas area of the diorama is 1005 sq m (length - 67 m, height - 15 m). Between the painting and the observation deck there is a relief model of the terrain (subject plan), which occupies more than 500 sq. The artists reproduced the events observed from a height of 252.2 m. The viewer has a view of the battle of the 5th Guards Tank Army, of the battle formations of the 29th Tank Corps. The building of the museum itself is made in the form of an arc on a high plinth. An IS-3 tank, an ISU-152 self-propelled gun, three mortars and a cannon are installed in front of the entrance to the museum.
Department of Economic Development of the Belgorod Region
In Belgorod, you can visit the Museum of Folk Culture, the State Art Museum (there are about 3700 exhibits of painting, graphics, sculpture, arts and crafts, icon painting), the State Museum of History and Local Lore, founded in 1924, the Literary Museum. Old houses have been preserved in Belgorod. For example, the house of the merchant Selivanov (XVIII century), the mansion of the merchant Goltsov (XIX century), the building of the former hotel "Evropeyskaya", the building of Weinbaum's rooms with Kogan's pharmacy and printing house (XIX century), the building of the Korotkova women's gymnasium (XIX century), the building of the men's gymnasium (late 19th century).
Department of Economic Development of the Belgorod Region
The oldest surviving temple in Belgorod is the Assumption-Nicholas Cathedral, built in 1703. In 1986, the temple was taken under state protection as an architectural monument. The cathedral was rebuilt in 2005. The largest monument in the city is located on the Kharkov Mountain of Belgorod and its visiting card is the monument dedicated to Vladimir the Great. The height of the monument is 22.5 m, of which 7.5 m is the sculpture of the prince itself, and the remaining 15 m is a pedestal.
Department of Economic Development of the Belgorod Region
One of the main attractions of the Belgorod region is the Holy Trinity Kholkovsky Monastery, located 15 km from Stary Oskol. The monastery was founded in the 17th century. Monastic cells and an underground temple are carved right into the chalk mountain. The more modern temple complex is at the top.
Department of Economic Development of the Belgorod Region
In the city of Shebekino, it will be interesting to visit the Shebekinsky History and Art Museum. The main fund of the museum has more than 35 thousand storage units and is considered one of the most extensive in the Belgorod region. Collections of paintings and graphics, weapons, numismatics, faleristics, archaeological and ethnographic collections occupy a special place in the composition and availability of rare items. Part of the exposition is devoted to the history of the fortress city of Nezhegolsk, which later became a suburb of Shebekino.
Department of Economic Development of the Belgorod Region
In the village of Novoivanovka, Volokonovsky district, you can see the Barkov mill - a unique building of a steam mill of the late 19th century. The whole complex is a monument of ancient Russian architecture. Very rare is the vertical arrangement of industrial workshops and the movement of all processing fractions by gravity - from top to bottom.
Department of Economic Development of the Belgorod Region
In the small town of Biryuch, a number of architectural monuments have been preserved: the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Mitrofanovskaya Church and the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, the former trading rows (18th century), the building of the former zemstvo. There is an architectural monument in the area - the remains of the Belgorod notch line (17th century).
Department of Economic Development of the Belgorod Region
The state natural reserve "Belogorye" is located on the territory of the Belgorod region. 149 bird species are registered on the territory of the reserve. On its territory there are about 370 species of higher vascular plants. There are 50 species of mammals in the fauna of the reserve. There are 6 species of reptiles and 9 species of amphibians, 15 species of fish.
Department of Economic Development of the Belgorod Region
At the western outskirts of the village of Yablochkovo, you can see the Pansky oak - the oldest tree in the Belgorod region. The height of the oak is 35 meters, the girth is 5.5 meters, the crown span is 25 meters. In 1968, forest scientists determined its age - 500 years. Now, respectively, the age of the tree is about 550 years.
For more information about the region, see the Internet resources of the state authorities of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation.