Polotsk, Belarus, January 22, 2026
Photo: sb.by
The 12th-century Holy Transfiguration Church in Polotsk, Belarus, is being considered for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
“This is truly a unique object from the 12th century that has survived to our day practically in the form in which it was built. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that about 80% of the 12th-century frescoes have been preserved. This site truly meets all the criteria,” Deputy Ministry of Culture of Belarus Sergei Sarakach stated in a recent interview, reports gorod214.by.
The Transfiguration Church is part of the Holy Transfiguration-Euphrosyne Monastery in Polotsk. It was built in the mid-1150s at the initiative of St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk—Belarus’ most beloved saint.
Photo: wikimedia.org
The six-pillared, single-domed church is the best-preserved monument of ancient Polotsk architecture. It features a monumental exterior with a single apse and distinctive tiered external composition. Its design incorporated three-lobed false zakomara arches (kokoshniks) and progressively sharper forms from bottom to top, including pointed arch completions in the second tier.
Despite modifications during the classical period, the church has retained its medieval foundation. Interior frescoes from the 12th century survive, with restoration work ongoing to remove later additions. The original appearance of the church is captured in an ancient fresco recently uncovered in St. Euphrosyne’s cell in the church gallery.
Photo: gorod214.by
The church continued operating during Soviet times, remaining for an extended period the only functioning church in the Polotsk Diocese. In 2007, the dome was gilded, and a new iconostasis was installed two years later.
Belarus currently has four material objects on the UNESCO World Heritage List: Belovezhskaya Pushcha, Mir Castle, the palace-and-park complex in Nesvizh, and the Struve Geodetic Arc.
The Transfiguration Church and St. Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk were initially proposed as candidates for the UNESCO list in 2004.
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