Famous Belarusians

Belarusian Educators and Enlighteners

Francysk Skaryna

Francysk Skaryna

Francysk was a prominent worker of the Belarusian culture of the 16th century, the founder of Belarusian and East Slavic book printing. His versatile activities had a common Slavic significance. As a scientist, writer, translator, artist, doctor of philosophy and medicine, humanist and educator Francysk Skaryna had a significant impact on the development of many areas of Belarusian culture. Skaryna translated into Belarusian and published 23 books of the Bible.

Euphrosine of Polotsk

Euphrosine of Polotsk

Upon becoming a nun, Euphrosine founded a male monastery and a nunnery. Through her efforts, the library of St. Sophia Cathedral was replenished and the Polotsk chronicle was kept. Euphrosine herself copied books, compiled chronicles, translated from Greek and Latin, wrote poems and was known as the first Belarusian patron of arts.

Simeon of Polotsk

Simeon of Polotsk

The Greatest Belarusian enlightener Simeon of Polotsk is one of the prominent workers of Slavic culture. He made history as a monk, public and church worker, theologian, teacher, educator, poet and writer. His versatile concerns and activities were close to the prominent workers of the Renaissance.

Symon Budny

Symon Budny

Symon was a famous preacher of the 16th century, humanist, educator and church reformer. He had printed the New Testament and was one of the first ideologists of the development of Belarusian culture in the native language.

Education and Science

Sofia Kovalewskaya

Sofia Kovalewskaya

Sofia was the world's first female professor of mathematics, who came from a noble Belarusian family. Her studies are dedicated to mathematical analysis, mechanics and astronomy.

Alexander Chizhevsky

Alexander Chizhevsky

Alexander was a recognized scientist who studied the biological impact of the Sun and the Universe, including the relationship of solar activity with wartime conditions in the history of human mankind.

Pavel Sukhoi

Pavel Sukhoi

Pavel was an aircraft designer, inventor, one of the creators of jet and supersonic aviation, author of fifty original aircraft designs and more than thirty of them were built and tested.

Zhores Alferov

Zhores Alferov

Zhores Alferov was one of the greatest scientists in the field of physics and technology of semiconductors, his works gained nationwide recognition. More than 500 scientific papers, including 3 monographs, and more than 50 inventions are all credited to him. He was awarded a Nobel Prize in Physics.

Politics

Iosif Goshkevich

Iosif Goshkevich

Iosif was a diplomat and orientalist, traveler and author of the world’s first Russian-Japanese dictionary. The species of insects described by him and a bay In North Korea (Chosanman) are named in his honour.

Michal Kleofas Oginski

Michal Kleofas Oginski

He was a diplomat and politician, participant in the uprising led by Kosciuszko and a gifted composer. He wrote the famous polonaise "Farewell to My Homeland" in the Oginsky family estate in Zalesye (Grodno region).

Arts

Mark Chagal

Mark Chagal

Mark was one of the most famous representatives of avant-garde art in painting, graphic artist, illustrator, set designer, poet, and master of applied and monumental art. Mark is definitely the brightest representative of avant-garde.

Vladimir Mulyavin

Vladimir Mulyavin

Vladimir is a bright performer, composer and arranger, collector of Belarusian folklore. In 1970 he founded the legendary Pesnyary ensemble which was one of the most popular in the Soviet Union for many years. He was awarded the titles of the People's Artist of the BSSR and the USSR, and became a Knight of the Order of Francysk Skaryna in 2001. Vladimir Mulyavin, who is a Belarusian in his spirit and not by birth, was immortalized on the Avenue of Stars in Moscow 2001 and in the capital of the "Slavianski Bazaar" festival - Vitebsk.

Sports

Vitaly Scherbo

Vitaly Scherbo

Vitaly is a Belarusian athlete (artistic gymnastics) and the Champion of the XXV Olympic Games (1992, Spain). Vitaly also took Bronze medal during the XXVI Olympic Games (1996, USA) and was the world champion 14 times and European champion 10 times. He was also the winner of the Goodwill Games (1990, USA) and has won two Universiades (1993, 1995). Vitaly has also received the title of The World’s best sportsman of the decade (1991–2000).

Maxim Mirny

Maxim Mirny

Maxim Mirny is the most famous Belarusian tennis player who won a series of international doubles awards and led the Belarusian team to the best place in its history at the Davis Cup.

Viktorya Azarenko

Viktorya Azarenko

Viktorya is the famous Belarusian tennis player and was the winner of the largest world tournaments, an Olympic champion, and ex-first racket of the world in singles. In January 2012, Victoria Azarenka topped the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rating for the first time in her career. At the 2012 Olympics in London, she won gold in mixed doubles (paired with Maxim Mirny) and a bronze medal in singles.

Darya Domracheva

Darya Domracheva

Darya is the four-time Olympic champion, and a two-time world champion in 2012 and 2013. According to the Biathlon Award, Daria was named the best biathlete of 2010, and on the day she won the third gold medal at the 2014 Games, Darya was awarded the title of Hero of Belarus.

Alexei Grishin

Alexei Grishin

Alexei was a freestyler who won the first gold medal in the history of Belarus during the Winter Olympic Games (Vancouver 2010) and a bronze medal in Salt Lake City in (2002).