Dziaržynkaja hara
345 m
Belarus
Also known as Дзяржынская гара, Dzjaržynskaja hara, +13Also known as
Дзяржынская гара · Dzjaržynskaja hara · Dsjarschynskaja · Ντζιαρζίνσκαγια Χάρα · Dzyarzhynskaya · Monte Dzerzhínskaya · Mont Dzerjinski · Monte Dzeržinskij · Дзяржынская · Dziarzjynskaja · Dzierżyńska · Hara Dziaržynskaja · Дзержинская · Dzeržinska gora · Gora Dzerzjinskaja
- Elevation
- 345 m
- Prominence
- 185 m
- Difficulty
- 1/10
- Easy walk
- Best Season
- May–Sep
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1A stroll of a few hundred metres from the Skirmantava-1 bus stop or the small car park on the north edge of Skirmantava village, west of Minsk, up a gentle field slope (2–5°) to the granite slab marking Belarus's highest point at 345 m.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 0.4 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +11 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 345 m
- Time Up
- 8m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 7m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Skirmantava (Skirmuntovo) lies about 30 km west of Minsk and 20 km north of Dzyarzhynsk, on the road towards Ivyanets that also serves the Yakutskiya Hory ski and activity park. Arriving by car from the Dzyarzhynsk or Minsk direction, turn off at the signpost beyond the village; the summit car park is 100–150 m from the turn. Suburban buses from Minsk stop at Skirmantava-1, about 300 m south-east of the top. From the car park or bus stop a short path climbs the very gentle slope (2–5°) to the summit. A granite slab, installed in the late 1990s, carries a Belarusian inscription: 'Dzyarzhynskaya Hara, the highest point of Belarus, 345 m above sea level'. Recent visitors report that the site has been landscaped, with paved paths, benches, a gazebo, lighting and a sundial. The source of the Islach river is about 1 km north-east, and a military radar installation stands nearby. Return the same way. There is no difficulty; the visit takes minutes rather than hours.
Start
Скірмантава-1333 m
- Suburban buses from Minsk (lines towards Volma or Rodniki have been reported) to the Skirmantava-1 stop; alternatively train to Dzyarzhynsk and taxi. Check current timetables.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Скірмантава-1 → Дзяржынская | 0.4 | 11 | 0 | 8m |
Waypoints
- Station: Скірмантава-1333 m
Suburban bus stop; summit car park nearby
- Summit: Дзяржынская345 m
Downloads
Route confidence 65%Overview
Belarus's highest point (345 m) is a gentle, rounded rise on the Minsk Upland at the edge of the village of Skirmantava, 30 km west of Minsk. A granite slab marks the top, a few minutes' walk from a bus stop and car park.
Dzyarzhynskaya Hara (Belarusian Дзяржынская гара, Russian Дзержинская гора) lies on the Minsk Upland, the morainic ridge that crosses central Belarus. It is on the northern edge of Skirmantava village in Dzyarzhynsk district, about 30 km west of Minsk and 20 km north of the town of Dzyarzhynsk. The slopes are so gentle (2–5°) that it reads as a low swell in farmland rather than a hill. Even the exact location of the highest point on the crest is uncertain.
The summit is marked by a granite slab with a Belarusian inscription giving the height as 345 m. According to recent visitors, the site now has paved paths, benches, a gazebo, lighting and a car park. A military radar installation stands just to the north-east. The source of the Islach river and the Yakutskiya Hory ski and activity park are nearby, so the visit is often combined with a trip there.
This is a country high point to tick off, not a walk: allow a few minutes from the car or bus stop. Walkers wanting more can explore the rolling, partly wooded Minsk Upland around Skirmantava and the Islach valley.
Climbing Notes
No preparation is needed. Drive or take a suburban bus from Minsk to Skirmantava, then walk a few hundred metres up the gentle slope to the marker. Ordinary shoes are fine, though the grass may be wet or snowy. The site can be visited all year. In winter the nearby Yakutskiya Hory park offers skiing; in summer the surrounding fields and woods suit short walks or cycling. Entry rules for Belarus change frequently; check current requirements and your government's travel advice before planning a trip.
History
The hill was formerly known as Svyataya Hara ('holy mountain'), and some sources also give Kaydanava Hara, after the old name of Dzyarzhynsk. In 1958 it was renamed after Felix Dzerzhinsky, the founder of the Soviet secret police. A local legend links the village name to a warrior called Skirmont who defeated the Tatars here. In the Soviet period the summit area lay within a collective-farm machine yard and was partly levelled by bulldozer. In the late 1990s a granite slab was laid on the top to mark the national high point.
Season
Best May–Sep- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Good
- May: Best (best window)
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Good
- November: Possible
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Snow and cold; easy access by road
- Feb
- Snow and cold
- Mar
- Thaw and mud
- Nov
- Grey, wet and cold
- Dec
- Snow and short days
Access & Permits
- Rules
- A military radar installation stands next to the summit; do not enter fenced military areas
- Check current Belarus entry rules and travel advisories before travelling
- Getting There
Dzyarzhynsk (about 20 km south); Minsk 30 km east
Minsk National Airport (MSQ)
- Car: from Minsk west on the M6 (Hrodna road) or via the road towards Ivyanets (also used for the Yakutskiya Hory park) to the R65, then turn off to Skirmantava; signposted beyond the village, with the car park 100–150 m from the turn
- Bus: suburban buses from Minsk stop at Skirmantava-1, about 300 m from the summit (routes not verified for 2026)
- Train: to Dzyarzhynsk, then taxi (about 20 km)