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Gilibert Park, Grodno

A large fountain in Gilibert Park, Grodno, framed by tall green trees, with families strolling across the paved square on a sunny day
Photo: Uladzislau Shelestun, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Hours
Open 24 hours, every day — unofficial
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
40 min
With kids
Fine with kids
Rides
Paid, seasonal; no official price list or timetable
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Address
Ozheshko Street 15, Grodno — guidebook landmark
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Coordinates
53.68602, 23.83733YesGo MapGoogleApple
Bus stops
Universitet or Teatr Kukol (Puppet Theatre) — unofficial
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
On foot
About 10 minutes from Sovetskaya Square
Time needed
40 minutes; up to 1.5 hours with rides
Paying
Belarusian rubles (BYN); foreign Visa and Mastercard usually work but can fail — unofficial
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.

Key facts

8 April 1775the botanical garden that became the park was founded
3 sourcesRussian WikipediaWikidataKnow Your Land (my-places.by)
≈ 2,000 speciesgrew in the garden within three years — it was rated among Europe’s best
3 sourcesRussian WikipediaKnow Your Land (my-places.by)VGTK
Jean-Emmanuel Giliberta physician and botanist from Lyon, invited to Grodno by Antoni Tyzenhauz
2 sourcesVGTKRussian Wikipedia
Medical Academythe first higher school in what is now Belarus — the garden was its teaching collection
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaKnow Your Land (my-places.by)
Haradnichankathe stream that runs through the park under small footbridges
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaKnow Your Land (my-places.by)
“Swiss Valley”the 19th-century nickname for the stream valley
3 sourcesRussian WikipediaKnow Your Land (my-places.by)Sputnik8
Eternal Flameover a mass grave of soldiers buried here by a WWII field hospital
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaKnow Your Land (my-places.by)
Ferris wheelone of the tallest in Belarus
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaKnow Your Land (my-places.by)
Poniatowski TheatreBelarus’s oldest theatre building, next to the park — now the puppet theatre
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaKnow Your Land (my-places.by)
1920sa city garden was laid out here to a design by W. Tański; parts of it survive
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaKnow Your Land (my-places.by)
East sidewhere the few surviving plantings from Gilibert’s time stand
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaKnow Your Land (my-places.by)

Is Gilibert Park worth visiting?

Yes, as a short stop. Gilibert Park is a leafy stream valley in the middle of Grodno, between Sovetskaya Street and the Intercession Cathedral, so most walks through the centre pass it anyway. It is worth extra time if you travel with children or want the view from the Ferris wheel; otherwise 40 minutes is enough.

Don’t expect a formal botanical garden. Almost nothing of Gilibert’s plant collection survives, and today this is a busy city park: old trees, bridges, sculptures, fountains, a summer stage, playgrounds and a small amusement area. On a sunny weekend it is full of local families — on a weekday morning it is calm.

A botanical garden from 1775

The garden was founded on 8 April 1775. Antoni Tyzenhauz, who ran the royal estates around Grodno, brought the physician and botanist Jean-Emmanuel Gilibert from Lyon. Together they set up the Grodno Medical Academy, the first higher school in what is now Belarus, and the garden was its living textbook: within three years it held around 2,000 plant species.

After Gilibert left, the city took over the garden and it slowly turned into an English-style landscape park. In the 19th century people called the valley the “Swiss Valley” for its hills and winding stream. A city garden by W. Tański followed in the 1920s. During the Second World War a field hospital buried soldiers here; they now lie in one mass grave with an Eternal Flame.

Ferris wheel and rides: prices and hours

The amusement area fills part of the valley: a Ferris wheel, one of the tallest in Belarus, a small roller coaster and carousels for kids and adults. Each ride is paid separately, while walking in the park is free. There is no official price list or timetable online — check the board at each booth.

The rides keep a seasonal schedule, and in the cold months some of them close. We found no official hours, so we don’t quote any. On a clear day the wheel shows the old town roofs and the Neman valley; in haze the view is flat.

Prices are in Belarusian rubles (BYN). Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards usually work in Belarus but terminals sometimes refuse them — this is unofficial — so take a little BYN cash from an ATM for the ride booths and ice-cream kiosks.

What to see in Gilibert Park

  • The Gilibert monument at the entrance — a good starting point.
  • The Haradnichanka stream and its footbridges — the quietest corner of the valley.
  • The Eternal Flame over the WWII mass grave.
  • The “Gorodnichanka” statue — a girl in a clearing, a favourite photo spot.
  • The bust of Eliza Orzeszkowa, the novelist who lived in Grodno; the street beside the park bears her name.
  • The fountains on the central square — the liveliest place in summer.
  • The Ferris wheel — the best view over central Grodno when the weather is clear.
  • The Poniatowski Theatre next to the park — Belarus’s oldest theatre building, now home to the puppet theatre.

How to get to Gilibert Park

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On foot

More tips

  1. From Sovetskaya Square and the Farny Cathedral, walk north-east along pedestrian Sovetskaya Street to Lenin Square — about 10 minutes.
  2. Beyond Lenin Square the ground drops into the stream valley — that is the park. Guidebooks give the address as Ozheshko Street 15.
  3. From the railway or bus station, walk towards the centre along Ozheshko Street; the park is on the way, about 15 minutes.
  4. By bus, get off at Universitet or Teatr Kukol (unofficial); check route numbers in a maps app before you ride.
  5. Taxis in central Grodno are cheap and quick to arrive; the Yandex Go app works in Belarus.

Before you go

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Gilibert Park, Sovetskaya Street or the castles

Gilibert Parkyou are hereFormer botanical garden, main city parkFree, 24 hoursPlaygrounds and rides40 min – 1.5 hSummer or a clear autumn day
Sovetskaya StreetPedestrian street in the old townFreeCafés and shops20–30 minEvening
Old and New CastlesCastles above the NemanMuseum ticketMuseum and river views1–2 hDaytime, museum hours

On a one-day visit, treat the park as a green break between Sovetskaya Street and the Intercession Cathedral. Make a special trip only with children or for the Ferris wheel. The Old and New Castles belong in every first day in Grodno.

Grodno views: compare and choose

Places in Grodno with a good view, rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Kalozha Church4630 minFree26 min walk
Bernardine Church4530 minFree23 min walk
Gilibert Parkyou are here4340 minFree—
Old and New Castles402 h10–12 BYN per castle, separate tickets23 min walk

Central Grodno in half a day

From the Farny Cathedral down Sovetskaya Street into the park, then on to the Intercession Cathedral and the Lutheran church. Add it to your route and YesGo sets the times and walks.

  1. Farny Cathedral (St Francis Xavier Cathedral)40 min · Free
  2. 6 min walk from the previous stopSovetskaya Street40 min · Free, open 24/7
  3. 12 min walk from the previous stopGilibert Parkyou are here40 min · Free; rides cost extra
  4. 5 min walk from the previous stopHoly Intercession Cathedral25 min · Free
  5. 5 min walk from the previous stopLutheran Church of St John20 min · Free; concerts are ticketed

5 places · about 3 h 13 min with walks · 28 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Lutheran Church of St John

Grodno, Belarus

20 min · Free; concerts are ticketed · 4 min walk

Sovetskaya Street

Grodno, Belarus

40 min · Free, open 24/7 · 12 min walk

Jesuit Pharmacy Museum

Grodno, Belarus

30 min · Free or token fee (unofficial) · 16 min walk

How to do it right

  • Pair the park with Sovetskaya Street and the Intercession Cathedral — they are a few minutes’ walk apart.
  • With kids, allow at least an hour: playgrounds and carousels eat time.
  • Ride the Ferris wheel on a clear day; in haze the old-town view disappears.
  • Carry a little BYN cash for ride booths and kiosks in case a card terminal fails.
  • Summer weekend evenings and city festivals are the busiest times; for a quiet walk come on a weekday morning.
  • The east side of the park is the oldest — the few plantings from Gilibert’s time are there.

Questions

Is Gilibert Park in Grodno free?

Yes. Entry to the park is free at any time. Only the Ferris wheel and the rides cost money, priced on boards at each booth.

What are Gilibert Park’s opening hours?

The park is open 24 hours a day, every day. The rides and fountains are seasonal and have no official timetable; some close in the cold months.

How do I get to Gilibert Park?

Walk about 10 minutes from Sovetskaya Square along pedestrian Sovetskaya Street to Lenin Square; the park lies just beyond. From the railway station it is about 15 minutes on foot along Ozheshko Street.

Is there a Ferris wheel in Grodno?

Yes, in Gilibert Park. It is one of the tallest in Belarus and gives the best view over the centre on a clear day.

Is Gilibert Park good for kids?

Yes. It has playgrounds, carousels, a small roller coaster and fountains in summer, and the paths are paved.

Who was Gilibert?

Jean-Emmanuel Gilibert was a French physician and botanist from Lyon. In 1775 he founded the botanical garden that became the park, and with Antoni Tyzenhauz set up the Grodno Medical Academy.

How long should I spend in Gilibert Park?

About 40 minutes for a walk, up to 1.5 hours with the Ferris wheel, rides and playgrounds.

Can I pay by card in Grodno?

Usually. Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards generally work in Belarus, though terminals can fail. Prices are in BYN, so keep some cash from an ATM for small booths.

What is near Gilibert Park?

Sovetskaya Street, the Intercession Cathedral, the Lutheran church and the puppet theatre in the old Poniatowski Theatre — all within a few minutes’ walk.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Russian Wikipedia: Gilibert Park (Grodno)
  • Wikidata Q47507989: founded 8 April 1775
  • Know Your Land (my-places.by): Grodno, Gilibert Park
  • Sputnik8: Gilibert Park — hours, entry, bus stops
  • VGTK: Gilibert Park
  • Roller Coaster DataBase (rcdb.com): Zhiliber Park
  • ATM Fee Saver: money and cards in Belarus
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 30.10.2026 ·
How we checkedThe park has no official website, so nothing on this page carries an “official” badge. Free entry and 24-hour access come from the Sputnik8 travel guide and are marked “verifying”. Other facts are checked against at least two sources. Sources disagree on the mix of trees — Russian Wikipedia says broadleaf trees dominate, my-places.by says conifers — so we only say “old trees”. Only one source gives the Ferris wheel’s height (42 m), so we leave the number out and use “one of the tallest in Belarus”, which two sources share. Ride prices and hours are not published officially. Bus stop names come from one guide and differ in another, so they are unofficial. Card payments are unofficial.

Top YesGo picks: Grodno

Kalozha Church

Grodno, Belarus

30 min · Free

Fire Lookout Tower

Grodno, Belarus

20 min · Free outside; museum by appointment

Bernardine Church

Grodno, Belarus

30 min · Free

Old and New Castles

Grodno, Belarus

2 h · 10–12 BYN per castle, separate tickets

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