The history of the Belarusian town of Braslav goes back to the 11th century, and since then, many architectural monuments, both historical, cultural, and religious, have been built there. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary is not the only local shrine but one of the few that impresses with its appearance from the first minutes.

It is located near Castle Hill and, according to what locals say, is connected with it by secret underground tunnels. It is quite likely to be true because its origins date back to the 15th century when a wooden Catholic temple stood on the site of the modern church. Due to a great fire in 1794, the temple was burned to the ground, and the stone church was erected in its place in 1824. It was initially built of gray quarry stone, and in 1897, during the reconstruction, the building was finished with red bricks and acquired the features of the Romanesque Revival architecture. And today, you can see it just like described.

The functioning three-aisled basilica of a rectangular shape and crowned by a three-tiered bell tower has both impressive exterior and rich interior decoration. The arch-shaped side windows illuminate the entire space of the magnificent church, and the light penetrating through the rose window falls directly onto the main altar. On one of the walls, there is an image of the sun from the first half of the 19th century. Unfortunately, due to numerous battles and fires, other artworks of that time have not survived to this day.

The centerpiece of the wooden altar is the wonder-working icon of the Mother of God of Braslav, which is revealed only at ceremonial services. Considered the patroness of the Braslav Lakes, it has a second name, the Queen of Lakes. Previously, the icon was kept in the Braslav Monastery, but in 1823 it was destroyed by fire. The icon miraculously survived and was transferred to the church.