Supraśl is a town surrounded by the Knyszyn Primeval Forest. An Orthodox monastery has existed here since the 16th century, and it houses one of the largest museums of icons in Poland.
The beginnings of the town are related to the transfer of the Orthodox monastery from Gródek here in 1501. Its foundation was made by the voivode Aleksander Chodkiewicz, and the privileges for the monastery were confirmed by kings Aleksander Jagiellończyk and Zygmunt Stary.
In the 16th century, a settlement grew around the monastery, which mainly gathered craftsmen and also had commercial functions. On the other hand, the Monastery in Supraśl quickly became an important cultural center for the Ruthenian lands. Among others, school and printing house.
Today, the Monastery is the most important attraction of Supraśl. Its buildings are concentrated around the defensive church of the Annunciation with Byzantine and Gothic features. In addition to it, the monastery buildings include the Orthodox Church of St. John the Theologian from the 19th century, the Archimandrite Palace, which now houses the famous Museum of Icons, baroque residential and farm buildings, as well as a richly decorated Baroque entrance gate. The monastery also houses the Museum of Printing and Papermaking, which has exhibitions devoted to old printing machines and methods of producing books.
In addition to the Monastery in Supraśl, many historic houses have been preserved, including the wooden House of Weavers and the eclectic Buchholtz Palace. There is a municipal beach on the outskirts of the town on the artificial lake in summer, and the boulevards leading to it are a popular place for walks.
