What is special about the village of Bogatyrevichi in the Mostovsky district? It's not immediately apparent. However, the locals will immediately respond with "The Ravine of Jan and Cecilia." This village has a unique feature: all its inhabitants share the same last name, which is the same as the village's name. Thousands of tourists visit this place to experience the famous legend. However, the locals firmly believe that the lives of Jan and Cecilia are historically accurate, and they are ready to prove it. To this day, two tombstones have been preserved, embedded in the ground and carefully surrounded by a fence with a masterfully crafted wooden cross above them. It is said that this is where the founders of the Bogatirev family are buried, and that their descendants chose to bury them in the same place where the old oak tree once stood.
After the death of Jan and Cecilia, a cross with the inscription 1549 was erected on their grave. It seems that this was the year of their arrival on the banks of the Neman River. The legend of Jan and Cecilia is known not only to local residents, but also to readers of Eliza Orzeszkowa's novel "Above the Neman." The writer herself heard the story of the Bogatyrevichi during her vacation at the Minievichi estate. Orzeszkowa was so inspired by the story that she incorporated it into her novel.
The legend goes: "Once upon a time, two people came to this place, looking for a deserted spot far from the eyes of others. They came from different social backgrounds: he was a strong, tanned man from the common people, while she was from a noble family. Jan was chopping wood, while Cecilia was gathering wild apples, nuts, and berries. They loved each other and were happy. They had six sons and daughters, all born in love and harmony. As time passed, their lives took a different turn. Someone told the prince about the fugitives, and one day he came with his retinue to see them. The centenarian couple came out to meet the prince, accompanied by their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. The prince was amazed by the beauty and strength of these people. Because they had managed to win back this piece of land from the wild animals and the forest, and turn it into a fertile field, they were called "bogatyrs." This is where the name of the village, Bogatyrichi, comes from."
