Mstislavl

Mstislavl is the administrative center of the Mstislavsky district, Mogilev region. The city is located 289 km from Minsk, 86 km from Mogilev in eastern Belarus, near the border with the Russian Federation. The Vihra River flows through the city. The P15 (Krichev - Orsha - Lepel), P73 (Chausy - Mstislavl - Russian border (Koskovo) and R96 (Mogilev - Ryasna - Mstislavl) pass through Mstislavl. The railway passes 21 km from the city - Khodasy station.

Mstislavl - one of the most ancient cities Belarus . Today it is called both Belarusian Suzdal and little Vilnius, and it all began in ancient times on Maiden's Mountain. During excavations, archaeologists discovered remains of a settlement, which dates from the 1st century BC. e. But you can talk about a fortified settlement from about the XII century. Then there was a princely zakom, surrounded by a rampart and a moat, and artisans lived around. It was in Mstislavl that the birch bark of the beginning of the XIII century was found - the rarest historical source. The first mention of the city dates back to 1156, it was found in the Ipatiev Chronicle. At that time it was the center of the Mstislavsky principality, which belonged to the princes of Mstislavsky from the second half of the XIV century.

Through kinship Mstislavl soon moved to the Smolensk principality. However, in 1359, the Grand Duke Olgerd, through hostilities, annexed the city to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1386, an attempt was made to return Mstislavl to Smolensk, but the ON troops arrived in time to repel the attack. At the beginning of the XVI century Russian troops came here, who managed to defeat the army of the Grand Duke of Lithuania, but the castle itself withstood the siege. In 1634, residents received the right to self-government, or Magdeburg Law, from the king of the Commonwealth Vladislav IV. Twenty years later, a tragic event occurred in Mstislavl: the massacre of the Russian boyar Trubetskoy over local residents. The city was badly damaged by the «Trubetskoy massacre», and the castle was burned.

During the Northern War, a rather large battle of the Russian and Swedish troops took place near the city, and Peter I received a petition about the looting of soldiers. After the Rzecz Pospolita section, Mstislavl became part of the Russian Empire. From that moment he became a province of Mogilev province. It is worth noting that under the Russian government the city received a new coat of arms, which depicted a red fox on a silver background. Residents suffered during the Patriotic War of 1812: then the whole area was plundered and ravaged, and in 1858 a new attack awaited them in the form of a fire.

By the beginning of the 20th century, more than 8.5 thousand inhabitants lived in the city, most of whom were Jews. There are various enterprises, schools, hospitals, libraries, publishing house, pharmacy. At that time, there were three monasteries, the same number of churches, a church and a synagogue on the territory of Mstislavl. Great tragedy brought to these places Great Patriotic War. Then, at Kagalnogo ditch, mass executions of Jews took place, at the time of the liberation of representatives of this people in the city did not remain.

Today Mstislavl is a fairly modern city with unique historical monuments and a bewitching atmosphere. Many centuries-old buildings have been preserved here, as well as archaeological excavations are continuing to this day, and each year they bring more and more discoveries. Every year there are interesting activity, and every guest will be able to find something to enjoy at any time of the year. It is quite easy to find a place for rest and entertainment.

Mstislavl is famous for its historical sites that will be of interest to every tourist. Many buildings and significant monuments have been preserved here. One of the most famous is Castle Hill. This place was previously the unit of the ancient city. It was here that the castle-fortress was located, from which the name "Castle Hill" was derived. Once around the mountain there were moats and ramparts, and in the center stood a large tower and a princely house. Unfortunately, none of these buildings has reached our days, however, activists and the state were able to turn the mountain into a center of tourist interest. Every year there is a knight festival. At this time on the site lined up wooden buildings for spectators and participants of the fighting. The holiday takes place not only on the mountain, but in the whole city.

As already noted, many historical buildings of the XIX century survived to this day. Among them is a building territorial council, county school, male gymnasium, treasury, Fire column and many others. They are able to immerse everyone in a special atmosphere and show how the city looked at that time. The city is also decorated with statues of knights and one of the most famous natives. Petra Mstislavets. This man, together with Ivan Fedorov, was the first printer in Moscow, and also the creator of the Mamonich brothers' printing house in Vilna. He is in Mstislavl put two sculptures, one of which is located on the central square.

Different Mstislavl and the number of temples. Today, many religious buildings have been preserved here, in which services are held to this day. For example, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral passed the hard way, was rebuilt, experienced fires, but today this church operates and is one of the most popular tourist facilities in the whole Mogilev region. Another remarkable monument of religious architecture is Church of St. Michael the Archangel,which was built in the XVII century in the style of Vilna baroque. In the same century was erected Carmelite Church, which still operates. There are two more working churches of the XIX century: the Church of the Tupic Icon of Our Lady andSpaso-Preobrazhenskaya. Each temple in the city has its own special stories, and they themselves represent unique architectural monuments.

Learn about the history of the city and nearby places in local museums. The most significant is Mstislavsky District Historical and Archeological Museum, which opened its doors to visitors in 1988. In it you can find exhibits obtained during the excavations of the Mstislav region, as well as household items of past centuries. It is worth noting that the staff of this museum are actively involved in the celebration of «Knight's Fest», which takes place every summer since 2007. Another interesting place is the museum at the construction college. There you can see various arts and crafts and other exhibits, many of which are made by students.

There are natural monuments in Mstislavl. These include primarily Kagalny well. He got his name from the Hebrew word for «public», the historical name of this place is «Healthy». Today it is a hydrological monument and is protected by the state. Thus, the city is rich in historical monuments and interesting places. In this place you can just walk through the streets and enjoy the unusual atmosphere. But it is worth noting that there is also entertainment, as well as a place where you can stay.