Vitebsk tourist information
Vitebsk is one of the oldest towns in Belarus . An exact date of its beginning hasn`t arranged yet . The first mention about it belongs to the 12-th century in connection with a war between the Kiev and the Polotsk Principalities . The prince of Kiev Yaroslav Mudry gave the town on the Vitsba River to the prince of Polotsk Bryacheslav.Vitebsk arose as a fortress for defence against of exterior enemies . It was built on the high bank of the Western Dvina River, where the Vitsba and the Luches Rivers flow into it . Vitebsk often exposed invesions of conquerors, because it had the advantageous geografical position . Its fortifications were formed from the Upper Castle (the 13-th century) and the Lower Castle (the 14-th century). At the end of the 16-th -- the beginning of the 17-th centuries Vzgorskiy Castle was erected as a fortification, too . In 1320 the Vitebsk Principality was included into the structure of Lithuania . Vitebsk regiments took part in the rout of the Tevton Order under Grunvald . At the beginning of the 18-th century , during the Northern War of Sweden against Russia and Poland, Vitebsk was burnt down almost completely.
Blagoveshchenskaya Church was built at the end of the 12-th century . It is situated in the territory of the former Lower Castle . The former palace of the governor (end of the 18-th century) was the residence of all governors of Vitebsk Province . In 1812 Napoleon staied here . A monument was built near the palace . It was devoted to the victory of the Russian people in the Patriotic War in 1812 . Kazanskaya Church was built in 1760 . It is on the right bank of the Western Dvina River.
Today Vitebsk is a large industrial town in Belarus . Machine-building, production of construction materials the food and the light industrias , production of TV-sets are main branches in Vitebsk . Highly qualified specialists are prepared in the pedagogical, medical, veterinary, technological and other institutes.
Vitebsk aerial map
Please click on any icon on the Vitebsk aerial tourist map, to find close by places, offering hotels and tourist information. You can zoom in and zoom out our touristical map as well as switch between satelite and map view of Vitebsk.
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