It is known that the most ancient Belarusian city is Polotsk. The history of Vitebsk, which takes an honorable second place, is no less full of events and dates. Today Vitebsk is one of the most beautiful Belarusian cities, its inhabitants carefully preserve cultural monuments and respect their history.
City birth and development
Scientists cannot establish the exact date of the foundation of the city, it is known that in 1101 the settlement (already formed) went after the death of his father to Svyatoslav Vseslavovich, who bore the title of the first Vitebsk prince. He formed an appanage principality, and made Vitebsk the capital. Regular internecine wars broke out between the princes, and there was a constant struggle for this city too. By the end of the 12th century, the Smolensk princes even ruled in Vitebsk, although not for long.
In the next century, the era of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania began, under whose rule the city flourished. The heyday of Lithuania lasted until the second half of the 18th century, when the division of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (the second) led to the fact that the Vitebsk Voivodeship became part of the Russian Empire, and the history of Vitebsk began a new countdown.
Russian Empire and Soviet power
The new government saw a great future for Vitebsk, after joining the empire, he consistently received new powers:
- the center of the Vitebsk province (from 1772 to 1777);
- the capital of the Belarusian province (from 1796 to 1802);
- the main city of the Vitebsk province (since 1802).
In the 19th century, the history of Vitebsk in a brief description could be characterized as follows - the rapid development of industry, the growth of self-awareness of workers and peasants, the practical implementation of the achievements of scientific thought, the creation of an education system.
In November 1917, Soviet power was established in the city, the RVC was created to solve organizational, political, and economic issues. As a result of the campaign of the Red Army to the east, Vitebsk was included in the RSFSR, in the formed Western Region. In 1924, Vitebsk and the territories around it returned under the wing of the BSSR.
The 1920s were characterized by a period of flourishing of the national culture, economy, education, then the time of repression came. During the terrible years of World War II, the city was occupied by the Germans, and a wide partisan movement was organized.
The post-war years are a new stage in the flourishing of the city, which rises from ruins, rebuilds enterprises, opens educational institutions, remembers the events of the last war and strives for peace.
