In 2012, the oldest city in our region, Polotsk, celebrated its 1150th anniversary. Now it is a very small town with a population of 82 thousand people.
And in the Middle Ages, Polotsk was the largest city in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The period of prosperity and wealth ended after the Livonian War, during which Tsar Ivan the Terrible captured the city and killed or enslaved a significant number of Polotsk residents. In the 17th and 18th centuries there were still Russian-Polish and Northern wars, during which Polotsk changed hands several times. So now what is left of the great Polotsk is what remains. But the town is very pleasant, walking through it you are immersed in the atmosphere of bygone times.
The highlight of the city is the Spaso-Euphrosinievsky Convent,
Women are only allowed to enter if they wear long skirts and hustkas.
And we, like true Christians, obeyed. The courtyard of the monastery is decorated with fragrant roses,
and the five black round domes of the Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Cross, built in the neo-Bysinthian style, give it majesty and monumentality.
The city tour did not disappoint us either. The entrance to the gift shop in the city center is decorated with an original cart with flower pots.
I liked the stylish mannequins in the store,
doll couple of bride and groom
and ceramic souvenirs on all sorts of themes.
I love hedges.
Epiphany Cathedral of the 18th century.
Lutheran church, built in the 19th-20th centuries, the building of which now houses the Museum of Local Lore.
And another highlight of the city is St. Sophia Cathedral, the oldest stone structure in Belarus, built between 1030-1060. He was a symbol of the adoption of Christianity by Polotsk residents.
It was blown up in 1710 by Russian Tsar Peter I, but in the mid-18th century it was restored in the Vilna Baroque style. Now the cathedral houses a museum and hosts excursions, concerts and organ music festivals.
Near the cathedral there is an 8-meter high Boris stone with inscriptions and crosses carved into it. Found near the village of Podkosteltsy, 5 km from Polotsk, in 1981 it was transported to the St. Sophia Cathedral. According to one version, the stones marked the routes of trade routes.
Climbing up to the cathedral from above, a view of the Polota River opens up.
Wandering along the narrow streets of Polotsk, you can see a wide variety of buildings
and a boulder with pagan symbols carved into it.
The most central in the city is Freedom Square,
the central place of which is occupied by the monument to the heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812, built in 2010 instead of its predecessor (By the way, in the early 1930s, the monument was demolished “for the needs of the First Five-Year Plan.” Instead of it, for some time, the ubiquitous Ilyich stood. ).
The monument is guarded by cannons on both sides.
On the same square there is a monument to completely different liberators of Polotsk - the heroes of the Great Patriotic War.
And finally, in the public garden on Francysk Skaryna Street you can come across a very unusual monument - to the letter “Ў” or as it is called “at the non-warehouse”,
available only in the Belarusian alphabet and accordingly used in the Belarusian language.
Thanks to everyone who walked with me. To be continued...
Ancient cities as one of the main types of archaeological monuments. Planning structure of the ancient city. The concept of cultural layer. Polotsk and Turov as centers of ancient Slavic statehood and culture. The first chronicle mentions. Location and history. Etymology of the name. Planning and development of ancient cities of Belarus. Conservation and reconstruction.
Polotsk and Turov.
Cultural layer- a layer of earth at the site of human settlement that preserves traces of human activity.
Cities began to emerge on the territory of Belarus in the Middle Ages. Most of them developed from former fortifications, fortified settlements and castles. Trade routes played a particularly important role in their emergence. The oldest cities in Belarus are Polotsk, Vitebsk and Turov.
The most ancient city of Belarus is Polotsk (the first mention in the chronicle dates back to 862), which is located at the mouth of the river. Cloths. This city developed thanks to trade routes. It reached its greatest growth in the 10th-12th centuries, when it was the center of the Principality of Polotsk. Over its thousand-year history, the status of Polotsk has changed about 30 times, and now it is one of the cities of the Vitebsk region.
The oldest cultural monuments of the city are the St. Sophia Cathedral (XI century) and the Spaso-Efrosinevsky Monastery (XII century). Ancient Polotsk consisted of three parts: the Upper Castle, the Lower Castle and Zapolothye. The ramparts of the Lower Castle are well preserved. The upper castle also had a shaft with a wooden wall. In addition, the fortress wall consisted of seven towers. The main type of urban building was an above-ground wooden frame (12-25 m²).
City of Turov, located on the river. Pripyat. It was first mentioned in a written source in 980. Subsequently, the city became the center of the Principality of Turov. Now it is a small town in the Gomel region.
Ancient Turov consisted of a roundabout town and Detinets. Detinets from the southeast was surrounded by a defensive ditch filled with water. From the 13th century There was a castle on the territory of the Detinets. In modern Turov there are ruins of ancient residential buildings and the foundation of a church from the 11th-12th centuries. This church was the largest monumental structure in western ancient Rus' (length 29.3 m; width 17.9), but it was destroyed by the earthquake of 1230. According to the largest researcher of Russian antiquities, academician A. A. Shakhmatova, chronicle message about Prince Ture is nothing more than an etymological legend designed to explain the origin of the name of the city Turov.
Unfortunately, only a small part of the country’s historical attractions has survived to this day. Too many wars and battles took place on the territory of Belarus; no less significant objects were lost in peacetime. In the Soviet years, buildings that “spoilt the face of the socialist city” were destroyed (the 30s were especially “fruitful”), the most ancient churches were liquidated, and even in later years (such as the Church of the Annunciation in the 1120s-30s. in Vitebsk, blown up in 1961).
But, despite everything, many architectural monuments have been preserved in Belarus. True, in the end, they are scattered throughout the country, cities and towns, which is logistically not very convenient for tourist trips, for the sake of a single attraction. Below is a subjective list of the most interesting cities for tourists.
1. is one of the oldest cities in the country. The city has preserved many outstanding architectural monuments of Belarus, including the Boris and Gleb Church (built before 1183) with almost a thousand years of history.
While walking around the city, be sure to stop by churches, churches, and monasteries and look at the beautiful interiors. The decoration of the Church of St. is of especially high artistic value. Francis Xavier (1678-1703).
2. Vitebsk- cultural capital of Belarus. Founded in 974. The names of many famous artists are associated with Vitebsk: Kazimir Malevich, Mark Fradkin, Vasil Bykov, Ilya Repin and many others. But, first of all, Vitebsk is the birthplace of Marc Chagall. The city certainly has its own atmosphere. Churches and churches against the backdrop of a hilly landscape, narrow central streets.
You can go to Vitebsk during the Slavic Bazaar and, walking along the streets, meet stars of the music industry walking nearby.
3. Minsk- the capital of country. Despite the fact that Minsk is a very ancient city, the first mention of it dates back to 1067 (this year a battle took place on the Nemiga River between the Kyiv princes Yaroslavich and the Polotsk prince Vseslav), there are few historical attractions left. Several times the city was plundered, destroyed and burned by foreign invaders. But each time the enemy was expelled, and Minsk was rebuilt and expanded again. And today it is one of the ten largest cities in Europe. The most interesting preserved historical sights include: the Cathedral of the Descent of the Holy Spirit (1642), which houses the Minsk Icon of the Mother of God (1st century), which has been inseparably in the city since 1500, and the incorruptible relics of St. Sophia of Slutsk, granddaughter Anastasia Slutskaya; Church of the Virgin Mary (1700-10), Church of St. Simeon and Helena, "Red Church" (1906-10), Trinity Suburb of the 19th century, Upper Town of the 17th-20th centuries.
It will be useful for tourists to know that Minsk hotels are aimed primarily at business tourism, so the share of luxury hotels is high. But expensive hotels of any category and a sufficient number of rooms for the city, and its constant significant increase do not particularly affect the price of rooms.
The city has a large variety of restaurants and cafes; the main thing here is not to stagnate on just one Independence Avenue. You can pre-select a place for a meal on specialized resources.
GUM and TSUM, so beloved by Russians, have a completely different status in Belarus. If in Russia these are privatized stores, then in Belarus these are places for state enterprises to sell their products, which do not have high consumer demand. Therefore, the visitors to these department stores are mainly visitors and retirees, for whom the price segment is important.
4. Nesvizh- a city in which one of the most famous historical and cultural monuments of Belarus is located - the Nesvizh palace and park ensemble. This is the former residence of one of the most influential princely families in Europe - the Radziwill family.
Next to the palace there is a large romantic park with canals and beautiful green areas.
In the city you can see the Corpus Christi Church (Farny) - a masterpiece of pan-European significance, the second baroque church in the world (1587-93), the family tomb of the Radziwills. The Town Hall from the late 16th century and much more.
5. Brest- a city with a rich history. The first chronicle mention of it dates back to 1019. In the city you can see the ancient settlement (Berestye), the remains of residential and economic wooden buildings of the 11th century were found. Catch a lamplighter with a ladder in the evening on a pedestrian street, lighting kerosene lanterns.
See the famous Brest Fortress (1836-42). And 39 km north of Brest in the town of Kamenets there is a donjon tower from 1276, the so-called “White Vezha”.
6. Pinsk- a city named for its location on the Pine River. The capital of Belarusian Polesie. The city has the most complete representation of Baroque in Belarus; the old layout and architectural monuments are well preserved. The main interesting ones are the complex of the Jesuit college and the Franciscan Monastery with the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
7. Polotsk- the spiritual center of Belarus. The most ancient city and the capital of the first state on Belarusian territory (the Principality of Polotsk). The first chronicle mention of Polotsk dates back to 862, but a settlement arose on the site of the city much earlier.
The city is home to churches that are today a stronghold of Christianity in Slavic lands, a place where pilgrims come. St. Sophia Cathedral - founded between 1044-66, blown up in 1710 by Russian Tsar Peter I, rebuilt in 1738-50. already in a different form, but on the foundation of the 11th century St. Sophia Cathedral. From the original cathedral, the remains of walls, a crypt and an apse about 10 m high have been preserved.
Spaso-Euphrosyne Monastery - it houses the relics of Euphrosyne of Polotsk. She is considered the heavenly intercessor of the “Earth under white wings”; she is the first saint on the Belarusian lands, equally revered by Orthodox and Catholics. On the territory of the monastery there is the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior from 1128-1156.
8. Novogrudok- the first capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. A city with a very colorful centuries-old history.
Here you can see the ruins of Mindovgas Castle. Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord (1395) - founded by Vytautas, in which the wedding of Jogaila and Sophia Golshanskaya took place, Adam Mickiewicz was baptized. The city is located on high and steep hills, from which a picturesque panorama opens.
9. World- a village in which one of the outstanding works of Belarusian architecture is located - the castle of the Ilinichs and Radziwills (1st half of the 16th century).
10. Mogilev- a large city where you can see the St. Nicholas Monastery (1636), the Church of St. Stanislav (1738-52), a beautiful pre-revolutionary theater (1886-88), a town hall and many interesting residential and civil buildings of the late 18th - 19th centuries, a zoo and an ethnographic village.
Gomel- the second largest city in Belarus. It is interesting for its beautiful palace and park ensemble, which houses the Rumyantsev and Paskevich Palace (1785-93) and the Peter and Paul Cathedral (1809-24).
Kossovo- the city where the Puslovsky Palace is located (1838)
Lida- in the city there is Gediminas Castle (1323-25). Not far from Lida is the village of Gervyaty, where the Holy Trinity Church (1899-1903) is located - the most striking example of the neo-Gothic style of architecture in Belarus. The tall (61 meter) church is surrounded by a marvelous landscape park with statues of the apostles.
Budslav- the village where the Bernardine Church (1633-1783) is located. The church houses an icon painted in 1598, donated by Pope Clement XVIII. One of three churches in Belarus that bear the title “small basilica”.
Ruzhany- the village is famous for the Sapega palace complex (castle - 1598-1605, reconstruction into a palace ensemble - 1748-86). Unfortunately, only the ruins of the complex have survived to this day, but this is the case when even the ruins make a strong impression.
The Republic of Belarus is a state located in Eastern Europe. The capital is the city of Minsk. Belarus borders on Russia in the east, Ukraine in the south, Poland in the west, and Lithuania and Latvia in the northwest.
A little about the country
The state is divided into six regions and 117 districts. The number of cities in Belarus reaches 102, in addition, there are 109. The population of the country, according to the population census conducted in 2003, was 10.3 million people. Of these, 80% are Belarusians, 12% are Russians, 5% are Poles, 2.5% are Ukrainians. The population of cities in Belarus makes up 71% of the total.
The main water arteries are the Dnieper (with its tributaries Sozh, Pripyat, Berezina), (tributary Viliya) and there are over ten thousand lakes, the largest are Naroch, Lukomlskoye, Drisvyaty and Osveyskoye. More than a third of the territory is occupied by swamps. A third of the country is covered with forests, mostly coniferous, but in the south there are hornbeam, maple, oak, and ash.
Major cities of Belarus
Let's get acquainted with the largest populated areas of the country. There are only five of them besides the capital. So, the major cities of Belarus: Brest, Vitebsk, Grodno, Gomel and Mogilev. Here we consider settlements by their occupied area, however, the gradation by population may differ. For example, the city of Brest ranks second after Minsk - its territory is 146 square kilometers. However, in terms of population, it is only in sixth place and is inferior to the capital, Gomel, Mogilev, Vitebsk and Grodno. So, the largest city in this country is Minsk, its area is 348 km2. The next five are located in the range from 118 to 146 km 2. The next contenders for the list of largest cities have not even crossed the 90 km 2 line - these are Bobruisk and Baranovichi.
Cities of Belarus by population
Now let’s take a look at the list of the largest settlements in the country by the number of people living in them. An example has already been given above that a larger area does not necessarily correspond to a greater density of citizens. So, the cities of Belarus by population: Minsk (1 million 900 thousand people), Gomel (512 thousand), Mogilev (370 thousand), Vitebsk (363 thousand), Grodno (356 thousand), Brest (330 thousand). Next come Bobruisk and Baranovichi - 217 thousand and 177 thousand, respectively.
Now let's take a closer look at the largest cities in Belarus.
Minsk
Evil tongues say that two days is enough to explore all of Minsk. And in fact, there is no need to chase attractions in this city. On the first day, it is recommended to simply walk along the avenues; you don’t even need to take a map with you, because Minsk is a monument in itself - a monument of Soviet architecture. Perhaps very little time will pass before this city will be viewed as an open-air museum, personifying the era of developed socialism. However, all these words refer only to the center of Minsk. There is also an “old” city here, the history of which goes back more than nine hundred years. Lovers of antiquities will be able to visit the cathedral church and town hall, and explore ancient buildings. What makes Minsk special is its incredible cleanliness, the friendliness of passers-by and the unhurried pace of life; truly cosmic tranquility reigns here.
Brest
Every schoolchild in the Soviet Union knew about this hero city and the Soviet soldiers who died defending the fortress of the same name in the first days of the Great Patriotic War. Brest is a long-suffering outskirts of the Republic of Belarus. This ancient city, located on the border of three states - Rus', Poland and Lithuania, has been attacked by enemies several times throughout its history. It was literally torn apart, destroyed, burned and even moved from one place to another. As a result, Brest cannot boast of architectural masterpieces; the oldest buildings date back to the 19th century. But in terms of all kinds of myths and secrets, the city has greatly succeeded. Just look at the remains of an ancient wooden citadel, miraculously preserved to this day (how was it able to survive the Second World War?) or the secret passages dug under the fortress. The first mention of Brest as a well-developed settlement is found in the Tale of Bygone Years (1019). This date is today considered the year the city was founded.
Vitebsk - Chagall's Paris
It is under this name that Vitebsk is known throughout the world. The world famous avant-garde artist was born here. Chagall studied in St. Petersburg and lived in Paris for a long time. However, he still returned to his native land and even organized a city art school here.
When exploring the cities of Belarus, you cannot ignore Vitebsk, because it can safely be called the soul of this country. The aroma of antiquity and national flavor have been preserved here. According to legend, the city was founded by order of Princess Olga in 974. It was located on a busy trade route “from the Varangians to the Greeks.” Olga was captivated by the extraordinary beauty of the confluence of the Vitba River and this beauty struck her so much that she exclaimed: “Let the city of Vitebsk stand here.” So now he traces his history back to this event. Although it would be worth noting that there are references to Krivichi settlements here back in the ninth century. The city's favorable commercial location served it poorly militarily. He, like Brest, was repeatedly attacked by enemy armies, but was able to survive all the hardships and today is included in the list of “The Most Beautiful Cities of Belarus”.
Grodno
This is a calm and quiet city. It is famous for its grandiose fortress walls, erected long before the appearance of the current capital of Belarus. Grodno suffered, perhaps, the most adversity compared to other cities of the republic. And only thanks to its reliable walls the city managed to survive. During the Northern War, Grodno nevertheless fell. The castle was literally wiped off the face of the earth. Later, an equally majestic and beautiful New Castle was erected in its place, adorning the city to this day.
Studying the cities of Belarus, an attentive person may notice one feature of Grodno that is characteristic of the whole country, but is especially noticeable here. This land has always been multi-confessional - Jews, Catholics, Muslims, Lutherans, Orthodox Christians and even Old Believers live peacefully side by side here. In Grodno you can see the neighboring Lutheran church and synagogue, mosque and Christian temple.
Gomel
Like most ancient cities, Gomel does not remember its year of birth. The first mentions of it were found in the chronicles of the twelfth century. However, we are told that the city already existed, but when it was founded is not known. His child was located on the cape, which was formed by the right bank of the Sozh River and the left bank of the Gomiyuk stream, now this is the territory. According to archaeological data, in the 11th century jewelry and bronze foundry, ironworking, pottery, woodworking, weapons and bone-carving crafts were developed here. Through trade routes, Gomel was connected with Kiev, Chernigov, Northern Russia, Smolensk, Volyn and Byzantium. Today this city is one of the most beautiful in the country, with the richest cultural, historical and scientific potential, with a unique style and appearance. Today's Gomel has developed industry, culture, and science; it is a socio-political center and an important transport hub. Its very favorable geographical position contributes to the development of the national economy. Among other things, Gomel is the intellectual center of the republic, as well as the venue for major sporting and cultural events. This is a city of shady alleys, ancient buildings, openwork chestnut trees, wide avenues and extraordinary people who shaped its history.
Mogilev
This city was first mentioned in the “List of Russian cities, distant and close” (14th century). Starting from this period, Mogilev became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and at the end of the century it passed into the possession of Jadwiga, the wife of the Polish king and part-time Prince of Lithuania Jagiello. There are many legends describing the emergence of this settlement.
Modern Mogilev is rich in architectural monuments, for example, the complex of the St. Nicholas Convent. There is an old Christian church here from the early 16th century. In the city center you can see the Church of St. Stanislaus, built in 1752. Initially it belonged to the Carmelite Order, but by decree of Catherine the Great it was transferred to the residence of the bishop. In 1785, on the high city rampart, the most beautiful palace of the Orthodox figure of the 18th century, George Konissky, was built. In addition, many buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries and a memorial arch from that period, the building of the regional theater and the former City Government have been preserved here.
Is Belarus an appendage of Russia?
Most Russians perceive this country as a kind of “province” of the once great Russian Empire, inferior to Russia both in territorial borders and in cultural and historical significance. If you ask the younger generation what cities are in Belarus, few will be able to name even two or three settlements other than the capital of this republic. However, this attitude towards this state is unfair, and statements about the “province” do not stand up to criticism. It was here that the Principality of Lithuania was located and developed for many centuries, castles and the most beautiful cultural and architectural monuments were created, many of which can still be seen today. This is such a glorious country - Belarus. The cities (the list of which was given above, and others, smaller in size, but not in historical significance) of the republic confirm this. Any of them, upon careful examination, is capable of revealing the deepest historical layers. So the question about the “provinciality” of Belarus is at least incorrect.
In the IX-XI centuries. On the territory of modern Belarus, communities of Krivichi, Dregovich, and Radimichi were formed, which formed the ethnic cores of the most ancient early feudal Belarusian states - Polotsk (X-XII centuries) and Turov (X-XIV centuries) principalities. The lands of the Middle Bug region with some of the most ancient cities united around their main city of Berestye (Brest), Northern Posozhye was part of the Smolensk Principality, and the cities of Gomel, Chechersk, Rechitsa were part of the Chernigov Principality. On the lands of Upper Ponemania in the XII-XIII centuries. Gorodensky and Novogorodsky (Novogrudsky) appanage principalities arose. The social development of the lands of Belarus in the early Middle Ages followed a common course with other Eastern Slavs.
This period is characterized by the development of feudal relations, the adoption of Christianity according to the Byzantine rite, and progress in the field of culture. In the context of the deepening social division of labor and the separation of crafts from agriculture, the development of trade, the emergence in the 9th century. With stable monetary circulation, numerous fortified cities, surrounded by fortified walls, arise and grow. They become centers of economic and cultural life in the territories of various Slavic tribes and their principalities. During this period, the foundations of urban planning and monumental stone architecture were laid.
The first cities on the territory of Belarus arose in the 9th-13th centuries. as fortified, fenced settlements (“hails”). Some cities grew up on the sites of former settlements of the Iron Age period, others developed from former centers of tribal settlements, border fortresses (Grodno), feudal castles, as established centers of crafts and trade in significant agricultural territories.
For the development of cities, their location on water and land trade routes was important, where the early and most famous cities arose: Polotsk, Vitebsk, Drutsk, Turov, Berestye (Brest), Gorodnya (Grodno), Pinsk and others. Ancient Varangians who penetrated in the 9th-11th centuries. Along the trade route “from the Varangians to the Greeks” (to Byzantium; in the 9th-13th centuries its middle part passed through the territory of Belarus), from the Baltic to the Black Sea, we saw many settlements surrounded by walls. Therefore, they called the lands of the Krivichi and Polotsk people along the Western Dvina “Gardarik” (“country of cities”).
In the north and north-west of Belarus in the 9th-10th centuries. cities arose as tribal support centers as a result of the settlement of the territory of Belarus by the Eastern Slavs. These cities include: Polotsk, Vitebsk, Lukoml, Minsk, Drutsk, Orsha, Zaslavl, Logoisk, Braslav, Shklov, Volkovysk, Novogrudok. The cities were points where the Drevlyans, Dregovichs, and Krivichi brought Polyudye.
The Byzantine Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus composed a description (around 948) “About the Rus coming from Russia on monoxyls (one-shaft boats) to Constantinople: “The winter and harsh lifestyle of these same Rus is as follows. When the month of November comes, their princes immediately leave Kyiv with all the Rus and go to Polyudye, that is, on a circular detour and specifically to the Slavic lands of the Vervians (Drevlyans) Druguvites (Dregovichs) Kriviteins (Krivichi) Severii (North) and the rest of the Slavs paying tribute to the Rus. After feeding there for the whole winter, in April, when the ice on the Dnieper River melts, they return to Kyiv again. Then they take their polearms... they equip themselves and set off for Byzantium...”
In 945, the Kiev prince Igor, “... wanting more estates,” decided to gather Polyudye twice during one winter, but was killed by the rebel Drevlyans.
The intensive growth of cities in Belarus began in the 11th–12th centuries. as a result of progress in the development of agriculture and crafts. In the southern part of Belarus, cities arose as centers of crafts and trade, serving significant agricultural regions. In the XI-XIII centuries. on the territory of present-day Gomelitsyn a necklace of ancient cities grew: Gomel, Mozyr, Rogachev, Streshin, Chechersk, Bragin, Rechitsa.
In the IX-XIII centuries. There were more than 40 cities on the territory of Belarus. There is information about 35 of them in Slavic chronicles (“The Tale of Bygone Years,” 12th century) and other written sources. Some have been identified as a result of archaeological discoveries. By the 9th century. refers to the emergence of Polotsk; in the 10th century Zaslavl, Turov, Volkovysk arose; in the 11th century — Braslav, Brest, Vitebsk, Drutsk, David-Gorodok, Kopys, Logoisk, Lukoml, Minsk, Orsha, Pinsk; in the 12th century - Borisov, Bragin, Gomel, Grodno, Kletsk, Mozyr, Mstislavl, Novogrudok, Rogachev, Slutsk, Proposhesk (Propoisk, from 1945 - Slavgorod), Chechersk; in the 13th century - Volkovysk, Zditov (now the village of Zditovo in the Berezovsky district), Kamenets, Kopyl, Kobrin, Rechitsa, Slonim, Turiisk (now the village of Tureisk in the Shchuchinsky district).
Many ancient cities of Belarus bear the names of their founding princes. Among them: Borisov, Zaslavl, Braslav, David-Gorodok, Turov, Mstislavl. A number of cities are named for their location on rivers: Minsk, Polotsk, Vitebsk, Pinsk, Slutsk.
From the beginning of their existence, cities became centers of economic and cultural life in the surrounding territories, establishing and developing trade relations with near and far groups of the East Slavic population.
In the center of the city there was a detinets (fortress), fortified with wooden palisades or timber walls - fortresses, ditches and earthen ramparts, and later - stone walls (in some Western cities - with donjon towers). In Detinets there was a feudal lord’s castle, an administrative office, a church, and a monastery. Near Detinets there was a roundabout town with a second line of fortifications. It is usually composed of a posad (suburb) - the trade and craft part of the feudal city. All ancient Belarusian cities had posads; in large cities they were divided into districts (ends).
The predominant population of the settlements were artisans and traders. Already in the 10th century. in the largest cities of Belarus there are over 40 types of crafts. In addition to crafts, part of the urban population was engaged in trades, arable farming, gardening and cattle breeding.
The layout of streets in big cities was radial-ring or radial-fan. The main street started from the city gate. Streets 2-5 m wide were paved with logs and wooden blocks laid on log beams. In some large cities (Polotsk, Minsk) there were drainage devices on the streets to drain water.
For Belarusian trade and craft cities, a typical planning structure was with two centers - a feudal castle and a market square with shops, artisans' workshops, and trading warehouses. Along the city streets there were courtyards of citizens with houses and outbuildings (workshops, sheds, warehouses), surrounded by fences with entrance gates (gates) under a gable roof.
Housing and economic construction in cities of the 11th–12th centuries. was made of wood. On the estates, small single-chamber (one-room) above-ground dwellings of a log structure were built from logs, less often from beams (Minsk, Davyd-Gorodok) with an area of 12-16 square meters. m. The development was distinguished by the density of the buildings. Courtyards were usually surrounded by strong wooden fences. Archaeological studies of the housing of the townspeople of feudal Vitebsk, carried out in 1981-1989, showed the process of its development from simple single-chamber huts to multi-chamber huts with vestibules, which appeared in the 12th century.
In the southern part of Belarus, above-ground frame houses and semi-dugouts are also known.
Houses often had wooden floors made from split planks. Small windows were cut out in the upper crowns of the walls; in the houses of wealthier owners they were made of mica or glass. The buildings were covered with gable roofs made of shingles. To heat the room, an adobe or stone stove was used, which stood in the corner of the house closest to the entrance.
In some cities (Novogrudok, Berestye, Slonim) there are houses with a two-chamber layout, with an area of several tens of square meters. So, in Novogrudok in the XII-XIII centuries. On the territory of the roundabout city there was a quarter with two-room residential buildings of wealthy citizens with a housing area of up to 75 square meters. m. Most of the buildings had plastered walls, large windows with round glass discs, and were distinguished by “white” stoves of various types.
In the XII-XIII centuries. In the cities, crafts were further developed, among which blacksmithing, jewelry, leatherworking, shoemaking, tailoring, pottery, cooperage, and bone carving predominated. The production of various iron products, household tools (locks, axes, knives, sickles, openers, nails, etc.), weapons and ammunition (swords, chain mail, armor, spearheads, horseshoes, etc.) became widespread. The production of clothing and shoes, household utensils (pottery, cooperage), jewelry, pendants, temple rings, bracelets, beads, buttons, etc. increased. Archaeological finds of that time include bone combs, chess pieces, knife handles, etc.
Unique is the discovery on the territory of the roundabout city of Gomel of a destroyed workshop of the first half of the 13th century, where “plank armor” was made - iron rectangular convex plates for military armor. In the workshop there were 1.5 thousand such plates, which were produced and processed there, which indicates a well-established, large-scale production of defensive weapons on the ancient Belarusian border.
A variety of products from artisans from ancient cities are today exhibited in historical, archaeological and local history museums of Belarus.
Among the various layers of townspeople, writing developed, known in the Belarusian lands from the 10th century. Its earliest monuments are the inscriptions on the lead seal of the Polotsk prince Izyaslav (10th century), on a brick from the St. Sophia Cathedral (11th century), the text of the Turov Gospel (11th-12th centuries), the inscription on the cross of Euphrosyne of Polotsk (12th century) . Inscriptions from the 12th century are known. on everyday objects: spindle whorls from excavations in Drutsk, Pinsk, Grodno, amphorae found in Novogrudok and Pinsk, on epigraphic monuments - Borisov stones (XII century) and Rogvolodov stone (XII century). Archaeologists found in the Brest settlement a boxwood comb with part of the alphabet carved on it, as well as birch bark letters from the 13th-14th centuries. in Vitebsk (1959) and Mstislavl (1980).
With adoption in the 10th century. Christianity in the ancient cities of Belarus began the construction of monumental stone cross-domed churches built from plinth - wide and flat baked brick 3-3.5 cm thick. In the X-XI centuries. For their construction, craftsmen from Byzantium were invited, which contributed to the assimilation by East Slavic craftsmen of the best traditions of creating cult Orthodox churches. In 1001, one of the first churches on the lands of the Eastern Slavs was built in Drutsk, and in the 12th century. There were about 20 Orthodox churches in the cities of Belarus.
In the 12th century In the cities of the ancient Belarusian principalities, under the influence of Byzantine, Old Russian and Western European architecture, characteristic local architectural schools—Polotsk and Grodno—developed. An architectural school as a certain direction in architecture is characterized by the manifestation of originality in stylistic principles and a certain chronological framework, as well as the presence of architectural monuments created by students and followers of the famous master. Based on the best architectural traditions of previous centuries, Belarusian architectural schools were also formed on a local folk basis. The chronicles have preserved the names of the ancient architects - the founders of architectural schools - John of Polotsk and Peter Milano of Grodno.
The monumental architectural masterpieces of ancient Belarusian cities of the 12th-13th centuries are distinguished by their originality and uniqueness: St. Sophia Cathedral and the Church of the Savior Euphrosyne in Polotsk, the Church of the Annunciation in Vitebsk, the Boris and Gleb (Kolozhskaya) Church in Grodno. The monumental stone cathedrals in Novogrudok, Turov, Volkovysk also met the level of the best monuments of ancient Russian culture of their time.
Emerging from the cradle of Byzantine and East Slavic traditions, the viable and original Belarusian culture confidently and successfully developed in all the appanage principalities, and then in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
