Mogilev, a city 700 years old

Moguilev (Mogilev) is one of the oldest towns of the Republic of Belarus. It arose more than 7 centuries ago. In 1267 a castle was founded on a high hill, where the Dubrovenki River flows into the Dnieper River. During the following centuries the town formed around the castle. By the 18th century Moguilev was transformed into a large trade and handicraft centre. Monuments of the architecture of Moguilev of the 17th-18th centuries are various by their styles. Nikolayevskaya Church (1669) is situated to the east from the centre of the town. It is distinguished with its unique carved wooden iconostas. Stanislav's Catholic Church is situated in the centre of Moguilev. It is a wooden building of the middle of the 18th century. Frescos, which cover arches of the church, have the great artistic value. George Konisski's palace is one of the historical architectural sights, too. A wooden temple of the middle of the 17th century was kept in Knyazhitsy. It attracts by its unusual building.

Many dwelling houses and buildings of the end of the 18th-19th centuries also were kept in Moguilev. You can find many interesting things in the town's environs, too. The villages of Dashkovka and Saltanoika are the places of fights of the Bagration's army against the Napoleon's one. Here on the 22-23 of July in 1812 the corps of the General-lieutenant Rayevslay fought against the French army, which outnumbered the Russian one. The French army was command by Daveau. In 1912 a monument-chapel was set up. The Russian regiments and divisions, who took part in the fight, were listed on the walls of the monument.

A memorial complex, devoted to the victory of Russia over Sweden (the Northern War in 1708), was erected near the village Lesnaya. A bronze eagle, which tears the enemy's flag, spread its wings on a granite rock. A monument temple was erected, too. It reminds the ancient Russian bond tower. Now there is a museum in the temple.

The Byelorussian town Mstislavl is called 'Byelorussian Suzdal" the first mention about it belongs to 1156. It was one of the towns of the Smolensk Principality. In 1180 Mstislavl was the centre of a separate principality. It was a place of many historical events. Mstislavl is a highly developed cultural town. there are many monuments of the architecture in Mstislavl. It was famous by its production of ceramic, tile, and glass. A wooden castle defined the architectural image of Mstislavl with Nicolskiy Temple in the centre, numerous wooden and stone churches, cloisters and towers. Today tourists can see the Castle Mountain and the Girl Mountain, Alexandr Nevskiy's Church, churches of Jesuits, Nicolayevskiy Cathedral. Names of many famous people associated with the town, e.g., Peter Mstislavets was one of the first Slavonic printers (a fellow-campaigner of Ivan Fyodorov), and Stepan Polubes (Ivanov) was a remarkable master of files. The Tsar Peter I decorated Moscow temples with them in the 1 7-th century. Today Moguilev is a modern industrial centre. The chemical, machine building, metalworking, food and other industries develop in the town. Electric motors, passenger lifts, chemical fibres, etc. are produced in Moguilev. Moguilev is a large cultural centre, too. Pedagogical, machine building institutes and some technical school prepare specialists of these spheres.