Recently, archaeologists have made several important historical finds in the Mogilev region at once. In the Krasnopolsky district, in the agricultural town of Lenin, teachers and students of Mogilev State University during the expedition discovered a unique bronze ring with an ornament of the 17th-18th centuries, as well as fragments of tools from the Late Neolithic. And a little earlier, in Mstislavl, on Castle Hill, very unusual artifacts from different eras were found: a key of the 11th-12th centuries, elements of women's shoes and a mysterious cast bronze case of the middle of the 17th century with baroque decoration, BelTA reports. How our ancestors could use it is still unclear even to the researchers themselves, so the study of this product promises to be especially interesting.
Meanwhile, ancient Mstislavl, which is sometimes called "Belarusian Suzdal" because of its unique historical flavor, has long attracted scientists and lovers of antiquity. Many amazing items from different eras and cultures were found here: metal and wood products, weapons, and glass and gold jewelry. And the most unique artifact was a bronze icon of the 13th-14th centuries discovered this summer, depicting the Roman Emperor Constantine and his mother Helena. Such a thing on the territory of Belarus was met by scientists for the first time.
Knight's festival and underground labyrinths: what to see in Mstislavl
Mstislavl is famous not only for its archaeological sites. This place gathers a lot of tourists every summer - in July, a knight's festival takes place here. To participate in the equestrian tournament, go to the exhibition of rare armor and watch historical performances come from all over Belarus. But if you didn’t manage to visit the city during the holiday, don’t be discouraged - you won’t be bored in Mstislavl anyway, there is something to see here even without medieval battles.
Since we started with archeology, let the starting point of our route through the city be Maiden Mountain. This is a settlement of the ancient Baltic tribes of the 1st century BC. An earthen defensive rampart of that time in the form of a ring has been preserved here. Of course, the locals will surely tell you the legend of how the mountain appeared. According to legend, this huge hill was filled by the girls of the settlement in one night to resist the enemy siege.
In the center of modern Mstislavl is Castle Hill- just here they find unique historical artifacts, and a knight's festival is also held right there. It is from this hill that the city originates. In the Middle Ages, there was a princely castle-fortress on the mountain, which could be reached only by passing a wide moat on a wooden drawbridge. By the way, Mstislavl stands on six hills - a little behind Rome. The flat terrain here is abruptly replaced by hills, so the surroundings of the regional center are often called Belarusian Switzerland. At the same time, the Vihra River, on which the city is located, is considered one of the cleanest in Belarus.
The main architectural monument of Mstislavl - Church of the Carmelites built in early XVII century. Inside, ancient frescoes have been preserved. Tourists are allowed to go down to the dungeon or climb the narrow stairs up to the towers of the church. Nearby is a Jesuit monastery founded in 1690. As part of the complex, several buildings have survived to this day, the three-story collegium is especially beautiful. Another interesting structure- the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky, which was built on the site of the burnt Bernardine church in 1870. There is also a legend here: they say that once the Carmelite, Jesuit and Bernardine churches were connected by secret underground passages - the buildings are located close to each other. True, scientists are silent about underground labyrinths, so this is rather a beautiful urban legend.
It is interesting and easy to walk along the streets of Mstislavl, where you can see wooden houses late XIX centuries in which people still live.
If you have time, we advise you to ride out of town. 8 km from Mstislavl is the oldest monastery in these parts, the Dormition Monastery, or Pustynki. The monastery was founded in 1380 and since then it has been destroyed and burned down countless times, but in the end it was restored anyway. Now it is a functioning Orthodox monastery, on the territory of which there is a holy spring, which has not dried up even once since the foundation of the monastery.
How to get to Mstislavl
By car from Moscow to Mstislavl a little over 500 km. After the Moscow Ring Road, we leave for the Minsk highway and move along M-1, then turn towards Bryansk. Further along the A141 we leave for 04 to the border with Belarus, then we go along the P73.
From Minsk to Mstislavl, you will have to travel more than 300 kilometers. We drive along the M4, near the Prony River, turn onto the P123, then exit onto the H10376, and then turn right onto the P15.
We decided to go to public transport? There are daily buses from Smolensk to Mstislavl, the travel time is 2-3 hours, depending on the route. You will travel about the same amount from Mogilev, the car runs several times a day.
Alexandra Egorova
PROGRAM OF THE CITY DAY-2018 IN Mstislavl and the XVII BELARUSIAN FESTIVAL OF ARTS
THEM. PEOPLE'S ARTIST OF BELARUS N. CHURKIN
September 29, 2018
10:15-10:45 Laying wreaths, flowers by the leadership of the district, representatives public institutions, public organizations and associations, labor collectives.
Mound of Glory, Peace Park, place of mass destruction on the street. Zaslonova
11:00-11:50 Solemn event dedicated to the city holiday, the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the district from Nazi invaders.
Main stage
12:00 Regional defile contest “Through the years, through generations!”, regional contest “Play, accordion!”, competition of literary and artistic reading “Our native land in verse and prose”. Children's concert and entertainment program "Beloved cities in the colors of children!".
Main stage
12:00-15:00 Photo exhibition “Know ours!”; youth flashmob "Mstislavl - pride, hope, love!"; flash action "Beloved city, I wish you!"; face art "This world is colorful and bright!"; #photo zone of the hashtag “Belarusian Republican Youth Union Mstislavl”.
13:00 Concert of performers of Belarusian music of the Honored Ensemble "National Academic Concert Orchestra of Belarus" "At the honor of a Slavutag fellow countryman: music of a small radzima Mikalai Churkin".
RCKINT
13:00-17:00 Exhibition of paintings by avant-garde artist Israel Basov, a native of Mstislavl, “I breathe at the same time with a sweet land!”.
15:00 Opening of a memorial plaque to the avant-garde artist Israel Basov, a native of Mstislavl.
Management Company "Mstislavsky District Historical and Archaeological Museum"
18:00 Festive concert of the Honored Collective "National Academic Concert Orchestra of Belarus".
RCKINT
19:00 Festive concert of amateur art groups of the district "This city is the best."
Main stage
20:00 Concert of the ensemble "Vesyalukha" of the Mogilev Regional Philharmonic.
21:00 Demonstration of a film about veterans of the Great Patriotic War.
21:07 Festive fireworks.
Peter Mstislavets Square
21:00 Festive disco
“Happy holiday, Mstislavl!”
23:00 Night party disco.
RCKINT
During the holiday work:
trade, attractions, rental of children's electric cars, sports competitions, exhibitions, youth events.
8:30 Track and field cross.
mound of Glory
9:00 Work of agricultural farmsteads, exhibitions and sales of the Mstislav branch of the Domochay Bakery and Confectionery Company OJSC, the production unitary enterprise Mstislavlmoloko, the district trade union, enterprises and organizations of the Vosensky district
kirmash", the work of the City of Masters (exhibitions and sales of DPI), an exhibition and sale of products and souvenirs of OJSC "Household and printing services" Mstislavchanka ".
st. Pirogovskaya, Komsomolskaya st.
9:00 Photo exhibition “Dedicated to the native land!”
9:00 Exhibition-fair "Ancient Mstislavl!"
st. Pirogovskaya
9:00-17:00 Exposition of household items from the 50s-60s “About the land where you were born!”
10:00 Karaoke cafe, film screening.
st. Pirogovskaya
13:00 Photo-quest "My city in the photo lens".
karaoke cafe, st. Pirogovskaya (behind the Breeze cafeteria)
The program is subject to change.
Mstislavl - (the regional center of the region) was first mentioned in the Ipatiev Chronicle under 1156 as a fortress on the western border of the Smolensk principality. Historians have an opinion that the settlement arose half a century earlier and its name is associated with Prince Mstislav Vladimirovich, the son of Vladimir Monomakh, who ruled Smolensk at the beginning of the 12th century. (L. Alekseev).
The economic and cultural development of Mstislavl was facilitated by its location on the Vihra River (the Sozh and Dnieper basins) and the crossroads of overland roads from the western lands to Smolensk and Moscow. In 1569, Mstislavl became the center of the vast Mstislav province, which included the cities of Mogilev, Orsha, and Krichev.
Being a border city between Lithuania and Russia, Mstislavl was often subjected to sieges. In 1648, an uprising began in the province, which was supported by Russian troops. In 1654 Mstislavl was taken by Prince Trubetskoy and its fortifications were razed to the ground.
In Mstislavl, two historical and archaeological monuments have been preserved: Maiden Hill and Castle Hill. Both mountains are now under state protection as archeological monuments.
An idea of the old layout of Mstislavl, which has grown near the ancient castle, is given by a schematic background on the design plan of the city in 1778. It can be seen from it that the two main street directions originated from the citadel and passed into the roads to Mogilev and Cherikov. These streets were not distinguished by a clear tracing, they had breaks. The irregularity can be traced in the entire network of streets, alleys and dead ends of the city, which is explained by the rugged relief, on the one hand, and the norms and way of life of a medieval city, on the other. The saturation of the territory with a street network is noted near the citadel.
The project of the city of Mstislavl in 1778 was carried out without taking into account the historical layout. In essence, a completely new, strictly regular (geometrically "correct") design plan was developed, in which, however, all monuments of architecture and archeology were preserved. Rectangular layout late XVIII in. with an axial composition, on which the squares were strung, has survived with minor changes to our time and more reflects the urban planning policy of the period of urban reorganization Russian Empire than the layout of the old Mstislavl (until the 18th century).
The monumental architectural monuments of Mstislavl are represented by the former Jesuit church with a monastery - now the St. Nicholas Cathedral, the Carmelite church and the church of Alexander Nevsky, built in 1877 on the basis of the Bernardine church.
Other religious buildings of Mstislavl, such as the wooden churches of the Orthodox brotherhood or the Dominican church, burned down or were dismantled in the 18th-19th centuries. The prefabricated church of Alexander Nevsky, towering over the entire building of the city (it was mentioned above), has more historical value than artistic value.
description
City Mstislavl, often called "Little Vilnius" for its architecture and appearance, is one of the most attractive cities for those who choose recreation and tourism in Belarus. Mstislavl is located 95 kilometers from Mogilev, not far from Russian border on the banks of the Vihra river.
City `s history begins in 1135 - Prince of Smolensk Roman Rostislavovich founded a fortified settlement here. Soon the city became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and was one of the most powerful fortresses of the state, despite the constant attacks of Russian troops. For loyalty in 1634, Mstislavl received from the King of the Commonwealth Vladislav the Fourth the Magdeburg Law. However, in 1772 the city became part of the Russian Empire.
The city is amazing from the first minute wealth of historical sites. It is best to start the tour from Maiden Mountain in Mstislav, about which there are many legends. In ancient times, there was a settlement on this natural hill. But in the 18th century, the Ostrozhsky magnates strewed the slopes of the mountain with crushed chalk in the summer and rode a sleigh, imitating the princes Radziwills. Another attraction of Belarus - the castle hill in Mstislavl - is the former citadel of the medieval city, which has preserved elements of ditches and ramparts.
There is great interest and temples of the city. Thus, the Church of the Carmelites of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Mstislavl preserved fresco paintings of the 17th century: “The Capture of Mstislav by Moscow troops in 1654” and “The Trubetskaya Massacre, or the Murder of Priests”, showing the most tragic pages in the history of the city. In addition to the church itself, the service building of the Carmelite monastery has survived to this day. The church of the Jesuit monastery of St. Michael the Archangel in Mstislavl, built in the first half of the 18th century, has also been preserved. Near the temple are the buildings of the monastic collegium and pharmacies of the 18th century.
There are also Orthodox churches in the city: the Holy Cross Church (1871) and the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky in Mstislavl, built in 1870 on the site of a Catholic church. During the war, German soldiers were buried near this church.
strolling along the central streets of the city, the tourist will see residential wooden houses of the 19th century, the building of the noble assembly "Paris" in Mstislavl, the building of the zemstvo council, the men's gymnasium and other buildings of pre-revolutionary ordinary buildings. It is worth visiting the shopping malls in Mstislavl, built in the early 20th century. Trade rows are located on the site of the ancient market.
The fire tower in Mstislavl is also an architectural monument of the early 20th century. Firefighters and rescuers watched day and night outside the city from her height to prevent disaster. Hear stories about significant events and guests of the city can visit the local history museum of Mstislavl. It is impossible not to mention two monuments to the famous native of the city - Piotr Mstislavets, one of the first Belarusian book printers.
Mstislavl has become a place holding jousting tournaments and festivals where a tourist who has chosen a vacation in Belarus can visit the city of craftsmen, learn about medieval crafts and try himself as a knight or a medieval lady.
Excursion to Mstislavl will leave behind unforgettable impressions. Thanks to ancient traditions and preserved historical monuments, the city never ceases to attract the attention of tourists.
The city of Mstislavl was founded in 1135 by Prince Roman Rostislavich of Smolensk. The name of the city was given in honor of his son Mstislav, to whom he gave an inheritance in 1180. The city of Mstislavl was first mentioned in the Ipatiev Chronicle (1156). Then the territory of the Mstislav Principality included the lands of not only the present Mstislav, but also the Cherikovsky and Chausy regions with the cities of Radoml and Ryasno. After the death of Prince David of Smolensk, Mstislav Romanovich's uncle, Mstislav Romanovich was recognized as Prince of Smolensk and annexed the Mstislav principality to Smolensk. In 1359, the Lithuanian prince Olgerd captured Mstislavl. Then he annexed it to the Lithuanian principality. In 1386, taking advantage of the absence of the prince and other nobles, including his son Semyon (Lungvenius) Olgerdovich, due to the wedding and coronation of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Jagiello, Smolensk prince Svyatoslav laid siege to the city, but could not take it for 11 days. Lithuanian troops, led by the brothers Jagiello, princes Skirgel and Vitovt, approached the city and after the battle on the banks of the Vihra lifted the siege. In the battle for the city, the nephew of the Smolensk prince Svyatoslav Ivan Vasilievich died. Semyon-Lingveny in Battle of Grunwald commanded three East Slavic banners (regiments) - Smolensk, Mstislav and Starodubov - which withstood the first blow of the troops Teutonic Order. Semyon-Lingvenius, having married an Orthodox, converted from Catholicism to Orthodoxy. He founded and began construction of the Pustynsky Monastery in the vicinity of Mstislavl, the ruins of which, now being restored, are today a place of pilgrimage. The prince became the founder of the dynasty of the Mstislav princes.
In 1566, the Mstislav Voivodeship was formed with its center in Mstislavl.
In 1654, after the capture of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Smolensk by the troops, the boyar Alexei Nikitich Trubetskoy was sent to Mstislavl, who took the city by storm and carried out a brutal reprisal against the inhabitants of the city. The wooden castle on the mountain near the Carmelite Church, which is currently called the Castle, was burned.
After the annexation of most of modern Belarus to Russia in 1772, as a result of the partition of the Commonwealth, the Mstislav Voivodeship was renamed the province of the Belarusian-Mogilev Governorate, and a provincial office was established in Mstislavl.
In 1858, Mstislavl was badly damaged by fire, about 500 buildings burned down.
From 1919, Mstislavl was part of the Smolensk province of the RSFSR, was the center of the county, from July 17, 1924 - part of the BSSR, the regional center of the Mogilev region.
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