Mogilev

Related Topics:
Mogilev :: Mogilevskaya

Mogilev, or Mahilyow (Belarusian Магілёў, Russian Могилёв (Mogilev, Mogilyov), Polish Mohylew or Mogilew) is a city in eastern Belarus, close to the border to Russia with more than 300,000 inhabitants. It is the centre of Mogilev voblast and the third largest city in Belarus.

History

The city was founded in 1267. Since 14th century a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, after the Union of Lublin and creation of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, it was transferred to The Crown. The city flourished as one of the main nodes of the east-west and north-south trading routes. In 1577 king Stefan Batory granted it with city rights. After the First Partition of Poland it was annexed by Imperial Russia and was the center of the Mogilev guberniya. In years 1915-1917, during WWI, the headquarters of the Russian army functioned in the city. In 1918 occupied by Germany and transferred to the short-lived Belarusian People's Republic. In 1919 captured by the forces of Bolshevist Russia and incorporated into Byelorussian SSR. Between 1941 and 1944 under German occupation. Since Belarus gaining its independence in 1991 Mogilev remains one of its principal cities.

Economy

Mogilev is one of the main economical and industrial centres of Belarus. After World War II a huge metallurgy centre with several major steel mills was built. Also, there are several major factories of cranes, cars, tractors and a chemical plant. The city is home to a major inland port at the Dnieper river and a domestic airport.

Facts

Location:
Population: 356,500 (census of 14 February 1999)

Sites of interest

18th century Revelation Orthodox Church and Monastery
St. Nicholas' Church (17th century)
St. Stanislaw's Catholic Church (18th century)

Notable natives of Mogilev

Leonid Isaakovich Mandelshtam, physicist
Issai Schur, mathematician
Modest Altschuler, orchestra conductor
Grandparents of Wayne Gretzky
Otto Schmidt, scientist, mathematician, astronomer, geophysicist, statesman, academician.
Matest M. Agrest, ethnologist and mathematician
Fredrick Smilakovich, great grandfather of Smilack
Mikałaj Sudziłoŭski, revolutionary and scientist.
Lev Polugaevsky, International Grandmaster of chess

Sister cities

Kragujevac, Serbia

External links

Towns in Belarus | shtetls