Polatsk

Introducing Polatsk

Polatsk, 261km north of Minsk, is a sleepy riverfront town with a rich history. It was the birthplace of the Belarusian nation as well as that of the country's national hero, Francyska Skaryny, who published the first Bible in a Slavonic language in 1517-19. Today, however, its lovely monastery and cathedral are the only sights of interest to tourists.

The Princedom of Polatsk, first mentioned in 862, was one of the earliest Slavic settlements. It was absorbed by the Kingdom of Lithuania in 1307 and later by Pol- and, which introduced Catholicism. Polatsk prospered as a river port, but was continually flung back and forth between the feuding Muscovy tsars and the Polish crown, being reduced to rubble more than once. Ivan the Terrible had his day here in 1563 when he had the entire city council drowned or impaled for daring to show too much independence. The new city of Novopolatsk, a grey concrete industrial centre, has grown up right next to Polatsk, making the immediate surroundings rather unattractive.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009