Belarusian city of Verkhnedvinsk. Verkhnedvinsk Verkhny Dvinsk

VERKHNEDVINSK(Verhnedvinsk) The city of Verkhnedvinsk (until December 25, 1962 - Drissa), the center of the Verkhnedvinsk district of the Vitebsk region, is located at the confluence of the Western Dvina river. Drissa on the Polotsk-Daugavpils highway, 175 km northwest of Vitebsk, 345 km from Minsk. It is a railway station on the Polotsk-Daugavpils line (Latvia). The city has a population of 7.3 thousand people. (as of 01/01/2010)
The city's coat of arms was established By decree of Catherine II of September 21, 1781, it belongs to the historical and heraldic monuments of Belarus. Initially, in its upper part there was an image of the double-headed State eagle of the Russian Empire and the imperial crown.An armed horseman with a sword and shield in a golden field on the Driessen coat of arms repeated the image inscribed on the coat of arms of the city of Polotsk, which was approved by the same decree of the Empress.


It was first mentioned in written sources in the “Chronicle of Polish, Lithuanian, Zhemoit and All Rus'” by M. Stryikovsky under 1330 and 1386, when during the internecine war the Drissen castle was captured and burned by Prince Andrei Olgerdovich of Polotsk. However, according to archaeologists, the settlement arose much earlier, as a military fortification of the Polotsk princes. The chronicle name is Dris, Drisa, Driza. According to some information, the castle was rebuilt again in 1546. In the 1st half of the 16th century. Drissa was an important trading center on the Western Dvina with developed agriculture and was a royal possession. The main item of trade was timber. In 1547, a customs house was opened here. During the Livonian War between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Moscow State (1558-82), the city found itself in the zone of active military operations of the warring parties, and therefore was almost completely destroyed. the name of the town, and in 1938 it received the status of a city. In 1939, its population was about 3 thousand people. During the Great Patriotic War, many buildings and enterprises were destroyed by the German occupiers. Fascist punitive forces, as well as policemen, burned 426 villages. Of these, 186 were never restored after the war. The names of 69 Upper Dvina (Drissen) villages are immortalized in the Khatyn memorial complex. There were 3 partisan brigades operating in the region: Osveyskaya named after. M. Frunze, 1st and 2nd Drissensky. The Kalinin brigades from Russia, the “Combat” and “Brave” special forces, as well as the Latvian partisan brigade took part in joint combat operations. The basis for the creation of partisan formations was the underground organizations in Osveya, Sarya, Borkovichi and Proshki. In the northernmost part of the region, at the junction of the borders of Latvia, Belarus and Russia, the Mound of Friendship was erected. It symbolizes the close international unity secured by blood in the fight against fascism during the war. Here, annually on the first Sunday of July, veterans, youth, and residents of border areas gather to honor the memory of those killed. In July 1944, the city was liberated by troops of the 2nd Baltic Front.

Verkhnedvinsk from a bird's eye view In Verkhnedvinsk there are enterprises in the light industry, woodworking, construction materials, and food industries. The city remains a center of traditional artistic weaving today.
Verkhnedvinsk is famous for its fresh flowers, which can be seen everywhere here from May to November.

Even in winter, under the snow, numerous flower beds can be discerned in the city center and on its outskirts, and sidewalks and street intersections are crowned with countless flower stands. But even in winter the city strives to remain green.
Verkhnedvinsk in winter

City street The biggest problem for local residents was crossing the Western Dvina, and once upon a time, even in summer, people could only get from Verkhnedvinsk to the opposite bank through Polotsk, making a 150-kilometer detour.
First, a pontoon bridge was built connecting Verkhnedvinsk with the opposite bank of the Western Dvina (there is already the Miory district). It was dismantled for the winter, being temporary in all respects, but another bridge, a permanent one, is being built nearby. The length of the pontoon crossing is a quarter of a kilometer, and it was erected by the transport support troops of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic in just three days.
Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Drissa is the birthplace of the Belarusian and Russian artist of the 19th - early 20th centuries. academician of painting Isaac Asknazi. In 1897, Alexander Palmbach was born here, whom he forgot about in his native place for a long time. But today’s Tuva cannot imagine its life without Palmbach - he is the founder of Tuvan national writing, co-author of “Grammar of the Tuvan Language”, “Fundamentals of Tuvan Orthography”. Nadezhda Troyan, a partisan intelligence officer, was also born in Drissa in October 1921. Hero of the Soviet Union, who participated in the preparation of the destruction of the General Commissioner of Belarus, Gauleiter Wilhelm Kube.

Verkhnedvinsk district is the northernmost region of Belarus. The area of ​​the district is 2140 square meters. km, it includes 265 settlements (in 1984 there were 313), and the population is 24.5 thousand people. (as of 01/01/2010). During the Patriotic War of 1812, at a military camp that was created near the city of Drissa and occupied an area of ​​about 14 square meters. km was the headquarters of the 1st Russian Army under the command of the famous commander Barclay de Tolly. These events are reflected in Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace". On the Verkhnedvinsk land, General Kulnev, a worthy student of Suvorov, a hero of the War of 1812, fought courageously and laid down his head.

Ruins of Osveisky Castle There are a total of 334 monuments in the area, incl. 30 - archeology, 10 - architecture, 2 memorial complexes, 69 - military graves, 19 - dedicated to historical events and outstanding people.

Bell of the Church of the Holy Trinity (Rositsa village) The famous Saryansky temple (1852-1857) of amazing beauty was erected as a tomb for his wife Mary by the owner of Saryan Ignatius Lopatinsky.
Saryan Church On this land I.D. were born. Chersky (village Svolno) - world-famous geographer and explorer of Siberia; folklorist and ethnographer I. Khrapovitsky - one of the authors of the project for the abolition of serfdom, as well as famous Belarusian writers E. Samuylenok and T. Khadkevich.

The Church of St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk (Borovka village) Verkhnedvinshchina gave 8 Heroes of the Soviet Union: I. Zakharov, I. Makeenok, I. Kobzun, M. Myadel, E. Lavrinovich, S. Zabogonsky, A. Burak, N. Troyan. Here, in the Osveysko-Rosson partisan zone, P.M. Masherov began his combat career.

Legend. In the XIV century. On the island of Lake Osveyskoye there was a fortified castle connected to the shore by a suspension bridge. It was taken by storm and destroyed by a lost detachment of crusaders, who were on their way to join the main forces to Pskov. Leaving the castle with rich booty, the knights ended up in the huge and impassable Osvey swamp, where they died. In sunny, calm weather, from above you can see the remains of a flooded bridge under the water.

Finds of 11 treasures were recorded on the territory of the region, incl. 1 -VI-XI centuries, 2 - XVI centuries, 3 - XVII centuries, 2 - XVIII centuries. and 3 - XIX centuries. One of them, found in the village of Velikoye Selo in 1977, was hidden back in 1610 and contained 321 silver and billon coins.

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Verkhnedvinsk is a city in Belarus, the administrative center of the Verkhnedvinsk district in the north-west of the Vitebsk region. Until 1962 it was called Drissa. Located at the confluence of the Drissa and Western Dvina rivers. The Verkhnedvinsk railway station on the Polotsk - Daugavpils line is located in the village of Borovka, 2 km from the city. Population - 7.3 thousand people (2010). Coordinates: 55°46′00″ N. w. 27°56′00″ E. d. Time zone: UTC+3. Telephone code: +375 2151. Postal code: 211631. Vehicle code: 2.

History of Verkhnedvinsk

The city was first mentioned in 1386. The lands of Verhnedvinsk belonged to the Principality of Polotsk, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1565, a castle was erected in the city, equipped with guns and shells. By the 19th century, nothing remained of the structure. The shaft was excavated and the ditch was filled in. During the Patriotic War, the Drissky fortified camp was located near the city.

During the First and Second World Wars, the city was occupied by German troops. Since 1924, Verkhnedvinsk has been a military center. Until 1962 the city was called Drissa.

Verkhnedvinsk today

Among the large industrial enterprises of the city: “Verkhnedvinsky Rayagroservis”, “Verkhnedvinsky Flax Factory”, “Verkhnedvinsky Bread Factory”, “Vitebskhlebprom”, “Verkhnedvinsky Woodworking Plant”, “Verkhnedvinsky Creamery Plant”, “Invet”.

The main attraction of the city is the Church of St. Nicholas, built back in 1819. This is the oldest building preserved on the territory of Verkhnedvinsk.

Worthy of attention: the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (XIX century), Memorial sign in memory of the War of 1812 (1912), ordinary urban development (XIX - XX centuries), Chersky Museum.

With its claims to be a tourism hub, the country has a lot to learn from its neighbors. But in general, it seemed that life in Verkhnedvinsk was unhurried, as was the flow of the rivers that gave it its historical and modern names.

Here the Drissa flows into the Dvina.

Verkhnedvinsk stands at the confluence of the Drissa and Western Dvina rivers. At first it was named after the first river. But in 1962 it was renamed: the historical name seemed dissonant to some. Although from a geographical point of view the city is located in the middle reaches of the Dvina, and not in the upper reaches.

Chronicles first mention the city in 1386. But archaeologists believe that it arose much earlier - as a military fortification of the Polotsk princes. On the coat of arms and flag of the city there is an image of “Pahonia”.

1. Rivers and beach

It seems that Verkhnedvinsk clings to the Dvina like a child to its mother. The main street, Sovetskaya, is very long and runs parallel to the river all the time. And Drissa is located at the entrance to the city, its mouth is clearly visible from the bridge.

Drissa River. 1912 A restored photograph by the famous Russian photographer Sergei Prokudin-Gorsky.

The city itself, in turn, is concentrated along Sovetskaya. Here are the main administrative buildings and social facilities. The rest of the street is built up with private houses.

On the banks of the Dvina there is a beautiful park with gazebos, a stage, and recreation areas. And the beach is simply luxurious! Clean sand, pine trees on the shore.

These pictures are a reminder of a beautiful sunny day in August: TUT.BY correspondents, after walking around Verkhnedvinsk, escaped the heat, like all the locals, in the river.

2. Giant Bridge

The bridge over the Western Dvina, a few kilometers from the city, is considered one of the highest in Belarus. It rises 25 meters above the river, the length of the structure is 300 meters, the width is 13 meters. The bridge connects the Verkhnedvinsky district with Miory. It was opened in 2009.

Before this, the residents of Verhnedvinsk used a pontoon bridge, which was built by soldiers every spring. And for the winter it was dismantled. People had to either walk on the ice at the risk of their lives or make long detours.

The main water artery of the Dvina region has become very shallow this summer and in Verkhnedvinsk. Let us remind you that in Vitebsk it was possible along the Dvina.

3. Architecture

The Church of St. Nicholas in the classicist style was built in 1819. After the revolution, the temple suffered the same fate as many others: it was closed, its utensils and decorations were looted. But he acted during the war.

In 2004, the church celebrated its 185th anniversary. By this date, parishioners cast a bell weighing 7 pounds with their own money.

The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is in the very center of the city. It was erected 10 years earlier than the Orthodox church - in 1809. The appearance of the shrine has Baroque and Neo-Gothic features.

Previously, the church included an entire architectural ensemble. It consisted of shops, a library, a Sunday school and college, and household buildings. In 1917, the church was looted and partially destroyed.

Previously, there was another church in the city, a wooden one, in the Orthodox cemetery. There are two versions of what happened to her. According to local residents, in 1980-1990 it was dismantled due to its disrepair. And according to the host of the TV show “Prygody Dyletant”, in the 1990s the temple was moved to the village of Osveya.

Gateway at the Orthodox cemetery.

The old-world charm of Verkhnedvinsk is given by the preserved urban development of the late 19th - early 20th centuries. The building of the former city school has a special energy. Now DOSAAF is located here.

Verkhnedvinsk is the administrative center of the district of the same name in the Vitebsk region. The city is located at the confluence of the Drissa River and the Western Dvina. Until 1962, Verkhnedvinsk was called Drissa. The distance from Verkhnedvinsk to Polotsk is 71 km, to Minsk – 264 km, to the border with Latvia – 25 km. Highways of republican significance P117 (border of the Russian Federation (Kostrovo) - Kokhanovichi - Verhnedvinsk) and P20 (Vitebsk - Polotsk - border of Latvia (Grigorovshchina) pass through Verkhnedvinsk. A railway station is located 2 km from the city.

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History of development - Verkhnedvinsk

The first written mention of Drissa (Verkhnedvinsk) dates back to 1386. Throughout its history, the city was part of the Principality of Polotsk, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In the period from the XIV-XVI centuries. The walls of the city were protected by a powerful defensive castle, which was the border between the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the crusaders.

In the first half of the 16th century, the city served as a trade center on the Western Dvina River. In addition, the town belonged to the king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1547, a customs office was established here. During the Livonian War of 1558-1583. In 1563, King Sigismund II Augustus restored the Drissa Castle, which was destroyed in the same year by the troops of Ivan IV the Terrible. In 1583 the city was liberated by Stefan Batory.

During the war with Napoleon in 1812, the headquarters of the first Russian army of General Barclay de Tolly was located near Drissa. L.N. Tolstoy mentions this in his novel “War and Peace”. According to the First All-Russian Census of 1897, almost 5,000 people lived in Drissa, most of whom were Jews.

During the First and Second World Wars, the city was occupied by German troops. Also during the Great Patriotic War, from July 1941 to February 1942, there was a Jewish ghetto in Verkhnedvinsk, in which about 800 people died.

After the end of the Great Patriotic War, the city was actively restored. In 1962, under the pretext of the dissonance of the former name Drissa, the settlement was renamed Verkhnedvinsk.

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Tourist potential - Verkhnedvinsk

Verkhnedvinsk is a small town in the very north of Belarus. Of interest to tourists in the city is the one built in 1809. The architecture of the temple is dominated by features of Baroque and Neo-Gothic styles. In addition to the church, the city has buildings built in 1819. The temple houses three icons from the 18th-19th centuries.

In 1977, not far from Verkhnedvinsk, it was opened to victims of fascism, burned villages, liberating soldiers and fellow countrymen who died during the Great Patriotic War. Also, in the Verkhnedvinsk region near the village of Proshki on the border of Belarus, Russia and Latvia there is an unusual monument - the Mound of Friendship.

Today Verkhnedvinsk is a modern city with developed industrial production. There are also cultural and educational institutions in the city.

On October 26, Rome police announced that CSKA fans who were on the escalator at the Republic metro station at the time of its breakdown, which led to injuries to 16 people, did not jump.

This fact was established by the police in the process of studying the recordings of CCTV cameras operating in the metro of the Eternal City.

Due to a breakdown of the escalator on the day of the match between Roma and CSKA, 16 fans of the army club who came from Russia to the game were injured.

The mayor of Rome and officials immediately blamed the incident on CSKA fans, who allegedly jumped on the escalator while drunk, which led to its breakdown.

However, eyewitnesses from Russia denied this information. It later turned out that the escalator required repairs back in 2015.

Let us recall that immediately after the incident that occurred on October 23 before the match of the third round of the group stage of the Champions League Roma - CSKA, the head of Italy and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said that the cause of the collapse of the escalator could have been the behavior of Russian fans.

“It seems to me that there were dozens of drunk pseudo-fans of the Russian team who were creating a mess. And escalators are not made for people to jump on,” Salvini said sharply on television.

The mayor of Rome made a similar statement, placing all the blame on Russian citizens.

“Witnesses saw people dancing and jumping on the escalator. We're here to figure out what happened.

- said the head of the city at the scene.

“We are ready to help the victims and their families. I know that an investigation has already begun. I want to express my support to the victims. Rome will do for them and for their families whatever they need at this time.”

At the same time, CSKA fans categorically rejected the version of jumping and riots on the escalator, but noted that they had to wait about forty minutes for an ambulance, although the incident actually happened in the center of the Italian capital.

As a result, one of the fans almost lost his foot, but doctors still managed to avoid amputation.

Later, in the same program, Salvini agreed with the host of the program that some stations in the Rome metro had not been maintained for years and added that he expected more from the city authorities.

It also became known that the company Atac, which services the Rome metro, is currently in a dire financial situation, and escalator breakdowns have occurred in Rome at least twice in the last two years, and in one case a woman died as a result of such an incident.

The Rome prosecutor's office opened a case in connection with the incident on October 23, and the city transport service ordered a departmental investigation.

As ANSA reported yesterday, the escalator in the Rome metro, on which CSKA fans were injured, had long been in need of repair.

Atac asked to fix it back in 2015. A year later, she repeated the request, stating the need for urgent intervention. However, funds for repairs were not allocated either after the first or second request.

The video, filmed by CSKA fans, shows how the escalator descending into the metro accelerates sharply, and people do not have time to get off it onto the platform, which leads to a crush and injuries to passengers.

At the same time, there is no trace of any jumps performed by Russian fans in that video.

As the charge d'affaires of the Russian embassy in Italy told the R-Sport agency the day after the accident, three of the 16 victims were in serious condition, and eight had already been discharged.

He also noted that four Ukrainian citizens were taken to the hospital.

Earlier, the Russian embassy said that the victims would be kept in hospital from 48 hours to seven days. An important detail is the fact that all the wounded were admitted in a sober state.

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