Barysaw

Barysaw
Барысаў (in Belarusian)
Борисов (in Russian)
City

Flag
Barysaw
Location of Barysaw
Coordinates: 54°14′N 28°30′E / 54.233°N 28.500°E / 54.233; 28.500
Country  Belarus
Voblast Minsk Voblast
Raion Barysaw Raion
Founded 1102
Area
 • City 45.97 km2 (17.75 sq mi)
Elevation 169 m (554 ft)
Population (2013)
 • Estimate (2015) 144,945[1]
 • Urban 180,100
Time zone FET (UTC+3)
Postal code 222xxx
Area code(s) +375 01777
License plate 5
Website Official website

Borisov (Barysaw, officially transliterated as Barysaŭ, Belarusian: Бары́саў [baˈrɨsaw]; Russian: Бори́сов [bɐˈrʲisəf], Polish: Borysów) is a city in Belarus situated near the Berezina River in the Minsk Region. With a population of around 145,000, it lies around 74 km northeast of Minsk.

History

Barysaw is first mentioned in the Laurentian Codex as being founded (as Borisov) in 1102 by the Polotsk prince Rogvolod Vseslavich, who had a baptismal name Boris (the name of the city literally means Boris'). During the next couple of centuries it was burned and then rebuilt slightly south of its original location.

At the end of the 13th century it became a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1569 (after the Union of Lublin) it became part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and then became part of the Russian Empire in 1793 as a result of the Second Partition of Poland.

On 22 January 1796 the town's coat of arms was established (decree #17435) by Stanislaw August, the top half containing the coat of arms of Minsk, while the lower half had two stylized towers on a silver background with a passage between them and Saint Peter above the towers holding a key in his hand. At that time, Barysaw was an uyezd town.

In 1812, Barysaw became a crucial location when Napoleon's troops crossed the Berezina river. The French feinted a crossing at the town itself, but successfully escaped the pursuing armies by building two wooden bridges north of the city, at Studianka. This event is reenacted by military locals during town festivals. A cannon from the Napoleonic era is kept by the town's museum.

In 1871, the railway between Brest and Moscow passed near Barysaw, and a station was built there. In 1900 the area around the station was annexed the town. In November 1917 the area became a part of Soviet Russia but was occupied by Germany and then Poland from 1918 until 1920 after which the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic was established.

During World War II, Barysaw was occupied by Nazi Germany from July 2, 1941, to July 1, 1944, and most of the city was destroyed. More than 33,000 people were killed in six death camps which were constructed around the town.

Since May 1948 the city has been home to the headquarters of the 7th Tank Army, which became the 65th Army Corps and then the North Western Operational Command of the Armed Forces of Belarus in 2001. In 2000s the Head of City Administration, or Mayor, was Vassily Burgun.[2]

Industry

After World War II Barysaw became a major industrial centre, and as of 2002 there are 41 large factories, whose goods are exported to Russia, the CIS, and abroad. The railroad is still an important artery, but now it is powered by overhead electric lines.

The following iindustires are prominent in town: Borisov Plant of Motor-and-Tractor Electric Machinery, Borisov Plant Avtogydrousilitel, Borisov Aggregate Works, the Ekran Company, Dzerzhynski Crystal Works, Borisov Plastics Plant, the 140th Repair Works, the 2566th Plant on Radioelectronics Equipment Maintenance, the Rezinotekhnika Company, Borisov Meat Packing Plant, Borisov Plant of Polymer Package Polimiz, the Belarusian-German joint venture Frebor, the Lesokhimik Company, the Metallist Company, the Paper Factory of the state emblem department under the Finance Ministry of the Republic of Belarus, the Borisovdrev Company, the Borisovkhlebprom Company, Borisov Bakery, Borisov Sewing Factory, the Shveinik Company, Kischenko Crafts Factory, Borisov Dairy, Borisov Tinned Plant, others. The total industrial staff reaches 31019 people.[3]

The largest factories, in no particular order, are:

  • BATE (electricity automobile parts)
  • AGU (avto-gidro-usilitel — power steering in Russian)
  • Pharmaceutical plant (medpreparatov)
  • Turbocompressors plant (agregatov)
  • Match factory (Borisovdrev)
  • BoriMak (factory producing pasta, spaghetti)
  • Zdravushka (Dairy products)
  • Rezinotechnika (Rubber factory)
  • Meat processing factory
  • DOC (Wood products manufactury)

Modern living

Monument to Prince Boris Vseslavovich in front of an Orthodox church
Prospect Revolutsii

The town is divided by the river into old and new parts connected by two bridges. The railway station, international road, Ispolkom (ex-KPSS Gorispolkom), military staff headquarters and the central square are in the new part. As usual for this region, families live mostly in flats in large, modern apartment buildings, but there are some single-family homes on the outskirts, some of which do not yet have indoor plumbing. The water comes from an artesian well and is very clean and healthy.

Authorities

  • President of the Republic of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko January 9, 2009 has assigned Vladimir Miranovich to the position of Head of Regional Administration (Ispolkom).[4]

Media

  • Borisovskiye Novosti newspaper: privately owned independent media on both languages. A recent scandal related to an attempt by the Mayor to stop distribution of the paper, recently overturned by a court[5]
  • Official “Adzinstva” newspaper in Belarusian.
  • Local TV company "Skif" [6]

Notable residents

Sport

Main sport sites: 2 stadiums, 3 swimming pools, 14 shooting galleries, 8 sportsgrounds

The football team BATE Borisov are based in the city. They have won the Belarusian Premier League 13 times, and competed in the UEFA Cup and UEFA Champions League. There is also a famous basketball team Berezina-RCOR. European basketball championship for women (division B) was organized in Barysaw.

Football Stadium BATE

International relations

Twin towns — sister cities

Barysaw is twinned with:

References

  1. ↑ "Численность населения на 1 января 2015 г. и среднегодовая численность населения за 2014 год по Республике Беларусь в разрезе областей, районов, городов, поселков городского типа" [Population as of 1 January 2015 and 2014 year-average population in regions, raions, towns of Republic of Belarus] (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2015-05-15.
  2. ↑ В Борисове составлен свой список невъездных чиновников [Its own list of members of authorities who are not eligible to leave the country was created in Barysaw] (in Russian). Правозащитный центр «Весна».
  3. ↑ "Industry - Economy - Borisov Region/Borisov/Borisov News/Borisov Region News/Borisov Regional Executive Committee". www.borisov.minsk-region.by.
  4. ↑ Назначение [appointment] (in Russian). Борисовский райисполком. 10 January 2009.
  5. ↑ ""Борисовские новости" — в новый год с новыми проблемами" ["Borisovskiye Novosti" - entering new year with new problems] (in Russian). Archived from the original on 7 April 2009.
  6. ↑ "Телерадиокомпания "СкиФ"" [Teleradiocompany "Skif"] (in Russian).

Coordinates: 54°14′N 28°30′E / 54.233°N 28.500°E / 54.233; 28.500

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.