Cherikov

There is a small town called Cherikov located on the bank of the picturesque Sozh River in Mogilev region. There is a legend about the origin of its name, which guides tell tourists: the Tatar troops attacked the town and began to take away the cattle, which they killed later. The Tatar word "chirik" means "cut/kill", so the name of the town appeared. But there is one "but" in this legend: the Tatar troops never came on the Cherikov lands.

The first mention of the town dates back to 1460. King Casimir IV Jagiellon ordered to build several Orthodox churches in the town in honor of the salvation of his wife. The town, which was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, was repeatedly attacked by its eastern neighbors. In 1641, Cherikov received his own coat of arms, on which three towers and a knight on a blue background were depicted. Since the town was constantly attacked, it affected its development. According to some sources, the Empress Catherine II once visited the town, evaluated its bad condition and granted 300 rubles for the construction of Orthodox churches.

The Catholic church of the Life-Giving Trinity is one of the oldest buildings in Cherikov, built in 1856. When the Soviet regime was established, there was a trading depot at the church. During the Second World War, the church was partially destroyed, there was the House of Culture after a small reconstruction. The church was restored with the help of residents and now performs its primary function.

The church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin was built in the town at the end of the 19^th century.

At the same time, a hospital was built in the town. Now the surgical and therapeutic buildings have preserved their original appearance, so locals and guests of the town pay attention to them.

A local history museum collected rare exhibit items, that’s why tourists must visit it.

If you prefer outdoor recreation, there is a recreation area. It is located on the lake shore. There are cozy gazebos, benches, unusual boat on the water. Annually, townspeople and guests of the town celebrate the Kupala night (6-7^th of July) in this picturesque place.

There is a monument to soldiers-internationalists on the lake shore.

A park is a favorite place for walking. The townspeople can walk, rest, breathe the fresh air, and enjoy the coolness in the hot weather in the shade of trees. There is a monument to warriors who died during the Great Patriotic War.

An ancient building attracts tourists’ attention which located on the streets of the town. In 1853, a prison was built in the town, which existed until 1936. A little later, a church was built near the prison. When it closed, the building was used as a dormitory of a veterinary technical school. During the Great Patriotic War, the prison was destroyed but the church survived.