Slytsk

A city with 900 years of history – Slutsk is in Slutsk Plain, 105 km from the capital of Belarus, on the river Sluch. The town was called Pavlovsk in the period from 1918 to 1944, and it was a part of St. Petersburg.

Officially, it is assumed that Slutsk was mentioned for the first in chronicles in 1116. Since 1395 it is known as the specific Slutsk Principality as part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The town was owned by Vladimir Olgerdovich, later – the Olelkovich family, during the reign of who received the Magdeburg Law (1441), and the Radziwill family.

Slutsk – a seventhousander city in the 16th century. In this century, it was repeatedly devastated by the Crimean Tatars, but the castle was not captured. In the same century it reflected the attack of the Russian rebels, but was captured by Polish insurgents.

The Radziwills rebuilt Upper and Lower castles in the palace complexes in the 17th century; there were built several streets in the city, around it – a defensive fortress.

The city as a part of the Russian Empire was rebuilt and adapted to the new conditions in the 19th century

Almost 15 000 people lived here by the end of the century. In 1915, you can reach Osipovichi by train from here.

From 19s to 20s, it was occupied by the army of Poland several times. Leaving, Polish troops left behind the plundered city and burned houses and buildings. By the end of the 20th year the uprising of citizens was rising, requiring the recovery of the BNR. Shortly before the Second World War, there lived about 22 thousand people, most of them – the Jews. The war almost completely destroyed the town of Slutsk, Jewish population perished.

By 50-60s, the industrial sector was partially reopened in the city: sawmill, foundry-mechanical and engine plants were working, the production of butter, cheese and flax was launched.

The famous Slutsk belts

Michael Kazimir Radziwill opened the manufacture in the city in 1736, which produced belts of thin silk, gold and silver threads. There also manufactured garter belts, tapestries and carpets, but the Slutsk belt remains at the hearing to this day. It was 2-4.5 meters long and 30-50 cm wide, it hadn’t the wrong side. A four-sided belt was the most expensive by the standards of those years – the sides were divided into two parts, and each part had its own color.

Initially, masters of the Ottoman Empire and Turkey were invited in Slutsk in the creation of manufacture. In the late 18th century, 40 artists were working on the 28 machines. Production stopped in 1844. Today Slutsk belts are kept in collections around the world.

Slutsk. Interesting Facts:

• About 3,400 copies of the book "Bukvar" were printed in the printing house of Slutsk (1672)

• Peter the Great and Charles the Twelfth have visited the city

• Upscale dancers from Vienna and Paris were in Slutsk ballet (1856)

• The first modern pharmacy on the territory of Belarus was there

• The oldest educational institution of Belarus is on the ground of Slutsk – Slutsk gymnasium

• The bus of Slutsk was the first successful experience of bus transport work of today's Belarusian boundaries (1909-1915).