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Barysaw

Coordinates: 54°14′N 28°30′E / 54.233°N 28.500°E / 54.233; 28.500
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Barysaw
Барысаў
Борисов
Flag of Barysaw
Country Belarus
VoblastMinsk Voblast
RaionBarysaw Raion
Founded1102
Area
 • Land46 km2 (18 sq mi)
Elevation
169 m (554 ft)
Population
 (2009)
 • Total147,381
 census
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Area code+375 01777
License plate5
WebsiteOfficial website

Barysaw (Belarusian: Бары́саў [baˈrɨsau̯]; Russian: Бори́сов, Borisov; Polish: Borysów) (population 150,700 as of 1999), also transliterated Barysaŭ, is a city in Belarus situated near the Berezina River in the Minsk Voblast.

History

Barysaŭ is first mentioned in Laurentian Codex as being founded (as Borisov) in 1102 by Polotsk prince Boris Vseslavovich. During the next couple of centuries it was burned and then rebuilt slightly south of its original location.

At the end of thirteenth 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 arm of coats 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, Barysaŭ was an uyezd town.

In 1812 Napoleon's troops were defeated while crossing the Berezina river, with some of the action taking place at the nearby Hospital Heights. This event was reenacted by medieval military amateurs during town festivals. A cannon from the Napoleonic era is kept near town's museum.

In 1871, the railway between Brest and Moscow passed near Barysaŭ, and a station was built there. In 1900 the area around the station was annexed to Barysaŭ. In November 1917 the area became a part of the Soviet Union 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, Barysaŭ 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.

Industry

After the war Barysaŭ 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.

List of industries: 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.[1]

The largest factories, in no particular order, are:

  • BATE (electricity automobile parts)
  • AGU (avto-gidro-usilitelpower 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

File:Borisov-prince-monument-and-church.jpg
Monument to Prince Boris Vseslavovich in front of an Orthodox church
Prospect Revolutsii

Town is divided by river to Old and New parts connected by two bridges. Railway station, internation road, Ispolkom (ex-KPSS Gorispolkom), military staff and central place 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 Lukashenko January 9, 2009 has assigned Vladimir Miranovich to the position of Head of Regional Administration (Ispolkom).[2]
  • Head of City Administration, or Mayor, is Vassily Burgun[3]

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[4]
  • Official “Adzinstva” newspaper in Belarussian.
  • Local TV company "Skif" (website)

Notable residents

Sport

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

Football team FC BATE are based in the city. They have won the Belarusian Premier League eight 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 Barysaŭ.

Football Stadium BATE

Sister cities

References

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