Verkhnyadzvinsk

Vierchniadzvinsk or Verkhnedvinsk (Belarusian: Верхнядзві́нск; Russian: Верхнедви́нск; Lithuanian: Drisa; Polish: Dryssa), previously known as Drysa or Drissa[lower-alpha 1] until 1962, is a city in Vitebsk Region, Belarus. it is the administrative center of Verkhnyadzvinsk District. It is located at the confluence of the Drysa River and the Daugava River.

Vierchniadzvinsk
Верхнядзвінск (Belarusian)
Верхнедвинск (Russian)
City
Flag of Vierchniadzvinsk
Flag
Coat of arms of Vierchniadzvinsk
Coat of arms
Vierchniadzvinsk is located in Belarus
Vierchniadzvinsk
Vierchniadzvinsk
Coordinates: 55°47′N 27°57′E
CountryBelarus
RegionVitebsk Region
DistrictVerkhnyadzvinsk District
First mention1386
Administrative center1924
Population
 (2009)
 • Total7,600
Postal code
211631
Area code+375 2151
License plate2

Its population in 2009 was 7,600.

History

Drissa is first mentioned in a chronicle of the year 1386.[1] During the medieval period it formed part of the Principality of Polotsk, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. From 1801 it was the center of the Drissa uyezd of the Vitebsk Governorate, and during the War of 1812 it was the site of a fortified camp described by Leo Tolstoy in Book Three of War and Peace.

It became a raion center in 1924. During the Second World War it was occupied by Germany and most of the local population was massacred.[2]

Footnotes
  1. Maciej Stryjkowski. Chronicle of Poland, Lithuania, Samogitia and all of Ruthenia (1582).
  2. "Yahad - in Unum".
  1. Belarusian: Дрыса; Russian: Дрисса
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