Lepiel

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Image:Coat of Arms of Lepel, Belarus.png

Lepiel also transliterated as Lepel (Belarusian: Ле́пель, Lepiel; Russian: Ле́пель) is a town in the Vitebsk Province of Belarus, situated near the Lepiel lake. It is center of Lepiel district, located at 54°52′N 28°40′E on the highway between Vitebsk and Minsk. The population is 19,400 (1998 census).

The coat of arms of Lepel is based on the Pahonia symbol.

1 Name
2 History
3 Population
4 Education
5 Transportation
6 External links

[edit] Name

There are three legends about the town name origin. One is that the name Lepel come from word "lepene" - lake between lime-grove. The second is about origin the name from Belarusan word "лепей" - means "the best place to live in". The third is that the name is given from Belarusan word "ляпiць" - due to well-developed pottery.

[edit] History

The first known mention of Lepel belong to 1439. On the 9th of September, 1852 town got it's coat of arms. In XV century town belonged to Grand Lithuanian Dukes. In 1439 thanks to efforts of Roman Catholic priest Kuharski, Grand Lithuanian Duke Sigismund Kestutaitis's son Mihail hands Lepel to vitebsk Roman-Catholic church. King Sigismund I the Old confirmed the gift and in 1541 by approbation of pontiff added to Vilnius cathedral. After Polatsk was captured by russian army in 1563, Vilnius government being unable to protect their property from attacks of Grand Duchy of Moscow donated Lepel to Sigismund II Augustus on the assumption that once the King wish to possess this property forever, he will provide the government with the other property of the same value. The king however had broken the contract and gave the property into life tenure to Yuri Zjanovich, Smolensk mayor. After Yuri Zjanovich died, the king passed the town to Mikhalai Daragastaisky. Only Stefan Batory returned the property to the government when liberated Polatsk. However it was difficult to government to protect the property so far, and old misunderstandings and enemy army attacks made it to sell lepel property in 1586 to Lew Sapieha. He was one of the greatest cathedral Maecenas. He has built lots of cathedrals, made lots of donations to monasterys all over Lithuania. He also donated Lepel in 1609 to Vilnius lawyers, who convoked in St. Michail's Cathedral. After annexation Belarus to Russia in 1772 Lepel remained in Lithuania, because of the border was traced by the river Daugava. After the second division of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1793 Lepel was joined to Russia, in 1802 the town becomes the center or the region. During the French war 1812 Lepel suffered a lot - troops passing by burned the place. In 1913 Lepel lost it's strategy and trade concernment and was quite and typical region center. Jews formed half of town's population, they carried all the local trade. Though Beresin's water system lost it's exceptional meaning, but it's property were conserved and there also were personnel. The main town government was situated in Lepel. Jan Czeczot worked for the direction of channels in 1833-1839.

[edit] Population

19400 people were living in Lepel in 1998.

[edit] Education

Town has:

4 secondary schools
The agrotechnical college
Professional college

[edit] Transportation

Lepel is situated on a highway connecting Minsk and Vitebsk; 115 km from Vitebsk, 155 km from Minsk. Also there is a road to Polatsk. Connected by the railway to Orsha.