Braslaw

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Braslaw (Belarusian: Браслаў; Russian: Браслав, Braslav; Latvian: Braslava; Lithuanian: Breslauja; Polish: Brasław) is a town in the Vitebsk Province of Belarus, an administrative center of the Braslaw district.

[edit] History

The town was first mentioned in 1065.

Braslaw has a castle that dates from sometime near the beginning of the second millennium (between approximately 1050-1200). There are also the ruins of a church built during the twelfth century. Brawslaw was part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth prior to its passing to Russia in 1795. It was returned to Poland in 1921, but fell to the Soviet Union in 1939. It was taken by Germany during the Second World War but was retaken Soviet Union in 1945. It was part of the Soviet Union until Belarus gained its independence in 1991.

In 1948 Braslaw had a population in excess of 2000 people. (Source=Columbia-Lippincott Gazeteer)