Polotsk, the oldest town in Belarus

Polotsk is one of the most beautiful cities in Belarus. It is situated in a picturesque place where the river Polota flows into the river Dvina.

The first documentary mention dates back to 862, when the town was the centre of the Polotsk Principality. It is the oldest city in Belarus and the oldest city of the Kiev Rus.

Polotsk became one of the centers of Christianity in the East Slavic countries. Euphrosyne of Polotsk was born here, the first woman in Belarus to be canonized.

Above the city rises the beautiful St. Sophia Cathedral, built between 1044 and 1066. Its construction underlined the strength and independence of the Principality of Polotsk. Similar buildings existed only in Kiev and Novgorod, the centres of the strongest Russian principalities.

The 1150th anniversary of Polotsk was part of the UNESCO calendar of historically memorable dates.

You can learn more about Polotsk on our website. We will be happy to take you to Polotsk on one of our trips to the most exciting regions of Belarus.