Grodno

Short Description/History

Originally in Lithuania/Litwa/Litva/Lita, Grodno gubernia was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, connected with Poland, and then annexed by Russia.

Grodno, Belarussian Horodna, capital of Grodno region, on the Niemen River. Dating back to the 10th century, began as a village founded by a Russian price. The village is first mentioned in the Chronicles of 1128. This city had no Magdeburg Rights or gilds. Following the death of Gedimin in 1341, his grandson Witold ascended to the throne. Grodno obtained the Magdeburg right in 1389. Grodno was the capital of an independent principality until 1398, when it was included in the grand Duchy of Lithuania. It became the second capital city of Lithuania and passed to Poland after the union of Lithuania with Poland in 1569. In 1673 it became a seat of Polish diasties, the last of which (1793) was forced to consent to the second partition of Poland. Grodno passed to Russia in 1795 and was the capital of Grodno province from 1801 to 1914.

It was transferred to Poland in 1920 incorporated into the Belorussian Republic in 1939. Grodno has many historic buildings of great interest. Ruins of the ducal residence (12th century) are the oldest example of secular brick architecture in this part of Europe. Its medieval castle was restored in the 1930s. Other notable buildings include a 12th-century Orthodox Eastern church, the Stefan Bathory palace (16th century), and the Bernardine church (16th century). Stefan Bathory had his residence in Grodno, where he died in 1586, and Stanislaw II abdicated there in 1795.

Additional information on Grodno

The Great Lithuanian Principality, Grodno region

Second half of the 13th century

1568 - ReczPospolita (united Polish and Lithuanian Principality)

1795 - Grodno part of the Russian Empire.

1796 - Grodno was the centre of Lithuanian Gubernia (Litovskaya Guberniya) Russian Empire.

1801 - Grodno was the centre of Grodnenskaya Gubernia Russian Empire.

September 1915 – Grodno occupied by German troops

March 1918 - Grodno in the Belorussian National Republic.

1919 - Grodno in Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.

April 1919 - Grodno became part of Burzuaznaja Polska (Poland).

July 1920 - Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.

1921 – Grodno was given to Panska Polsha (Poland)

September 1939 - Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.

1941 - German occupation

1944 - Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic

1990 - Republic of Belarus

Grodno region - Great Lithuanian Principality 13 to first half of the 14 century

The capital was Nowogrodek.

Berestya (Brest), Belsk, Braslav, Borisov, Dobrovitsa, Dragichin, Drutsk, Gorognya (Grodno), Kernava, Kletsk, Klutsk, Kobrin, Kovna, Kremenets, Lida, Lumom, Lagoisk, Lutsk, Mensk, Orsha, Polatsk, Pinsk, Raiylj, Slonim, Turov, Upita, Viljkamir, Vilnya, Vitebsk, Volkovysk,

Grodno region - Great Lithuanian Principality Second half of 14 century and 15 century

The capital was Wilno

Astrog, Beljsk, Berestje (Brest), Bransk, Brest, Broslav, Brotslav, Chechersk, Chernigov, Chernobyl, Cherkasy, Eljnya, Glinsk, Gomel, Gorodnya, Gorodok Davidov, Kanev, Kiev, Kletsk, Kobrin, Korots, Kovna, Krichev, Kremenets, Lida, Lubech, Lutsk, Merach, Mensk, Mogilev, Mozyrj, Novogrudok, Novrogod-Severski, Oshmyana, Pinsk, Putiulj, Polotsk, Puni, Rasiunya, Rechitsa, Roslav, Smolensk. Stislav, Trubchevsk, Propoisk, Ratna, Rogachov, Ryljsk, Slonim, Starodub, Svir, Troki, Turov, Upita, Vilnya, Vilkamir, Vinnitsa, Vitebsk, Volkovysk

The Great Lithuanian Principality was established around Nowogorek Province that incorporated vast Belarusian and Lithuanian territories. The establishment of a principality around Nowogorodek (presently Nowogrudek, Grodno province) enabled the two nations to retain their independence and provide resistance to Mongol-Tatar raids and German expansionist claims. In 1569, the Great Lithuanian Principality and the Kingdom of Poland signed the Lublino Treaty to become a single federal state--Rzeczpospolita. The Great Principality of Lithuania kept its own bodies of state administration, legislation, state language, financial system, and military. The supreme power in the Rzeczpospolita belonged to the Polish landlords. The alliance managed to survive for over two hundred years. As a result of the three partitions, Rzeczpospolita ceased to exist with Belarus territory going to Russia.

Grodno Region - RzeczPospolita - end of 16th century

Avgustov, Berestovitsa, Berestovitsa, Dubna, Dubnitsa, Garadok, Glyadavitchi, Gorodnya, Glubokae, Indura, Kamenka, Kamenitsa, Kusnitsa, Kvasovka, Lasha, Lipsk, Lososna, Lunna, Malaya, Mosty, Netechi, Novy Dvor, Odelsk, Razhanka, Sakolka, Sapotskin, Schutchin, Skidel, Strubnitsa, Supraslj, Svyatsk, Vasilkov, Volkovysk, Zabludov, Zelva

Grodno region - RzeczPospolita 17th century

Grodno’s capital was Wilno in the Lithuanian Principality

Braslav, Berestje, Borisov, Cherersk, David Gorodok, Drutsk, Garodnya, Gomel, Kobrin, Krichev, Mensk, Mogilev, Mozyr, Mstislav, Navagaradok, Orsha, Pinsk, Polotsk, Propoisk, Rechitsa, Slonim, Stolin, Turov, Vitebsk, Volkovysk

Grodno Region - Second half of the 19th century

Azery, Berestovitsa, Bershty, Boljshaya, Dubna, Galynka, Gozha, Grodna, Gudevichi, Kamenka, Lunna, Malaya Berestovitsa, Masty, Masalyany, Prakopavichi, Skidel, Vertelishki, Volpa, Zhydomlya

Grodno Gubernia - Beginning of the 20 century

Azery, Belystok, Belsk, Brest-Litovski, Dambrova, Derechin, Domachevo, Dragichin, Dyatlovo, Garadets, Ganenz, Grodna, Homsk, Ivatsevichi, Kamenka, Kamenets-Litovski, Kartuz-Beresa, Karytsyn, Knyshin, Kobrin, Kosovo, Lunna, Malarita, Mosty, Motel, Parechej, Peski, Ozernitsa, Pruzhany, Rosj, Rozhanka, Ruzhany, Sakulka, Schutchin, Skidel, Slonim, Suhavolya, Surazh, Trastsyany, Tsehanovets, Vasiljkov, Volovysk, Volpa, Zabludavo, Zeludok

(Nowogrodek was in Minsk Gubernia)

Grodno District Information; and the towns of Bershty, Bershtovskaya, Bogordickaya, Brestov-Velik, Drusgeniki, Dubno, Dubnovskaya, Godevicheskaya, Golynka, Gozhskaya, Gozha, Grodno, Gornica, Gornickaya, Gudevichi, Indura, Indurskaya, Kamenka, Kamenskaya, Krinskaya, Krinki, Lashanskaya, Lunna, Lunnenskaya, Malo-Berestovickaya, M. Berestovica, Masalyany, Mosty, Mostovskaya, Ozerskaya, Ozery, Prokopovich, Skidel, Skidelskaya, Sobolyanskaya, Strupin, Veliko-Berestovickaya, Vel-Kovalichki, Vercelishki, Vercelishskaya, Volpyanskaya, Volya, Zhidomlya, and Zhidomlyanskaya

Grodno Gubernia 1887 Statistics

Grodno Gubernia Population Totals by Religion in 1887

  Photos of Grodno

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