Daugavpils
Encyclopedia
Daugavpils (ˈdaʊɡaʊpils) is a city
in southeastern Latvia
, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. Daugavpils literally means "Daugava Castle". With a population of over 100,000, it is the second largest city in the country after the capital Riga
, which is located some 230 km to its north-west. Daugavpils has a favorable geographical position as it borders Belarus
and Lithuania
(distances of 33 and 25 km respectively). It is located some 120 km from the Latvian border with Russia
. Daugavpils is a major railway junction
and industrial centre.
The city is surrounded by many lakes and nature parks.
(Daŭhaŭpils), Дзвінск (Dzvinsk),In Taraškievica
it is spelled Дзьвінск (Dźvinsk). historically Дынабург (Dynaburh)
Here is a chronology of name changes:
Dinaburg (1275—1656) → Borisoglebsk (1656—1667) → Dinaburg (1667—1893) → Dvinsk (1893—1920) → Daugavpils (1920—today)
of the city is moderate continental
.
20 km up the Daugava river from where Daugavpils is now situated. In 1561 it became part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (see: Duchy of Livonia
) and in 1566 became capital of the Inflanty Voivodeship, which existed until the First Partition of Poland
. In 1577, Dünaburg castle was captured and destroyed by Russian tsar Ivan the Terrible
. That same year, a new castle was built 20 km downriver. In 1582 Daugavpils was granted Magdeburg town rights
. In the 17th century, during the Russo–Swedish War initiated by Alexis of Russia, the Russians captured
Daugavpils, renamed the town Borisoglebsk and controlled the region for 11 years, between 1656 and 1667. Russia returned the area to Poland following the Treaty of Andrusovo.
From 1784 onwards, the city had a large and active Jewish population among whom figured a number of prominent figures. According to the Russian census of 1897
, out of a total population of 69,700, Jews numbered 32,400 (so around 44% percent).
As part of the Russian Empire
the city was called Dvinsk (1893–1920). The town was renamed Daugavpils in 1920 as part of an independent Latvia. The city was the site of the Battle of Daugavpils
from 1919 to 1920. Daugavpils was part of the Soviet Union
between 1940–41 and 1944–1991, and was occupied by the Nazis between 1941–44. The Nazis established the Daugavpils Ghetto
where the town's Jews were forced to live. During the Cold War
it was the site of the Lociki air base, 12 km northeast of the town itself.
On Friday, April 16, 2010, vice mayor Grigory Nemtsov of Daugavpils was shot dead in the center of the city. The crime remains unsolved but is likely to be connected to Nemtsov's controversial career as a politician.
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Daugavpils is an important cultural center in eastern Latvia. There are 22 primary and secondary schools, four vocational schools, and the Saules College of Art
. More than 1,000 teachers and engineers graduate from Daugavpils Pedagogical University
(now Daugavpils University) and the local branch of Riga Technical University
annually.
The city theatre was restored a couple of years ago. There is also one cinema as well as other cultural institutions
. The city exhibition center offers many cultural activities.
There are also several architectural, historical, and cultural monuments in Daugavpils. The most prominent is the Daugavpils fortress
of the late 18th–19th centuries.
The historical centre of Daugavpils city is an architectural heritage of national importance (the construction work was carried out in the 19th century according to the project endorsed in St Petersburg in 1826).
The historical centre is the greatest attraction of the city and one of the most successful examples of balancing the aspects of ancient and modern times. Daugavpils is one of the few cities in Latvia which can pride itself on a unified ensemble of both classic and eclectic styles. The cultural heritage of architectural, artistic, industrial, and historical monuments combined with the picturesque surroundings create the essence of Daugavpils’ image and endow it with a special charm.
Daugavpils is exceptionally rich in red brick buildings. This style was developed by many outstanding architects. In Daugavpils this variety of eclecticism is most widely represented in the buildings designed by Vilhelm Neimanis, an architect of the German origin, who was the chief architect of Daugavpils from 1878 to 1895. Bright examples of brick architecture are the buildings at 1/3 Saules Street and at 8 Muzeja Street. The shape-forming techniques typical of eclecticism that were applied in the façades of these buildings even many decades later make one appreciate and admire the striking accuracy of detail.
is located 12 km northeast of Daugavpils, near the village of Lociki.
The airport is currently under development to allow both international and domestic passenger traffic, as well as international and domestic cargo transport and charter flights. It is expected to be operational by 2013.
and FC Daugava play at Celtnieks Stadium
in Daugavpils. There is also a hockey team called DHK Latgale
, which currently plays in the Latvian Hockey League
. The Speedway Grand Prix of Latvia
was hosted here between 2006 and 2009. Lokomotiv Daugavpils
is a motorcycle speedway team based in Daugavpils who currently race in Polish First League (2nd division). In 2008 the construction of the Daugavpils Multifunctional Sports Complex was started and was completed in October 2009.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in southeastern Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. Daugavpils literally means "Daugava Castle". With a population of over 100,000, it is the second largest city in the country after the capital Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, which is located some 230 km to its north-west. Daugavpils has a favorable geographical position as it borders Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
and Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
(distances of 33 and 25 km respectively). It is located some 120 km from the Latvian border with Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Daugavpils is a major railway junction
Junction (rail)
A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or diverge.This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes , 'points' and signalling.one or two tracks each meet at a junction, a fairly simple layout of tracks suffices to...
and industrial centre.
The city is surrounded by many lakes and nature parks.
Names
Historically, several names in various languages have identified Daugavpils. Some are still in use today.(Daŭhaŭpils), Дзвінск (Dzvinsk),In Taraškievica
Taraškievica
Taraškievica or Belarusian Classical Orthography is a variant of the orthography of the Belarusian language, based on the literary norm of the modern Belarusian language, the first normalization of which was made by Branisłaŭ Taraškievič in 1918, and was in official use in Belarus until the...
it is spelled Дзьвінск (Dźvinsk). historically Дынабург (Dynaburh)
- LatgalianLatgalian languageLatgalian language can mean one of the following:#It was a language spoken by Latgalians in a great part of the area which is now Latvia. Latgalian was a member of the Baltic group of the Indo-European language family. Historically the Latvian language is derived from Latgalian Latgalian language...
: Daugpiļs, Dźwinów, Dźwińsk, with Dźwińsk and Dyneburg the names still in use in Polish today, Борисоглебск (Borisoglebsk 1656–1667), Двинcк (Dvinsk) (Dineburg)
Here is a chronology of name changes:
Dinaburg (1275—1656) → Borisoglebsk (1656—1667) → Dinaburg (1667—1893) → Dvinsk (1893—1920) → Daugavpils (1920—today)
Climate
ClimateClimate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
of the city is moderate continental
Continental climate
Continental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...
.
Demographics
As of 1 January 2011, the city had a population of 102 496.History
The town's history began in 1275 when Dünaburg castle was built by the Livonian OrderLivonian Order
The Livonian Order was an autonomous Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order and a member of the Livonian Confederation from 1435–1561. After being defeated by Samogitians in the 1236 Battle of Schaulen , the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword were incorporated into the Teutonic Knights...
20 km up the Daugava river from where Daugavpils is now situated. In 1561 it became part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (see: Duchy of Livonia
Duchy of Livonia
The Duchy of Livonia was a territory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania — and later the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth — that existed from 1561 to 1621...
) and in 1566 became capital of the Inflanty Voivodeship, which existed until the First Partition of Poland
First Partition of Poland
The First Partition of Poland or First Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in 1772 as the first of three partitions that ended the existence of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth by 1795. Growth in the Russian Empire's power, threatening the Kingdom of Prussia and the...
. In 1577, Dünaburg castle was captured and destroyed by Russian tsar Ivan the Terrible
Ivan IV of Russia
Ivan IV Vasilyevich , known in English as Ivan the Terrible , was Grand Prince of Moscow from 1533 until his death. His long reign saw the conquest of the Khanates of Kazan, Astrakhan, and Siberia, transforming Russia into a multiethnic and multiconfessional state spanning almost one billion acres,...
. That same year, a new castle was built 20 km downriver. In 1582 Daugavpils was granted Magdeburg town rights
Magdeburg rights
Magdeburg Rights or Magdeburg Law were a set of German town laws regulating the degree of internal autonomy within cities and villages granted by a local ruler. Modelled and named after the laws of the German city of Magdeburg and developed during many centuries of the Holy Roman Empire, it was...
. In the 17th century, during the Russo–Swedish War initiated by Alexis of Russia, the Russians captured
Siege of Dyneburg
The Siege of Dyneburg by the Russian Army under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was one of the first events of the Russo-Swedish War , a theater of the Second Northern War. The siege began on July 18, 1656...
Daugavpils, renamed the town Borisoglebsk and controlled the region for 11 years, between 1656 and 1667. Russia returned the area to Poland following the Treaty of Andrusovo.
From 1784 onwards, the city had a large and active Jewish population among whom figured a number of prominent figures. According to the Russian census of 1897
Russian Empire Census
The Russian Imperial Census of 1897 was the first and the only census carried out in the Russian Empire . It recorded demographic data as of ....
, out of a total population of 69,700, Jews numbered 32,400 (so around 44% percent).
As part of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
the city was called Dvinsk (1893–1920). The town was renamed Daugavpils in 1920 as part of an independent Latvia. The city was the site of the Battle of Daugavpils
Battle of Daugavpils
Battle of Daugavpils was the final battle of the joint Polish and Latvian Operation Winter against the Red Army. It took place in late December 1919 in the area around the city of Daugavpils...
from 1919 to 1920. Daugavpils was part of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
between 1940–41 and 1944–1991, and was occupied by the Nazis between 1941–44. The Nazis established the Daugavpils Ghetto
Daugavpils Ghetto
Following the occupation of Latvia by Nazi Germany in the summer of 1941, the Daugavpils Ghetto was established in an old fortress near Daugavpils. Daugavpils is the second largest city in Latvia and the principal city of the Latgalia region. Daugavpils was located in southeastern Latvia on the...
where the town's Jews were forced to live. During the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
it was the site of the Lociki air base, 12 km northeast of the town itself.
On Friday, April 16, 2010, vice mayor Grigory Nemtsov of Daugavpils was shot dead in the center of the city. The crime remains unsolved but is likely to be connected to Nemtsov's controversial career as a politician.
Art, architecture, and culture
Art school
Art school is a general term for any educational institution with a primary focus on the visual arts, especially illustration, painting, photography, sculpture, and graphic design. The term applies to institutions with elementary, secondary, post-secondary or undergraduate, or graduate or...
. More than 1,000 teachers and engineers graduate from Daugavpils Pedagogical University
Daugavpils University
Daugavpils University is a public university in Daugavpils, Latvia, and the second traditional and second largest university in the country.The University is the biggest institution of education in Latgale region with 5 departments and 4,185 students, of which approximately half are full-time,...
(now Daugavpils University) and the local branch of Riga Technical University
Riga Technical University
Riga Technical University is located in Riga, Latvia.- Riga Polytechnical Institute, 1862-1918 :...
annually.
The city theatre was restored a couple of years ago. There is also one cinema as well as other cultural institutions
Cultural institutions
Cultural institutions are elements within a culture/sub-culture that are perceived to be important to, or traditionally valued among, its members for their own identity. Examples of cultural institutions in modern Western society are museums, churches, schools, work and the print media.Television...
. The city exhibition center offers many cultural activities.
There are also several architectural, historical, and cultural monuments in Daugavpils. The most prominent is the Daugavpils fortress
Daugavpils fortress
Daugavpils Fortress, also known as Dinaburg Fortress, is a fortress in Daugavpils, Latvia. It is the only early 19th century military fortification of its kind in Northern Europe that has been preserved without significant alterations...
of the late 18th–19th centuries.
Historical centre
The historical centre of Daugavpils city is an architectural heritage of national importance (the construction work was carried out in the 19th century according to the project endorsed in St Petersburg in 1826).
The historical centre is the greatest attraction of the city and one of the most successful examples of balancing the aspects of ancient and modern times. Daugavpils is one of the few cities in Latvia which can pride itself on a unified ensemble of both classic and eclectic styles. The cultural heritage of architectural, artistic, industrial, and historical monuments combined with the picturesque surroundings create the essence of Daugavpils’ image and endow it with a special charm.
Red brick buildings
Daugavpils is exceptionally rich in red brick buildings. This style was developed by many outstanding architects. In Daugavpils this variety of eclecticism is most widely represented in the buildings designed by Vilhelm Neimanis, an architect of the German origin, who was the chief architect of Daugavpils from 1878 to 1895. Bright examples of brick architecture are the buildings at 1/3 Saules Street and at 8 Muzeja Street. The shape-forming techniques typical of eclecticism that were applied in the façades of these buildings even many decades later make one appreciate and admire the striking accuracy of detail.
Airport
Daugavpils International AirportDaugavpils International Airport
The Daugavpils International Airport is located in village of Lociki, Naujene parish, Daugavpils District, Latgale region, Latvia. It is also located 12 km northeast of Daugavpils....
is located 12 km northeast of Daugavpils, near the village of Lociki.
The airport is currently under development to allow both international and domestic passenger traffic, as well as international and domestic cargo transport and charter flights. It is expected to be operational by 2013.
Sports
The football clubs Dinaburg FCDinaburg FC
Dinaburg FC was a Latvian football club, playing in the city of Daugavpils. In 2009 it merged with FK Daugava. The club plays at the Daugava Stadium . In October 2009 the club was eliminated from Virsliga and also from The Baltic League, because of suspicion about totalizator playing at the club...
and FC Daugava play at Celtnieks Stadium
Celtnieks Stadium
Celtnieks Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Daugavpils, Latvia. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of FC Daugava. The stadium holds 4,070 people....
in Daugavpils. There is also a hockey team called DHK Latgale
DHK Latgale
DHK Latgale is a Latvian hockey league team based in Daugavpils, Latvia.-Current roster:...
, which currently plays in the Latvian Hockey League
Latvian Hockey League
The Latvian Hockey League is a professional ice hockey league based in Latvia. It is also known in Latvian as Latvijas atklātais čempionāts hokejā ....
. The Speedway Grand Prix of Latvia
Speedway Grand Prix of Latvia
The Speedway Grand Prix of Latvia is a speedway event that is a part of the Speedway Grand Prix Series.-Winners:-See also:* Latvia national speedway team...
was hosted here between 2006 and 2009. Lokomotiv Daugavpils
Lokomotiv Daugavpils
Lokomotiv Daugavpils is a Latvian motorcycle speedway team based in Daugavpils who currently race in Polish First League . The club never rode in the Polish top division.- Stadium :...
is a motorcycle speedway team based in Daugavpils who currently race in Polish First League (2nd division). In 2008 the construction of the Daugavpils Multifunctional Sports Complex was started and was completed in October 2009.
Notable residents
- Gotthard KettlerGotthard KettlerGotthard von Kettler was the last Master of the Livonian Order and the first Duke of Courland and Semigallia....
(1571–1587), last Master of the Livonian OrderLivonian OrderThe Livonian Order was an autonomous Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order and a member of the Livonian Confederation from 1435–1561. After being defeated by Samogitians in the 1236 Battle of Schaulen , the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword were incorporated into the Teutonic Knights...
and the first Duke of Courland and SemigalliaDuchy of Courland and SemigalliaThe Duchy of Courland and Semigallia is the name of a duchy in the Baltic region that existed from 1562 to 1569 as a vassal state of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and from 1569... - Meir Simcha of DvinskMeir Simcha of DvinskMeir Simcha of Dvinsk was a rabbi and prominent leader of Orthodox Judaism in Eastern Europe in the early 20th century. He was a kohen, and is therefore often referred to as Meir Simcha ha-Kohen...
(1843–1926), rabbi - the Rogatchover GaonRogatchover GaonJoseph Rosen known as the Rogatchover Gaon, , and also often referred to by the title of his main work Tzofnath Paneach , , was a rabbi and one of the most prominent talmudic scholars of the early 20th-century, known as a genius because of...
(1858–1936), rabbi - Abraham Isaac KookAbraham Isaac KookAbraham Isaac Kook was the first Ashkenazi chief rabbi of the British Mandate for Palestine, the founder of the Religious Zionist Yeshiva Merkaz HaRav, Jewish thinker, Halachist, Kabbalist and a renowned Torah scholar...
(1864–1935), rabbi, thinker, diplomat, mediator, scholar - Grzegorz FitelbergGrzegorz FitelbergGrzegorz Fitelberg was a Polish conductor, violinist and composer. He was a member of the Młoda Polska group, together with artists such as Karol Szymanowski, Ludomir Różycki and Mieczysław Karłowicz....
(1879–1953), composer and conductor - Isaac Nachman SteinbergIsaac Nachman SteinbergIsaac Nachman Steinberg was a lawyer, revolutionary, politician, a leader of the Jewish Territorialist movement and writer in Soviet Russia and in exile.-Early life and first exile:...
(1888–1957), writer, politician, co-founder of the Freeland League - Solomon MikhoelsSolomon MikhoelsSolomon Mikhoels ; was a Soviet Jewish actor and the artistic director of the Moscow State Jewish Theater. Mikhoels served as the chairman of the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee during the Second World War...
(1890–1948), actor and director - Oskar Strok (1892–1976), composer
- Leonid DobychinLeonid DobychinLeonid Ivanovich Dobychin ) was a Russian writer.- Early life :The author's father was Ivan Andrianovich Dobychin , who in 1896 moved the family to Dvinsk ; his mother, Anna Aleksandrovna, was a well-known midwife in Dvinsk. Leonid had two younger brothers and two sisters...
(1894–1936), writer - Stanisław Swianiewicz (1899–1997), economist and historian
- Mark RothkoMark RothkoMark Rothko, born Marcus Rothkowitz , was a Russian-born American painter. He is classified as an abstract expressionist, although he himself rejected this label, and even resisted classification as an "abstract painter".- Childhood :Mark Rothko was born in Dvinsk, Vitebsk Province, Russian...
(1903–1970), abstract expressionist painter - Władysław Raginis (1908–1939), officer
- Movsas FeiginsMovsas FeiginsMovsas Feigins or Movša Feigins was a Latvian chess master.-Biography:Movsas Feigins was born in Dvinsk, . He won at Riga 1930, and was Latvian Champion in 1932 . In 1932, he tied for 3rd–5th at Riga. The event was won by Vladimirs Petrovs...
(or Movša Feigins)(1908–1950), chessChessChess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
master - Isser HarelIsser HarelIsser Harel was spymaster of the intelligence and the security services of Israel and the Director of the Mossad . In his capacity as Mossad director he oversaw the abduction, and secret transport to Israel, of Holocaust organizer Adolph Eichmann....
(born Isser Halperin) (c.1912–2003) - Grigory Nemtsov (1948–2010), Latvian journalist, businessman and politician.
- Ulyana Semenova (born 1952), basketball playerBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- VitasVitasVitaliy "Vitalik" Vladasovich Grachyov , better known by his stage name Vitas , is a Russian singer-songwriter.Known for his high falsetto voice, he has been given the nickname "Prince of the Dolphin Voice" in China...
(born 1979), Singer, SongwriterSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, ComposerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, ActorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and Fashion designer
Twin towns – Sister cities
Daugavpils is twinned with:| Haderslev, Denmark Denmark Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark... Motala Motala Motala is a locality and the seat of Motala Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden with 29,798 inhabitants in 2005. It is the third largest city of Östergötland, following Linköping and Norrköping... , Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... Radom Radom Radom is a city in central Poland with 223,397 inhabitants . It is located on the Mleczna River in the Masovian Voivodeship , having previously been the capital of Radom Voivodeship ; 100 km south of Poland's capital, Warsaw.It is home to the biennial Radom Air Show, the largest and... , Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... Ferrara Ferrara Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north... , Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
Naro-Fominsk Naro-Fominsk Naro-Fominsk is a town and the administrative center of Naro-Fominsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, situated southwest from Moscow, on the Nara River. The Moscow – Kiev railway passes through the town. Population: -History:... , Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... Vitebsk Vitebsk Vitebsk, also known as Viciebsk or Vitsyebsk , is a city in Belarus, near the border with Russia. The capital of the Vitebsk Oblast, in 2004 it had 342,381 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth largest city... , Belarus Belarus Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,... Ramla Ramla Ramla , is a city in central Israel. The city is predominantly Jewish with a significant Arab minority. Ramla was founded circa 705–715 AD by the Umayyad Caliph Suleiman ibn Abed al-Malik after the Arab conquest of the region... , Israel Israel The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea... Harbin Harbin Harbin ; Manchu language: , Harbin; Russian: Харби́н Kharbin ), is the capital and largest city of Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China, lying on the southern bank of the Songhua River... , People's Republic of China People's Republic of China China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres... |
St Petersburg Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea... , Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... Panevėžys Panevežys Panevėžys see also other names, is the fifth largest city in Lithuania. As of 2008, it occupied 50 square kilometers with 113,653 inhabitants. The largest multifunctional arena in Panevėžys is the Cido Arena... , Lithuania Lithuania Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark... Central Administrative Okrug of Moscow, Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... Kharkiv Kharkiv Kharkiv or Kharkov is the second-largest city in Ukraine.The city was founded in 1654 and was a major centre of Ukrainian culture in the Russian Empire. Kharkiv became the first city in Ukraine where the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in December 1917 and Soviet government was... , Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia... |