Oshmyany

General information

Oshmyany is a city in the Grodno region and is the center of Oshmyansky district. The city is located on the river Oshmyanka and is 52 km from Vilnius and 133 km from Minsk. The population of Oshmyany is 15,900 people. Minerals in the region are represented by peat, clay, sand and gravel material.

History of Oshmyany

Oshmyany was mentioned in written sources for the first time in 1341 as the castle in Vilensky principality of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The date is connected with transfer of the town to the son of Prince Gedymin Evnuty. In the 16th century, having acquired the Magdebourg right, the city became the center of the district. During wars of the next two centuries the city underwent serious destructions. Several times the city rose directly from the ashes. Oshmyany was occupied by Teutonic knights, Moscow troops and Swedes throughout the centuries. After each destructive war the city was rebuilt almost from scratch.

From 1795 Oshmyany was a part of the Russian Empire, from 1920 it became a part of Central Lithuania and from 1922 to 1939 it was a part of Poland. Finally in 1939, Oshmyany became a part of BSSR.

Oshmyany was at the center of the uprising of 1794 under Tadeush Kostyushka leadership. The headquarters of insurgents of the general Yaqub Yasinsky was located in the city. Here in Oshmyany the well-known Belarusian composer Michal Kleofas Oginsky gathered his rebel regiment.

Oshmyany reference information

Sightseeing in Oshmyany

The hallmark of the city is Saint Mikhail Arkhangel’s church. The church was built by King Yagayla at the beginning of the 15th century, but continuous wars kept pushing back its completion. The church was restored and reconstructed in vilensky baroque style in 1906. In Soviet period a factory was located within the church, and only with collapse of the USSR it was returned to the churchmen to be used for its intended purpose. Orthodox Church of the Resurrection in Oshmyany constructed in 1875 is an interesting sight to visit. Sadly enough a, preserved synagogue building from the 19th century known for its peculiar painted walls is now a warehouse.

In the historic center of the city of Oshmyany, on the former market square, ordinary buildings of the 19th century are located. This is also the location of the mentioned churches. Near the center tourists will find a water mill which was constructed at the end of the 19th century.

Accommodation in Oshmyany

There are a couple of hotels and farmsteads available for accommodation.

Economy

The industrial enterprises of the area make cheeses, starch, yeast, construction materials, peat briquette and compound feed products. Main enterprises of the area are ‘Golshansky krahmalniy zavod’, ‘Belkof’, ‘Oshmyany-Len’, the gravel and sorting plant ‘Boruna’, Oshmyansky production and trade branch ‘Lidakhleboprodukt’. Specialization of agriculture is in meat and milk cattle breeding, pig breeding, and flax growing.