Astrowna Explained

Official Name:Astrowna
Native Name Lang:be
Settlement Type:Agrotown
Pushpin Map:Belarus
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Belarus
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Vitebsk Region
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Beshankovichy District
Population As Of:2010
Population Total:603
Timezone:MSK
Utc Offset:+3
Coordinates:55.1269°N 29.8656°W
Postal Code:211364
Area Code:+375 2131

Astrowna or Ostrovno (Belarusian: Астроўна|Astroŭna; Russian: Островно; Polish: Ostrowno) is an agrotown in Beshankovichy District, Vitebsk Region, Belarus. It is located west of Vitebsk.

Astrowna is a birthplace of Lew Sapieha, a statesman of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the creator of the Third Lithuanian Statute.

History

Astrowna was founded as a castle of between years 1520 and 1530. At that time the land belonged to Palonnaja manor of Vitebsk powiat[1] of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and was inherited by Ivan and his stepbrother Janush from their mother, duchess Feodora Druck-Sakalinskaja. In 1546, a village was founded near the castle. For the next hundred years or so Astrowna was a property of Sapieha family.

In 1622, a Dominican monastery was founded by Alexander Sapieha. After his death part of the manor was inherited by his daughter Anna and her husband Stanislaw Narushevich.

In 1772, Astrowna became a part of the Russian Empire in the course of the First Partition of Poland. In 1812, the Battle of Ostrovno took place on the outskirts of the village between the French and Russian armies.

At the end of the 19th century, there were about 70 houses in the village, in the beginning of the 20th century — there were about 120 houses. After the October Revolution, Astrowna became a part of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.

After Belarusian independence in 1991, it was administered as a village in Beshankovichy District. In 2005, Astrowna joined the state program for rural development and became an agrotown.

Notable residents

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Вячаслаў Насевіч, Віцебскі павет // Вялікае княства Літоўскае: Энцыклапедыя. У 3 т.. — Мінск: Беларуская Энцыклапедыя. С. 455—456.
  2. https://belhistory.com/sapeha.html Канцлер Леў Сапега (Chancellor Lew Sapieha)