Druja


Druja is a small town in Braslau region of Belarus - 30 km from Braslau and 205 km from Vicebsk. It is located on the left bank of Western Dzvina river, where it merges with Drujka river. Druja is first mentioned in "Chronicles" of M. Stryjkouski in 1386. It was in private ownership of Dukes Masal'ski since 1496. Later (since 1611)  it belonged to a famous Belarusian family of Sapega. The town has received Magdeburg law in 1618 (up to 1825 when Russians took it away). In 1620 it was given it's own coat of arms - windmill on a blue background. The town had two castles. An old castle is mentioned in several documents of XVI century. The new castle was build in XVII century by Jan Sapega. Today part of the town (Prydruja) is located in Latvia and is named Piedruja.



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