Lepel'

Lepel' (Leplia, Leple) is a town of population 19 thousands people, an administrative center of Lepel' region in Vicebsk voblasc' (115km South-West of Vicebsk). It is located on the shores of Lepel'skae lake between rivers of Ula and Esa.

The Church in Lepel

Lepel'skae Lake 

Links

• Lepel_Lag - a nice website in Belarusian. Has local news, photo galleries and maps.
• Leple page from Shtetlinks - mostly pages devoted to Jewish history of Lepel from Jewish Gen project
• Lepel train station schedule.
• Lepel' inter-city bus station schedule from Zubr.com (democratic youth movement in Belarus).
• "Don't need Cyprus - we would rather go to Lepel'!" - a tourism newspaper article.
• Lepel' from Russian Tourism site "Poehali!" (Let's Go!).
• Lepel' sanatorium (spa)
• Lepel' region photogallery from Vicebsk site
• Talented émigré from Lepel apply their talents to anything from inductive heating to sexy lingerie :).

Lepel' Timeline

XV c. The settlement of Lepel' (originally Leplia) became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1439 and was originally in private ownership of Vivebsk Catholic church, to which it was given as a present from son of Zhyhimont Kejstutavich - Duke Mikalaj.

1541. Zhyhimont Kazimiravich transfers Lepel' ownership to Vil'na capitula. The castle is built at this time, which was burned in 1563.

1568. A new log castle is built with 4 corner towers - did not survived. 

1580. The town has 300 households - part on the island in the lake, which was connected via a bridge.

1586. Lepel' now belongs to Leu Sapega, who moved the city 5km to a village of Belae (belonged to Sapega since 1548). Here he has built a castle, two churches - Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic, shops. The town is referred now as New Lepel', while Old Lepel' dwindles down into a village.

1609. Lepel' is given as a present to Bernardin order monastery in Vilna (Vilnius). 

1805. Lepel' becomes state- owned by Russian Empire (it is part of Russian Empire since 1793).

1852. Lepel' city coat of arms "Pahonia" ("Chase") is approved..

1812. Lepel' is severely destroyed in Napoleon war.

1833. Big fire in Lepel' destroys city again.

1897. Lepel' has 6284 townsmen, 10 stone houses, 800 log houses, 4 Christian churches and 8 Jewish praying houses.

1924. Lepel' becomes center of Lepel' administrative region in BSSR.

1935. Zinaida Arciuhovich - a known Belarusian cultural figure and my mom was born in Lepel :)

1939. Population is 13.9 thousands.

1998. Population of Lepel' reaches 19 thousands. Lepel' region has 45.3 thousands people in it.