Rechitsa

The town is located on the bank of the river Dnieper 50 kilometers away from Gomel. Railways link it with Gomel and Kalinkovichi, and motorways connect Rechitsa with Gomel, Kalinkovichi, Svetlogorsk, Zhlobin, Oyev and Khoiniki.

The town was first mentioned in chronicles in 1213 as part of Chernihiv Principality. According to archaeologists this area was populated as early as in the Paleolithic Age (100,000 years ago).

In the 12^th century there were several fortification lines in Rechitsa. Then Lithuanian Prince Vitovt built here a wooden castle surrounded by thick walls that was burned down two centuries later.

In 1511 Polish king Sigizmund the Old granted Rechitsa Magdebourg right. This right was confirmed in 1561 and 1569.

In the late 15^th century Rechitsa was several times attacked by Crimean Tartars.

A Dominican monastery and a cathedral were built in Rechitsa in 1634. The cathedral had a library with around 270 books. The first Orthodox Christian Church in Rechitsa was the Resurrection Church (the late 11^th century). Later it was replaced by the Holy Assumption Cathedral (1872).

After the 13-year war between Russia and Rzech Pospolita the town lost its strategic importance and its fortifications were gradually destroyed. On June 15, 1734, Prince of Lithuania and King of Poland August III handed Rechitsa over to the noble Radzivill family.

During the Patriotic War of 1812 Rechitsa hosted the main warehouse of the Southern Russian army and a temporary residence of Minsk governor. In the 1820s-1830s there opened a post office in Rechitsa. Letters and parcels from the town were delivered to Minsk and Ukraine’s Chernihiv. A steamship line that opened in 1882 turned the town into a river port, and four years later there was built a railway line that connected Rechitsa with Gomel.

From 1918 to 1921 the town was occupied by German and Polish troops. On Aug 23 1941 fascist invaders entered Rechitsa. During the Great Patriotic War they killed over five thousand local residents. Five patriotic underground cells and two militant groups fought against the invaders. The town was liberated from fascists on November 18, 1943.

Today the ruins of Rechitsa’s ancient facilities built during the Iron Age can be found at Children’s Park that is situated on the Dnieper bank. The park is decorated with wooden sculptures of various mythological characters.

There are several religious facilities in Rechitsa, including the Holy Trinity Cathedral (neo-gothic style, early 20^th century), the Holy Assumption Cathedral and the Chapel of Euphrosinia of Polotsk. According to some historians, Euphrosinia of Polotsk spent in Rechitsa four days on her way to Jerusalem.

Another remarkable sight of the town is a monument to Soviet warriors who perished in Afghanistan and Syria.

Every June Rechitsa hosts an open-air hard-rock festival called Metal Crowd. Other popular events held in the town include role play contests and knight tournaments.

Rechitsa is part of the popular tourist route called the Gomel Region’s Golden Ring. There are several hotels in the town and a restaurant called Polesse.

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• Rehabilitation and recreation
  • Profilactic sanatoriums
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