Facts About Orsha
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Orsha is a city in Belarus in the Vitebsk Region, on the fork of the Dnieper and Arshytsa rivers.
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Orsha was first mentioned in 1067 as Rsha, making it one of the oldest towns in Belarus.
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The town was named after the river, which was originally also named Rsha.
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Orsha was granted Magdeburg Rights in 1620.
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On September 8, 1514, the famous Battle of Orsha occurred, between allied Grand Duchy of Lithuania with Kingdom of Poland and Muscovite army.
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The estimated population of Orsha is 115,938.
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Orsha was transferred to the Byelorussian SSR in 1924.
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In 1812, the city was badly burned during Napoleon’s invasion.
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Orsha is twinned with Asha, Russia; Bălți, Moldova; Bondeno, Italy; Cherkasy, Ukraine; Dubna, Russia; Gagarin, Russia; Ivanovo, Russia; Ivanteyevka, Russia; Kardymovsky District, Russia; Koptevo, Russia; Krasnogvardeysky, Russia; Mārupe, Latvia; Pernik, Bulgaria; Pushkin, Russia; Qingdao, China; Shishou, China; Silifke, Turkey; Smolensk, Russia; Spitak, Armenia; Telšiai, Lithuania; Tver, Russia; Vaulx-en-Velin, France; Volgodonsk, Russia; Vyazma, Russia; Yiwu, China & Zapadnoye Degunino, Russia.
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Orsha became an important transportation centre after the construction of a Dnieper Riverport.