Belarus: Zaslavl
Zaslavl is a tiny little town just 20km outside of Minsk with just a couple streets in it. But it’s history is unlike any other town in Belarus. It was founded in 985 when Vladimir the Great (the year of Kievan Rus) married Rogneda (Princess of Polotsk) and sent his wife and kid live in a new town half way between Kiev and Polotsk (long distance relationship, I guess). The 10th century small castle is the main attraction in Zaslavl. There is also a medieval church and Lenin monument. The town also has some sad history of WWII when Nazis entirely exterminated the Zaslavl’s 25% Jewish population by shooting everybody in a mass grave.
