Bridges (city)

The city is located on the Neman River at the confluence of Zelvianka , 60 km south-east of Grodno .

Bridges are known from the 15th century, when by that time they were already a fairly large trading settlement, located at the intersection of trade routes: the water route - the Neman and the land - from Brest to Vilna. For the first time in historical documents, Bridges are mentioned as a place and center of the Grodno poviet volost in 1486 ^[6] . After 1589, a Neman town was part of the Grodno economy ^[6] .

According to the royal certificates of 1601, 1633, 1653, 1677 Bridges received limited urban liberties. The letter of 1633 allowed to hold here weekly trading and two annual fairs ^[7] .

The privilege of the bishop of Vilna, Mikhail Yen Zenkovich, to the Jews of Most of 1738 allowed the restoration of a prayer-hall that had been destroyed by fire, which had existed since ancient times, “in the case of its complete decline, build a new prayer house without much magnificence”; it was also allowed to tidy up the existing cemetery. In 1765, 193 tax payers were registered in Kagala and its paraffies. ^[eight]

After the 3rd section of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795, Bridges became part of the Russian Empire .

According to the revision of 1847, the “Mosty Jewish Society” consisted of 262 souls. According to the census of 1897 in the bridges of 2633 residents, among whom 868 Jews. ^[eight]

From 1921 to 1939 the city was in the possession of Poland , since 1939 it was included in the Belarusian SSR ^[6] .

October 12, 1940 became a working village , receiving the status of the center of the Mosty district. From January 1949, it became an urban-type settlement , and from July 22, 1955 it became a city ^[6] .

In 1970 - 11.6 thousand people. In 1998 - 18.5 thousand people ^[6] . In 2018 - 15.8 thousand people.

There are 7 industrial enterprises operating in Mosty, among them Mostovdrev, Moteks, Mostovskiy Kumpyachok, Mostovskaya Agricultural Machinery. The city is producing phones and cables.

OJSC Mostovdrev, part of the Bellesbumprom concern, is one of the largest enterprises in the industry in the Republic of Belarus and produces plywood, MDF and HDF, floor coverings, glued parts, furniture and other products ^[10] .

Bridges are a major railway and automobile junction of directions to Grodno , Volkovysk and Lida ^[6] . The railway lines Lida - Bridges - Volkovysk and Grodno - Bridges pass through the city, the Shchuchin - Bridges - Volkovysk highways, Bridges - Slonim, Bridges - Grodno.

The district hospital and clinic is located on the territory of the city.

The city has three secondary schools and one gymnasium.

The Gudevichi State Literary Museum of Local Lore and the Forest and Man Museum are operating.

Attractions

• The longest pedestrian suspension bridge in Belarus, 193 meters long ^[11] .
• The shortest avenue is Prospect Mira . 10 houses, all - on the even side. ^{[ significance of fact? ]}

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  On the streets of the city, 2009

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  Pedestrian bridge over the Neman, 2009

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  Catholic church of Our Lady 2009

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  Railway Station, 2009

• V. 10: Malaysia - Mugarajy // Belarusian entsyklapedya . - Minsk: BelEn, 2000. - p. 201. - 544 p. - ISBN 985-11-0169-9 .
• Bridges: a historical-economic essay / I.I. Kovkel, Ya. N. Marash , A.S. Sebastian. - Minsk: Belarus, 1986. - 108 p.
• Xvi. Masty // Zbor pomnіkaў gistory і culture. Grodzenskaya voblasts. - Minsk: BelSE, 1986. - p. 248-249. - 371 s.