Tolochyn is first mention as a small settlement within the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and it dates back to 1433. One of the oldest Belarusian towns, Drutsk, that was known from the XI century is located on the territory of the present Tolochyn district.

Tolochyn district occupies the south-eastern part of Vitebsk region with its centre in the borough of Tolochyn, which stands 114 km away from Vitebsk and 130 km away from Minsk. The District was created in July, 1924.

The area of the District is 1.5 thousand square kilometers; the population is about 32 thousand people residing in 273 localities. District's government consists of 1 towns’ and 7 villages’ Councils of Deputies.

The agriculture of the district specializes in cattle breeding and grain crops growing. The District is one of 4 crops bulk producing areas within Vitebsk region with its 20 state unitary and 2 private agricultural establishments.

In accordance with the state program of Rural Revival and Development, the District will have 12 agro-towns by 2010. Lat year, the village of Zadnevo was given the status of an agro-town.

6 out of 10 industrial enterprises of the District produce excavators, agricultural machines, ferroconcrete products, plastic pipes, and textile; the other 4 process agricultural products.

One third of the District’s territory is woodlands where hunting tourism is being promoted. The site of old Drutsk is now an archeological monument; there are also fragments of landowners’ mansions with bits of old parks.

Tolochyn district is the birthplace of the Hero of Belarus, people’s artist of the USSR and Belarus, Mikhail Savitsky, playwrite Ales' Petrashkevich, writers and poets Mikhas' Zaraetsky, Vera Verba, and Valery Anisimov.

Print version