Science Fair Project Encyclopedia Mahilyow, or Mahileu
(Belarusian: Магілёў; Russian: Могилёв (Mogilyov), Polish
Mohylew or Mogilew) is a city in the eastern Belarus, close to
the border to Russia with about 300,000 inhabitants. It is the
centre of Mahilyow voblast and the third largest city in
Belarus. The city was founded in 1267. Since 14th century a part
of Lithuania, after the Union of Lublin transferred to Poland.
The city flourished as one of the main nodes of the east-west
and north-south trading routes. In 1577 king Stefan Batory
granted it with city rights. After the First Partition of Poland
it was annexed by Imperial Russia and was the center of the
Mogilev guberniya. In years 1915-1917, during WWI, the
headquarters of the Russian army functioned in the city. In 1918
occupied by Germany and transferred to the short-lived
Belarusian National Republic. In 1919 captured by the forces of
Bolshevist Russia and incorporated into Byelorussian SSR.
Between 1941 and 1944 under German occupation. Since Bela