Bely () is a
town
A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city.
The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
and the
administrative center
An administrative centre is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune, is located.
In countries with French as the administrative language, such as Belgiu ...
of
Belsky District in
Tver Oblast
Tver Oblast (, ) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Tver. From 1935 to 1990, it was known as Kalinin Oblast (). Population:
Tver Oblast is a region of lakes, such as Seliger and Brosno. Much o ...
,
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
. It is located on the
Obsha River. Population: 6,900 (1897).
History
The name of the town means "white" in Russian, although it is unknown how or why this name originated. The fortress of Bely is first mentioned in a chronicle in 1350, since it was conquered by the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a sovereign state in northeastern Europe that existed from the 13th century, succeeding the Kingdom of Lithuania, to the late 18th century, when the territory was suppressed during the 1795 Partitions of Poland, ...
. It was located on the border between Lithuanian and Russian lands, and intermittently changed affiliation between Lithuania (later Poland) and the
Grand Duchy of Moscow
The Grand Principality of Moscow, or Muscovy, known as the Principality of Moscow until 1389, was a late medieval Russian monarchy. Its capital was the city of Moscow. Originally established as a minor principality in the 13th century, the gra ...
. In the 15th century, it became the seat of the
Belsky branch of the ruling
House of Gediminas. The town was overrun by the
Grand Duchy of Moscow
The Grand Principality of Moscow, or Muscovy, known as the Principality of Moscow until 1389, was a late medieval Russian monarchy. Its capital was the city of Moscow. Originally established as a minor principality in the 13th century, the gra ...
in 1503. Three years later, Muscovites built a formidable castle, which the Lithuanians laid a siege to in 1508. The town was again subordinated to the
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, also referred to as Poland–Lithuania or the First Polish Republic (), was a federation, federative real union between the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ...
between 1618 and 1654, after which it finally went under Moscow.
In the course of the
administrative reform carried out in 1708 by
Peter the Great
Peter I (, ;
– ), better known as Peter the Great, was the Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia, Tsar of all Russia from 1682 and the first Emperor of Russia, Emperor of all Russia from 1721 until his death in 1725. He reigned j ...
, Bely became the center of
Belsky Uyezd of
Smolensk Governorate
Smolensk Governorate () was an administrative-territorial unit ('' guberniya'') of the Tsardom of Russia, the Russian Empire, and the Russian SFSR. It existed, with interruptions, between 1708 and 1929.
Smolensk Governorate, together with seven o ...
and remained there until 1929, with the exception of the brief periods between 1713 and 1726, when it belonged to
Riga Governorate, and between 1775 and 1796, when Smolensk Governorate was transformed into
Smolensk Viceroyalty
Smolensk is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow.
First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest cities in Russia. It ...
.
On 12 July 1929, governorates and uyezds were abolished, and Belsky District with the administrative center in the Bely was established. It belonged to
Rzhev Okrug
Rzhev ( rus, Ржев, p=ˈrʐɛf) is a town in Tver Oblast, Russia, located southwest of Staritsa and from Tver, on the highway and railway connecting Moscow and Riga. It is the uppermost town situated on the Volga River. Population:
Hist ...
of
Western Oblast.
On August 1, 1930, the okrugs were abolished, and the districts were subordinated directly to the oblast. On 29 January 1935
Kalinin Oblast
Tver Oblast (, ) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Tver. From 1935 to 1990, it was known as Kalinin Oblast (). Population:
Tver Oblast is a region of lakes, such as Seliger and Brosno. Much of ...
was established, and Belsky District was transferred to Kalinin Oblast.
During World War II, in 1941–1943, the district was occupied by German troops, and Bely was severely damaged. On August 22, 1944, the district was transferred to newly established
Velikiye Luki Oblast. On October 2, 1957, Velikiye Luki Oblast was abolished, and Belsky District was transferred back to Kalinin Oblast. On February 13, 1963 the district was abolished and merged into
Nelidovsky District; on November 3, 1965 it was re-established.
In 1990, Kalinin Oblast was renamed Tver Oblast.
Administrative and municipal status
Within the
framework of administrative divisions, Bely serves as the
administrative center
An administrative centre is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune, is located.
In countries with French as the administrative language, such as Belgiu ...
of
Belsky District.
As an administrative division, it is incorporated within Belsky District as Bely
Urban Settlement.
[Law #34-ZO stipulates that the borders of the settlements (administrative-territorial divisions) are identical to the borders of the urban and rural settlements (municipal divisions), and that the borders of the administrative districts are identical to the borders of the municipal districts. Law #19-ZO, which describes the borders and the composition of the municipal formations in Belsky Municipal District, lists the town of Bely as a part and the administrative center of Bely Urban Settlement of that district.] As a
municipal division, this administrative unit also has urban settlement status and is a part of Belsky Municipal District.
[Law #19-ZO]
Economy
The district has potential for the development of local history tourism, a tourist passport of the district has been compiled. The main tourist routes are connected with the events of World War II.
Industry
There are enterprises of timber and food industries located in Bely.
Transportation
A paved road connecting
Nelidovo and
Smolensk
Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow.
First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest cities in Russia. It has been a regional capital for most of ...
via
Dukhovshchina passes Bely. There are local roads. The closest railway stations are in Nelidovo (on the railway connecting Moscow and Riga via
Velikiye Luki
Velikiye Luki ( rus, Вели́кие Лу́ки, p=vʲɪˈlʲikʲɪjə ˈlukʲɪ; lit. ''great meanders''. Г. П. Смолицкая. "Топонимический словарь Центральной России". "Армада- ...
) and
Vladimirsky Tupik (the terminus of a railway which branches off in
Safonovo from the line connecting Moscow and Smolensk.
Culture and recreation
Bely contains five cultural heritage monuments of federal significance and additionally sixty-five objects classified as cultural and historical heritage of local significance. The federally protected monuments are archeological sites related to the old town of Bely.
There is a local museum in Bely, founded in 1925.
References
Notes
Sources
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External links
Official website of BelyBely Business Directory
{{Use mdy dates, date=July 2012
Cities and towns in Tver Oblast