Kaleidoscope of history unveiled

July of decades and centuries past comes to life

July 18th. In 1909, Soviet party and state figure and diplomat — Andrey Gromyko — was born in the Gomel Region.

July 20th. In 1932, Ivan Bovt was born in Minsk. He is an Honoured Architect who designed a block of the Watch Factory, the Radio Plant and ice palaces in Minsk, Brest, Vitebsk and Gomel.

July 20th. In 1948, Honoured Artiste — Anatoly Kashtalapov — was born in Mogilev. He is known as a talented dancer and musician.

July 21st. In 1929, Belarusian writer, critic and literary man — Victor Kovalenko — was born in the village of Sakovshchina, of the Volozhin District.

July 22nd. In 1914, poet, prosaic writer and scriptwriter — Boris Laskin — was born in Orsha. He authored scripts for Carnival Night, A Girl with a Guitar and Give Me a Complaint Book.

July 22nd. In 1949, Oleg Lyashuk was born — a Belarusian architect who designed Brest’s Regional Executive Committee building, airport and Fairy-Tale children’s café.

July 24th. In 1934, the Belarusian actor and People’s Artiste of Belarus — Gennady Garbuk — was born.

July 18th. In 1903, an Orthodox church honouring three saints — Vasily the Great, Grigory the Theologian and John Chrysostom was laid in Mogilev.

July 18th. In 1925, a decision was made to establish a Minsk City Museum.

July 18th. In 1944, the Belarusian Government moved from Gomel to Minsk.

July 18th. In 1984, the BSSR Council of Ministers made the decision to set up a State Youth Theatre in Minsk.

July 18th. In 1992, Vitebsk hosted the 1st International Festival of Young Performers; since 1998, it’s been known as the International Festival of Arts Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk.

July 20th. In 1928, the first traffic lights were installed in Minsk’s streets.

July 19th. In 1833, the Vilno Roman Catholic Academy was set up, becoming the higher religious educational establishment of 1833-1842.

July 19th. In 1953, the Friendship of Nations hydro-electro station was launched on Drisvyaty Lake (Braslav District). In 1964, it joined the Belarusian energy system.

July 19th. In 1988, a summer amphitheatre was built in Vitebsk, boasting the largest stage in the country. It annually hosts the Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk Festival.

July 20th. In 1994, the first President of Belarus — Alexander Lukashenko — took the oath of office.

July 21st. In 1387, the town of Igumen was first mentioned in documents. In 1923, it was renamed to Cherven (which is now a district centre of the Minsk Region).

July 22nd. In 1906, teachers of the Minsk Region, including Yakub Kolas, illegally met in the village of Nikolaevshchina (the Stolbtsy District).

July 22nd. In 1925, construction of a district for workers was started on the Parizhskaya Kommuna Square, in Minsk.

July 22nd. In 1930, the first BSSR Institute of Physical Methods of Treatment opened in Minsk.

July 23rd. In 1970, one of Minsk’s designed streets was named after a People’s Poet of Belarus — Pyotr Glebka.

July 23rd. In 1992, the State Migration Service was established.

July 23rd. In 2002, the Belarusian Federation of Computer Sport was founded.

July 24th. In 1954, the Republican House of Engineering opened in Karl Marx Street in Minsk.

July 24th. In 1965, the Druzhba (Friendship) Café opened in Volgogradskaya Street.

July 24th. In 1984, Ilimskaya Street was established in Minsk.

July 24th. In 1991, the Security Service was established at the Interior Ministry — now known as the Belarusian Interior Ministry’s Security Department.

July 24th. In 2003, an illustrated cover was put into postal circulation. It featured an original stamp from the Belarusian Fountains series. The stamp depicted the first Minsk fountain — with the Swan and Amur composition.