Loyew

History

Loyew arose on the site of an ancient settlement of the Dregoviches within the Principality of Chernigov. The settlement was situated on the route from the Varangians to the Greeks. The first mention of Loyew goes back to 1505 and it was known as Loyewa Hara (Loyew Hill). The name is probably derived from the Abkhaz-Adyghe surname Loo. In 1569, it passed to the Kingdom of Poland within the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1646, it passed to Lithuania within the Commonwealth, as reward for the loss of Trubeck. During the Khmelnytsky Uprising, it was the location of two battles, fought in 1649 and 1651, both won by Polish–Lithuanian forces. After the Second Partition of Poland in 1793, it became a part of the Russian Empire. According to the results of the census held in 1897 the town had 4,667 inhabitants, among them 2150 Jews. There were 251 farms, 9 mills, 24 shops, 1 school, 1 post-office, 2 orthodox churches, 1 catholic church and 1 synagogue. In December 1926, Loyew was included in the Byelorussian SSR and became the center of Loyew District. In 1938, it was granted the status of a city. In 1941–1943, the city lost nearly 1,500 inhabitants. In 1962-1966 it was placed in Rechytsa District. In the city there are building materials and dairy factories, a pedagogical school and musical school, a house of culture, and some libraries. There is the Church of the Holy Trinity in Loyew.

Most-observed species

• White Wagtail

  Motacilla alba Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  14
• Lesser Gray Shrike

  Lanius minor Gmelin, 1788 · Aves
  13
• Birthwort

  Aristolochia clematitis L. · Magnoliopsida
  12
• Dyer's Greenweed

  Genista tinctoria L. · Magnoliopsida
  12
• Ruthenian broom

  Chamaecytisus ruthenicus (Fisch. ex Wol.) Klásk. · Magnoliopsida
  12
• Eurasian Tree Sparrow

  Passer montanus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  11
• European Goldfinch

  Carduelis carduelis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  10
• Barn Swallow

  Hirundo rustica Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  10