Belz, city in Ukraine
Belz is a small city in western Ukraine, positioned between the Solokiya River and the Richytsia stream near the Polish border. The town sits at about 200 meters in elevation and spans roughly 5 square kilometers, with its traditional layout centered on a fortified core surrounded by a trading district and residential suburbs.
Belz was first recorded in 1031 when Prince Yaroslav the Wise defended a fortress there against Polish forces, then passed through the Galicia-Volyn principality, Lithuania, Hungary, and Poland. It gained Magdeburg rights in 1377, establishing self-governance and trade privileges, and later received a railway connection in 1884 that boosted its role as a regional trade hub.
Belz was long a center of Jewish life and Hasidic practice, a spiritual movement that took root in the region during the 18th century. The song "Mayn Shtetele Belz" from the 1930s captures how residents saw their city as a vibrant community hub.
When visiting Belz, be prepared that many structures from before World War II are destroyed or damaged, though some older buildings and the small old town center remain visible. The city is compact with roughly 2,000 residents, making the historic core walkable and easy to navigate on foot.
Belz was first home to Celtic Lugii tribes, then Germanic Goths, before Slavic peoples like the Buzhans and White Croats settled there, making it a crossroads of ancient cultures. Archaeologists have uncovered Bronze Age tools, pottery, and burial remains that prove humans occupied this spot for thousands of years.
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