Mazyr

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City in Gomel Region, Belarus

title: "Mazyr" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["mazyr", "populated-places-in-gomel-region", "1155-establishments-in-europe", "dregovichs", "mozyrsky-uyezd", "mazyr-district", "holocaust-locations-in-belarus", "rus'-towns"] description: "City in Gomel Region, Belarus" topic_path: "general/mazyr" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazyr" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary City in Gomel Region, Belarus ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

Field	Value
name	Mazyr
native_name	be
ru
other_name	Mozyr
settlement_type	City
image_skyline	{{multiple image
border	infobox
total_width	270
image_style	border:1
perrow	1/2/2
caption_align	center
image1	DJI 3725-HDR (51581938711).jpgAerial view
image2	Church of Saint Michael Archangel, Mazyr.jpgBaroque Saint Michael Archangel Cathedral (former Bernardine church)
image3	Мазыр. Былы кляштар цыстарыянак.jpgBaroque Saint Michael Archangel church (former Cistercian nuns church)
image4	Мозырь. Замковая гора..JPGCastle
image5	Мозырь. Речное пароходство..JPGRiver shipping company
caption1	Aerial view
caption2	Saint Michael Archangel Cathedral
caption3	Saint Michael Archangel church
caption4	Castle
caption5	River shipping company}}
image_flag	Флаг Мозыря и Мозырского района.png
image_shield	Coat of Arms of Mazyr, Belarus.svg
flag_size	150
shield_size	75
pushpin_map	Belarus
subdivision_type	Country
subdivision_name	Belarus
subdivision_type1	Region
subdivision_name1	Gomel Region
subdivision_type2	District
subdivision_name2	Mazyr District
established_title	First mentioned
established_date	1155
area_total_km2	44.1381
population_as_of	2024
population_footnotes
population_total	104,517
population_density_km2	auto
timezone	MSK
utc_offset	+3
coordinates
elevation_m	160
postal_code_type	Postal code
postal_code	247760
area_code	+375 2363
blank_name	License plate
blank_info	3
::

| name = Mazyr | native_name = be ru | other_name = Mozyr | settlement_type = City | image_skyline = {{multiple image | border = infobox | total_width = 270 | image_style = border:1 | perrow = 1/2/2 | caption_align = center | image1 = DJI 3725-HDR (51581938711).jpgAerial view | image2 = Church of Saint Michael Archangel, Mazyr.jpgBaroque Saint Michael Archangel Cathedral (former Bernardine church) | image3 = Мазыр. Былы кляштар цыстарыянак.jpgBaroque Saint Michael Archangel church (former Cistercian nuns church) | image4 = Мозырь. Замковая гора..JPGCastle | image5 = Мозырь. Речное пароходство..JPGRiver shipping company | caption1 = Aerial view | caption2 = Saint Michael Archangel Cathedral | caption3 = Saint Michael Archangel church | caption4 = Castle | caption5 = River shipping company}} | image_flag = Флаг Мозыря и Мозырского района.png | image_shield = Coat of Arms of Mazyr, Belarus.svg | image_map = |flag_size = 150 |shield_size = 75 | pushpin_map = Belarus | pushpin_mapsize = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Belarus | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = Gomel Region | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Mazyr District | leader_title = | leader_name = | established_title = First mentioned | established_date = 1155 | area_total_km2 = 44.1381 | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = |population_as_of = 2024 |population_footnotes = | population_total = 104,517 | population_metro = | population_density_km2 = auto | timezone = MSK | utc_offset = +3 | timezone_DST = | utc_offset_DST = | coordinates = | elevation_m = 160 | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 247760 | area_code = +375 2363 | blank_name = License plate | blank_info = 3 | footnotes = Mazyr or Mozyr (, ; , ; ; ) is a city in Gomel Region, in southern Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Mazyr District. It is situated on the Pripyat River about 210 km east of Pinsk and 100 km northwest of Chernobyl in Ukraine. As of 2025, it has a population of 104,517.

Mazyr is known as a center of oil refining, salt extraction, machine building, and food processing in Belarus. It is home to one of the largest oil refineries in Belarus, pumping out 18 million metric tons per year, and is served by a tram line. The Druzhba pipeline carries crude oil from Russia, splitting in two at Mazyr. One pipeline branch is directed into Poland and the other one to Ukraine.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Mazyr,_Słuckaja.Мазыр,Слуцкая(1901-17)(2).jpg" caption="Early-20th-century view of the city"] ::

The city was mentioned in 1155.

It was a county seat in the Mińsk Voivodeship of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth until the Partitions of Poland. In the 18th century, Baroque monasteries and churches of Cistercian monks and nuns were established. At various times, the 2nd and 3rd Lithuanian Vanguard Regiments were stationed there.

During the Partitions of Poland, the city was annexed by Russia, within which it was administratively part of the Minsk Governorate. The city was subjected to Russification policies. In the 19th century both Cistercian monasteries were closed down. but later on it fell to the Soviets.

During World War II, the German occupiers operated a Nazi prison in the town.

The city has suffered radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl disaster.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Cistercian churches were restored to the Catholics.

Climate

| source = NOAA{{cite web |url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Belarus/CSV/MOZYR_33036.csv |title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Mazyr |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date = January 12, 2024}}

Jewish community

Jews were first mentioned in chronicles in the second half of the 17th century. It is known that there were three synagogues in the city as of 1856. R. Kugel, a prominent Jewish community figure, had been the chief Rabbi of Mazyr since 1861. He was also the head of the local Jewish literacy school.

During this period Jews were mostly engaged in craftsmanship and trading. Part of Mazyr's industry, the match factory and the wood sawing factory were owned by Jews.

There were eight active synagogues, a yeshiva, Jewish school and Talmud-Torah school in the wake of the 20th century. All of the facilities had been closed down by 1939.

Thousands of Jews were executed by German troops in the local ghetto during World War II. After the mass execution, almost no Jews remained in the city, whereas before the war 30% of the population within the city was Jewish. On August 31, 1941, hundreds of Jews gathered inside a house at Malo-Pushkin street. They poured kerosene on the building walls and set it alight, while the people huddled inside. The mass suicide was an attempt to escape execution by the Germans. The incident is known as the "Belarusian Masada".

After the war some Jews returned to Mazyr. Although they refused to take back the partially-destroyed synagogue building, an official Jewish community was registered in 1946. A few years later, authorities denied the organization's right to exist. The community organization was re-established officially in 1989, when a revival began in the city. A synagogue and a Jewish culture club were opened.

Sights

Baroque Cathedral in the name of Archangel Michael and former Bernardine monastery
Baroque Cistercian monks church and monastery
Baroque Cistercian nuns church and monastery
The Mazyr Castle, dating back to 16th century
A monument for Jews at the place of a mass grave
A monument composed of black polished granite, commemorating the aforementioned "Belarusian Masada"
A monument placed at the point of mass executions
The Pkhov river port, the biggest port of Belarus

Population

::data[format=table title=""]

Year	Total Population	Jewish population	% Jewish	Notes
1897	8076	5631	69.73%	Russian Census of 1897
1927	14300	~6000	42%	Soviet Census of 1927
1939	17500	6307	36.04%	Jewish population just before World War II
1970	48000	4300	8.96%	date=February 2016}}
1979	105882	3600	3.40%	date=December 2025}}
1989	128000	3200	2.50%	Soviet Census of 1989. The Jewish population fell due to the emigration of Soviet Jews to Israel and the United States
1999	114000	565	0.50%	The Jewish population fell due to the emigration of Soviet Jews to Israel and United States
2004	111500		0.45%
::

Transport

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Railway_station_Mazyr,_Belarus.jpg" caption="Railway station"] ::

Mazyr has a tram service, which commenced operation on 1 August 1988. The line starts at the tram depot and terminates at the oil refinery, with four turning loops located along the route. It is designed to server Mazyr Oil Refinery (MNPZ) and is owned by the refinery. Services on the tram line are coordinated with shifts at the refinery; service throughout the day is every 25-95 minutes while during the peaks it is 3-12 minutes, though those services pass suburban stops without stopping. Most passengers are workers, though it also serves residents living near the line. The total length of the line is 20.3 km, with a full trip time of 40 minutes. The line has a high-speed layout, with radius of minimum 400 meters. There were plans for a second tram line, but this has not come to fruition. The rolling stock is mainly 71-605 and its derivative vehicles. VD Bolshoi Bokov airfield is located 4 mi south of Mazyr and was used by Russian military aircraft during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Educational Centers

Mozyr State Pedagogical University
State Politehnikum (Technical College)
Medical College
Music College
Art School
State Lycee
Gomel State School of Olympic Reserve

Twin towns – sister cities

Mazyr is twinned with:

POL Chojnice, Poland
RUS Severodvinsk, Russia

Notable residents

Siarhiej Dubaviec (b. 1959) – Belarusian journalist and writer
George de Mohrenschildt⁣ – geologist and friend of Lee Harvey Oswald
Isaac Don Levine was born there
Zbigniew Morsztyn⁣ – Polish nobleman of Leliwa coat of arms, poet of the Baroque era, soldier, member of the Polish Brethren, Miecznik of Mazyr. Cousin and co-worker of Jan Andrzej Morsztyn.
Ksenia Sitnik⁣ – singer and winner of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2005
Dzyanis Laptsew⁣ – footballer
Hesya Helfman⁣ – member of Narodnaya Volya, who was implicated in the assassination of Tsar Alexander II

References

"Численность населения на 1 января 2025 г. и среднегодовая численность населения за 2024 год по Республике Беларусь в разрезе областей, районов, городов, поселков городского типа".
(1959). "The Towns of Ancient Rus". Foreign Languages Publishing House.
. (1885). "Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, Tom VI".
Węglicka, Katarzyna. (2005). "Kresowym szlakiem. Gawędy o miejscach, ludziach i zdarzeniach". Książka i Wiedza.
Gembarzewski, Bronisław. (1925). "Rodowody pułków polskich i oddziałów równorzędnych od r. 1717 do r. 1831". Towarzystwo Wiedzy Wojskowej.
Ryłko, Władysław. (1929). "Zarys historji wojennej 7-go pułku artylerii polowej".
"Gefängnis Mazyr".
"YV360".
"Excavation Causes Controversy in Belarus".
Belarys.by site about Mozyr ''[http://www.belarus.by/en/belarus/territory/gomel/mozyr/]''
Jewishgen.org Ghettos of Gomel district ''[http://www.jewishgen.org/Belarus/newsletter/GomelGhettos.htm]''
Jewish Heritage Research Group in Belarus.''[http://www.jhrgbelarus.org/AboutBelarus_articles.php]''
"Mazyr".
"Mazyr, Tramway — Roster".
(December 2022). "[[AirForces Monthly]]". [[Key Publishing.
"Mazyr | Belarus | Britannica".
"Miasta Partnerskie Chojnic". Chojnice.
"Межрегиональные и шефские связи". Severodvinsk.
[https://lit-bel.org/friends/d/Dubavets-Syargey-301/ Дубавец Сяргей Іванавіч]

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::