Lepel
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Lepiel Lepel |
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| Лепель | |||
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 Lepiel
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| Coordinates: 54°52′30″N 28°41′40″E / 54.87500°N 28.69444°E | |||
| Country | Belarus | ||
| Voblast | Vitebsk Region | ||
| Raion | Lepiel Raion | ||
| Mentioned | 1439 | ||
| Population (2011) | |||
| • Total | 17,280 | ||
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) | ||
| Area code(s) | +375 2132 | ||
| License plate | 2 | ||
| Website | [1] | ||
Lepel (Belarusian: Ле́пель Lepiel; Polish: Lepel; Russian: Ле́пель, pronounced [ˈlʲepʲɪlʲ]) is a town located in the center of the Lepiel Raion (district) in the Vitebsk Province of Belarus near Lepiel Lake. Lepiel is situated at about 54°52′N 28°40′E / 54.867°N 28.667°E and its population in the 1998 census was 19,400.
The coat of arms of Lepel incorporates the Pahonia symbol.
There are three theories about the origin of the name Lepel. The first is that the name 'Lepel' come from the word "lepene" which means "lake between the lime-groves". The second is that the name comes from the Belarusian word "лепей" meaning "the best place to live in". The third theory for the name Lepel is that it derives from the Belarusian word "ляпiць" meaning "well-developed pottery".
The first known mention of Lepel dates back to 1439. In the 15th century, the town belonged to the Lithuanian Grand Duchy. In 1439, thanks to efforts of a Roman Catholic priest, Kucharski, Grand Lithuanian Duke Sigismund Kęstutaitis' son Michael gave Lepel to the Vitebsk Roman Catholic church. King Sigismund I the Old subsequently confirmed the gift and in 1541 by approbation of pontiff, the townlands were given to the Vitebsk Cathedral.
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