Slawharad

Slawharad was first mentioned in the chronicles in 1136 as Prupoy. It was also mentioned later under the names of Proposhensk, Propolsk, and Propoysk.

In the 14th century, Propoysk became a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, where it was a part of Mstsislaw Voivodeship. From 1569 to 1772, Propoysk, like the rest of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, were part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Propoysk was badly damaged during the Russo-Polish War (1654–1667). In September 1772, as a result of the First Partition of Poland, the town was transferred to the Russian Empire and became a part of Mogilev Governorate.^[3] It was the center of Propoyskaya Volost of Bykhovsky Uyezd.

As of 1881, the population of Propoysk was 3,400. In the 19th century, the town was one of major centers of iron production, however, the production stopped in 1872. It was also an important river port.^[3]

The Propoysk Castle did not survive, but its location, the Castle Hill, between the Sozh and the Pronya, is an archaeological monument. There are several monuments of architecture which were built in the 18th and the 19th century. The most notable one is the Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos (1791–1793), located close to the Castle Hill.^[7]

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