Orsha

VorÅ¡a or Orsha (Belarusian: ВоÌ?рша, Russian: ОÌ?рша, Polish: Orsza) is a city in Belarus. VorÅ¡a is situated by Dniapro River where ArÅ¡yca River (Ð?ршыца) flows into it. It is a major railway node where the Minsk–Moscow line is crossed by the North-South connection: North to Viciebsk and South branching to MahiloÅ­ and KryÄ?aÅ­.

First historical references to Vorša are dated by 1067. It was granted the Magdeburg Rights in 1620.

The famous Battle of Vorša occurred around 1514. Armies from Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Kingdom of Poland, half of which were litvins (Belarusians from Grand Duchy of Lithuania), defeated the Russian army.

First use of Katyusha rocket launcher artillery was used here by the Red Army during WWII.