Lida

Lida grew around a fortress in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Grand Duke Gediminas built a brick castle here in 1323, and after his death the town became a seat of his son Algirdas. The fortress withstood attacks by crusaders in 1392 and 1394. A Catholic parish was established after Lithuania's conversion, and Władysław Jagiełło visited the town in 1415 and 1422.

In the fifteenth century Lida became an increasingly thriving local centre of crafts and trade, connected by roads with Vilnius, Navahrudak and Minsk. King Alexander convened an assembly here in 1506 before the army marched against the Tatars at Kletsk. Lida became a district seat in 1588 and received Magdeburg rights from Sigismund III in 1590. The castle was burned in 1710 during the Great Northern War.