There we go ready to embark on a new Belarusian historical adventure! We step into Grisha and get wiggled around for what seems a century, until we stop. We open the door with excitement and an overwhelming smell of spices, wood and metal welcomes us. Did we arrive in ancient Belarus or in ancient China we wonder?
We look around and see that we have landed on top of a market stall that sells all kinds of oriental spices, explaining the smell somewhat. The stall owner starts screaming at us! “What are you doing here on top of my stall! Are you crazy?!” We admit that it's not the best landing spot, but at least we got a good view on the whole market place and have made a friend (who does not like us yet). Things could have gone way worse.. Wait.. we realize slowly that this man is talking Belarusian to us.. What is going on?
We trade a pink ballpoint we found in our bag for some spices that smell delicious and turned our angry new friend into our new somewhat surprised and nice friend. He introduces himself as merchant Mikola who brings spices from Asia to this place called Mensk. Wow we are back in Mensk! “Are you a Belarusian?” - we ask Mikola. He looks surprised and answers, No my dear girls, I am a true Litvin of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
“We must be in Mensk during the great time of Grand Dutchy of Lithuania!” - we scream to one another. And everyone is talking in Belarusian language! This is amazing! But in what time we wonder? Mikola answers with big eyes: welcome to the year 1499 my dear alien friends.
After seeing our surprised faces Mikola tells us that Mensk is a very important and wealthy city because of its great central location (and beautiful women)! Connecting East to West and North to South.
While walking around the market, we can’t believe our eyes. So many colours and different people and product to find. We see Asians, and different Europeans all trading products like salt, wine, spices, fur, fabrics and different metals in our city Mensk.
We stop at a stall loaded with furs, and behind the furs appears a gentleman who doesn’t seem surprised to see us. ‘Welcome my dear ladies, these real beaver fur coats from Mensk will keep you so warm during the very cold winter days! Buy one and get one for a smaller price! These furs are of the finest quality and are very famous all over the world! He ended his sales pitch with a very big proud smile. We tried the furs on and they were indeed of a very good quality and suited us not too badly.
We noticed how well educated and intelligent these traders were. We learned in one day a lot about the neighbouring countries and how to get from one place to another. Most of the traders spoke Belarusian and another language. They knew everything about their product and had excellent selling skills.
Then suddenly we hear a big shout and screaming, something is going on in the middle of the market! People are screaming and shouting, opening bottles of wine and drinking it straight from the bottle.
What are we celebrating we ask a lady standing next to us?? She explains that our city finally has been granted the Magdeburg law! The WHAAT??? We ask her. She tells (screams) enthusiastically that now our city has the rights to govern itself without having to obey the rules of the state officials. Mensk is finally a city!
So after discussing this Magdeburg law a bit further we understood its importance. Because of this Magdeburg law (a law that was named after a German city Magdeburg) Mensk was able to transform itself into a real city following the example of many other European cities. For example now in Mensk a city hall will be build which will be the symbol of a municipal government, but also giving local traders and artisans benefits and protection over their International and regional colleagues. Another important improvement was the establishment of mass and volumes and the city scales, making it easier for traders to measure their goods with one standard and not having to fight about the grams.
On our way back to the top of Mikola’s stall, Masha suddenly remembers the sculpture near Minsk town Hall at Svobody Square. This must have a connection to this very important moment, this Magdeburg law! And indeed this sculpture is a portray of traders in Mensk weighting goods, it’s called ‘City Scales’. It is a symbol for the development of Mensk as a large trade and craft center in exactly this time where we are now, 1499!
Marta and Masha wave the city goodbye and hope that in the near future we will find such a market with such entrepreneurial spirit in Minsk.
Read more about Belarus on our newest platform HiFive Belarus!
We look around and see that we have landed on top of a market stall that sells all kinds of oriental spices, explaining the smell somewhat. The stall owner starts screaming at us! “What are you doing here on top of my stall! Are you crazy?!” We admit that it's not the best landing spot, but at least we got a good view on the whole market place and have made a friend (who does not like us yet). Things could have gone way worse.. Wait.. we realize slowly that this man is talking Belarusian to us.. What is going on?
We trade a pink ballpoint we found in our bag for some spices that smell delicious and turned our angry new friend into our new somewhat surprised and nice friend. He introduces himself as merchant Mikola who brings spices from Asia to this place called Mensk. Wow we are back in Mensk! “Are you a Belarusian?” - we ask Mikola. He looks surprised and answers, No my dear girls, I am a true Litvin of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
“We must be in Mensk during the great time of Grand Dutchy of Lithuania!” - we scream to one another. And everyone is talking in Belarusian language! This is amazing! But in what time we wonder? Mikola answers with big eyes: welcome to the year 1499 my dear alien friends.
After seeing our surprised faces Mikola tells us that Mensk is a very important and wealthy city because of its great central location (and beautiful women)! Connecting East to West and North to South.
While walking around the market, we can’t believe our eyes. So many colours and different people and product to find. We see Asians, and different Europeans all trading products like salt, wine, spices, fur, fabrics and different metals in our city Mensk.
We stop at a stall loaded with furs, and behind the furs appears a gentleman who doesn’t seem surprised to see us. ‘Welcome my dear ladies, these real beaver fur coats from Mensk will keep you so warm during the very cold winter days! Buy one and get one for a smaller price! These furs are of the finest quality and are very famous all over the world! He ended his sales pitch with a very big proud smile. We tried the furs on and they were indeed of a very good quality and suited us not too badly.
We noticed how well educated and intelligent these traders were. We learned in one day a lot about the neighbouring countries and how to get from one place to another. Most of the traders spoke Belarusian and another language. They knew everything about their product and had excellent selling skills.
Then suddenly we hear a big shout and screaming, something is going on in the middle of the market! People are screaming and shouting, opening bottles of wine and drinking it straight from the bottle.
What are we celebrating we ask a lady standing next to us?? She explains that our city finally has been granted the Magdeburg law! The WHAAT??? We ask her. She tells (screams) enthusiastically that now our city has the rights to govern itself without having to obey the rules of the state officials. Mensk is finally a city!
So after discussing this Magdeburg law a bit further we understood its importance. Because of this Magdeburg law (a law that was named after a German city Magdeburg) Mensk was able to transform itself into a real city following the example of many other European cities. For example now in Mensk a city hall will be build which will be the symbol of a municipal government, but also giving local traders and artisans benefits and protection over their International and regional colleagues. Another important improvement was the establishment of mass and volumes and the city scales, making it easier for traders to measure their goods with one standard and not having to fight about the grams.
On our way back to the top of Mikola’s stall, Masha suddenly remembers the sculpture near Minsk town Hall at Svobody Square. This must have a connection to this very important moment, this Magdeburg law! And indeed this sculpture is a portray of traders in Mensk weighting goods, it’s called ‘City Scales’. It is a symbol for the development of Mensk as a large trade and craft center in exactly this time where we are now, 1499!
Marta and Masha wave the city goodbye and hope that in the near future we will find such a market with such entrepreneurial spirit in Minsk.
Read more about Belarus on our newest platform HiFive Belarus!