Princess Olga on horseback and Chagall's lovers in the sky launched the celebration of Vitebsk City Day

June 25, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. Princess Olga on horseback and Chagall's lovers in the sky launched the celebration of Vitebsk City Day, a BELTA correspondent reports. Vitebsk directors conceived and implemented an unusually beautiful theatrical opening performance with many special effects. The venue chosen was the recently opened Voskresenskaya Square, located 300 meters from the place where the Vitba River flows into the Western Dvina, and where, according to legend, the city of Vitebsk was founded by Princess Olga. The legendary founder, with her retinue, reappeared in the city, reminded of how she ordered a castle to be built here, and received a bouquet of red roses as a gift from the chairman of the city executive committee, Viktor Nikolaykin. However, presenting flowers to Marc and Bella Chagall proved to be not so easy. The famous artist and his muse soared in the Vitebsk sky, just like in his famous painting "Above the City," where the couple of lovers flies over the rooftops of Vitebsk. By the way, while the lovers were flying, violinists were playing on those very rooftops. The Chairman of the Vitebsk City Executive Committee noted at the grand opening of the celebration that the date of the City Day was chosen by the citizens not by chance. After all, 66 years ago, on June 26, 1944, the city was liberated from the Nazi invaders. Ancient and eternally young Vitebsk meets its holiday in good spirits. In January-May of the current year, the growth rate of industrial production amounted to 110.5%, and consumer goods - 107.45%. Production volumes are actively increasing at Vitebskiye Kovry OJSC, Vitebskiy Myasokombinat OJSC, Krasny Oktyabr, and the Vitba confectionery factory. The city has thoroughly prepared for its birthday: central city streets have been repaired, and parks and courtyards are actively being improved. For the first time, citizens can walk along the embankments - their construction is being completed along the Vitba and Western Dvina rivers. The number of catering establishments and shops is growing. Since the beginning of the year alone, 27 retail outlets with a total area of 2.6 thousand square meters have opened. Festive celebrations will take place in Vitebsk for two days. Representatives of twin cities, diplomatic missions of foreign countries, regional centers of Belarus, the city of Minsk, and heads of districts and cities of the region have arrived for the festivities. -0-