The text describes Mogilev and the history of the city - it was to be granted to Helena, wife of King Alexander Jagiellon, and first named a city after a privilege by King Sigismund I. Mogilev received its Magdeburg Law during the reign of Sigismund Augustus. The history of Russian influence in the city, as well as, for example, the issue of the confirmation of the parish church by the Warsaw Sejm in 1616, is presented later in the text. (Source: Tygodnik Illustrowany, Warsaw 1871, Series 2, T:8, pp. 112-113, after: Digital Library of the University of Łódź).

A modernised reading of the text.

Memoir of Mogilev on the Dnieper.

Mogilev looks wonderful when you enter it from the direction of the Dnieper, through the Lupolovo suburb. The Dnipro winds through green meadows and its mirror-like surface reflects the gothic towers of the city's numerous temples, which proudly and impressively stand on the opposite steep bank of the Dnipro. This mountain is high by nature, and higher still, erected by human hand. Here were the fortifications of the former castle, of which today even the ruins are gone. The traffic on the river bank is excellent, as the Dnieper is like an artery along which flow the most precious treasures, fruits of work of the whole province. Mogilev's trade is excellent and profitable, with more and more ornamental buildings and warehouses being built every year. However, all trade remains in the hands of the Jews, and the local population cannot stand the competition with them, because they have not yet developed a sense of the need for association. Everyone acts in isolation, on his own; to unite, to support each other, is the secret and the only reason for the growth of the Jews, of this despised, wandering population. Does not the Slavic character have entrepreneurship in it? Also, will we not be able to withstand competition, and will our rupture into trade be subliterate? These are questions which the future will probably resolve. The beginning of the settlement of the local town, the reason for the name, is the background against which the imagination of the people weaves legends full of fantastic. So they say that once upon a time in the woods lining the present-day town site lived the brigand Lev, full of bravery and sometimes generosity, a terror of the mighty, a protector of the weak. This Belarusian Kynaldo, however, committed so many murders that a graveyard was created around his orchard. Eventually, the hero robber himself found a grave among his victims and, according to legend, this grave gave its name to the city ("Mogilev", as in "Lion's grave"). This is a fantastic folk tale: there is no mention in history of the founding of a local stronghold. There was probably a fishing settlement here; the castle may have been built on an old battlefield, as huge human bones are unearthed here every time foundations are laid. The vast expanse of desert, mud and woods around present-day Mogilev was the direct property of Lithuanian dukes. The Mogilev settlement and castle are mentioned under the year 1320, while more extensive information can be found in King Alexander Jagiellon's granting of the entire Mogilev region to his wife Helena (Narbut IX, 62). In the privilege of King Sigismund I of 1526, Mogilev was called a city for the first time, and Sigismund Augustus granted it the Small Magdeburg Law. On 28 January 1577, King Stephen bestowed all the privileges of the Magdeburg Law on the city, which was already prosperous and trading at that time. From then on, the town's prosperity grew as a result of extensive trade with Moscow; Mogilev was the point where furs were deposited and from there they spread to the west. However, the growth of the city was not very fast; numerous catastrophes fell upon it at various times and almost completely ruined it. In addition to minor destruction, in 1595 the warlord Nalewajko attacked the town, plundered it and burnt it down. Vladislav IV in 1633, for providing himself with guns and ammunition, compared Mogilev in rights with Vilnius. From then on, the townspeople elected aldermen from among themselves, whereas previously they had been appointed by the king. During the wars under Jan Kazimierz, the city changed hands. The economy, of which Mogilev was the capital, was wrecked by troops of various kinds, and more often still by adventurers fishing in murky water. In the following century, new calamities struck the city. During the war of 1701, near the town, in the fields of Bujnice, the Companions skirmished with the Sapiezhins; the Companions were victorious in this bloody battle. In 1707, the Swedes fought the Russians near the city, and Charles XII paid for the triumph of the day with his own blood, as he was wounded quite severely in the battle. Since 1772 Mogilev has been under the rule of Rossia and the gubernial government was concentrated there. In the memorable war of 1812 the citizens of Mogilev heard the roar of cannons for the last time and watched the troops pulling through. From then on continuous peace and quiet, trade became wider and wider, all this favoured the growth of the city. So, while more and more splendid buildings (Orsha, Shklov) were falling into ruins, old wooden houses in Mogilev gradually disappeared and today main streets can be called beautiful and have nothing to envy bigger cities, except asphalt pavements and gas. In 1616 the parish church of Mogilev (parish church), founded by Sigismund III, was confirmed among other church foundations in Belarus. The most ancient temple in the city is not architecturally remarkable. The entrance is not preceded by a portico, but small Doric columns adjoining the wall. The wall opposite the exterior is decorated with Corinthian columns, tall and quite shapely. The windows are triangular. Inside, the bas-relief above the main altar probably catches the eye. For a long time, the Jesuits maintained schools at this church, which, although not as famous as those in Polotsk and Minsk, were nevertheless quite popular and well attended. But let us return to a further overview of the city. The Archcathedral Church, which we present here in a woodcut, will take up some more of your attention. It is a more recent church, as a Latin inscription under the choir indicates 9 June 1759 as the date of completion. The church was built on a grand scale and at great expense, and the Carmelites were seated there; however, building at a time of the deepest decline in art, the church was not spared from numerous and great architectural errors. It is not easy to take in the whole edifice at a glance, as private houses cover the church from the street. The front is decorated by a portico with four huge Ionic columns. The width of the temple interior is equal to the width of the portico. The towers are built into a quadrangle and end in round gables. Inside, the same flavour of Jesuit construction prevails. So squat but thick pillars, semi-circular arches, door frames. The interior was restored in 1860, and at that time the frescoes, not at all of an excellent brush, depicting various passages from the history of the Carmelite Order, were also renewed and faded. In the main altar is a painting of St Stanislaus, the patron saint of the archdiocese, by Mr Władysław Majeranowski. The artist depicted the moment of the resurrection of Peter. As if I did not agree with this choice; let what people say, our saint did not shine with the splendour of holiness at that moment, for it was a dispute over temporal goods, and this did not suit the Lord's chosen ones. Chekhovich chose a more beautiful moment in his painting, placed in the main altar of Vilnius Cathedral, as he showed us a shepherd giving his life for his sheep. Although the content of the painting may seem inappropriate, its execution is masterly. The saint's face expresses that solemn ecstasy, that deep faith which opened the tomb of Peter, and the resurrected man rises reluctantly from his grave, as if he regretted his interrupted sleep. Of the other paintings, attention is drawn to the image of the Mother of God, a very good copy by Murillo, a gift of Archbishop Žilina. To the right in the altar we see Christ praying in the Garden of Olives, by an unknown artist. The rest of the paintings are a collection from various post-consecrated churches. During the restoration, two chapels were added as extensions to the side aisles. One of them contains an image of St Anthony, who is particularly venerated by the town's inhabitants, as evidenced by the numerous votive offerings hanging from his image. In the sacristy, portraits of Mogilev archbishops, from Siestrzencewicz to Zilinsky inclusive, and a bust of Holovinsky are worthy of a good view. Of the secular buildings, only the town hall tower, included in the woodcut here, is noteworthy. Built in an octagon, it is topped with a tall Gothic spire. Today the town hall houses a hospital ward, and the tower has been turned into a watchtower from which the fire brigade keeps watch.