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Vitebsk from the very beginning of the Middle Ages had strong defensive fortifications, as befits a rich city on the banks of the Dvina River, a great trade route. Later, from the 16th century, the development and strengthening of Vitebsk castles became a vital matter due to the close proximity of the aggressive Moscow state. What do the three ancient Vitebsk castles look like today? What is left of them? How well have they been studied and what do Vitebsk residents know about them?