Maladzyechna or Molodechno (Belarusian: Маладзечна, romanized: Maladziechna,[a] IPA: [maɫaˈdzʲetʂna]; Russian: Молодечно; Polish: Mołodeczno) is a town in Minsk Region, Belarus.

[3] The town itself was first mentioned the following year in a document issued by Kaributas, Prince of Severian Novgorod, who on December 16 assured his tributary fidelity to his cousin, King Władysław II Jagiełło and Jadwiga of Poland.

[4] In 1501, the Maladzyechna was donated by King Sigismund I the Old to certain Michael of Mstsislaw, on the condition that the latter provided a safe river passage for the nobles and hunters dwelling in the area.

[5] After Michael's heirless death, the locality passed through different hands until finally in 1567 it was acquired by Princess Nastazja Zbaraska, wife of Stafan Zbaraski, the voivode of Trakai.

[4] In 1568, that is the following year, a battle took place in the vicinity of the castle, in which the 40,000 men strong army of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth defeated the forces of Muscovy.

On August 20, 1631, Sapieha sold it to Stanisław Szemiott, the chamberlain of Samogitia, who then divided the villages surrounding Maladziečna among his sons.

Nevertheless, it served as a centre of trade and commerce for the surrounding villages and also gained significant profits from transit between Lithuania and Poland.

In 1708 the castle was one of the headquarters of the Swedish Army of King Charles XII of Sweden, which led to its partial devastation in the effect of a battle between the Swedes and the Russian forces.

In 1864 a Russian-language school was opened there and in 1871 an Orthodox church of Intercession of Our Most Holy Lady was built at the main town square.

In early 20th century an additional rail line was opened, linking Saint Petersburg and Polotsk with Lida and Siedlce.

On July 4, 1919, the town was captured by the Polish Army units led by Gen. Stanisław Szeptycki,[3] during their advance towards Minsk.

From 25 June 1941 until 5 July 1944, Maladzyechna was occupied by Nazi Germany and administered as a part of the Generalbezirk Weißruthenien of Reichskommissariat Ostland.