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The historical "Pinesk" was first mentioned in the chronicles of 1097 and is thus one of the oldest Slavic settlements. The name is derived from the river Pina. Pinsk's early history is closely linked with the history of another Belarusan city - Turau. Until the mid-12th century Pinsk was part of the Turau principality. Later, in the 13th century, it became the centre of a principality of its own. In 1320 Pinsk became part of the Grand Duchy of Litva (Lithuania.
In 1581 Pinsk was granted the Magdeburg rights and in 1569, after the union of Lithuania with the Crown of the Polish Kingdom, it became the seat of the province of Brest. It fell to the Russian Empire in 1793 in the Third Partition of Poland. Pinsk became part of Poland in 1920 after the Polish-Soviet War and was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1939. It has been part of Belarus since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The population is about 130,000.

Monastery of Franciscans — one of the greatest architectural ensembles of Belarus of Baroque style. It has been based in 1396.