In the middle of the X century the Polotsk principality was formed - the oldest state formation of the epoch of feudalism in the territory of Belarus, the borders of which considerably exceeded the modern borders of the Polotsk district.

At the end of the X century. on Christianity, which was dominated by the pagan belief system. Unlike Kiev, the baptism of Polotsk was not of a violent nature, and Christianity accepted for a long time was an external formality. The positions of Christianity were strengthened after the construction of the Sophia Sorcerer in the 1950s by the All-Wise Sorcerer and the founding of several monasteries by him and his heirs, the first of which could be Belchitsky, Spaso-Efrasinievsky, Borisoglebsky, Predtechensky. The educational activity of such devotees as Efrosinia Polotskaya contributed to the strengthening of Christian values ​​among the local population.

In the middle of the XI century, the center of ancient Polotsk was transferred to the right coast of the Western Dvina. Since that time, the city has received a new impulse for development. During the reign of Bratislava Izyaslavich (1003-1044) and Vseslav Magician (1044-1101), the principality of Polotsk reaches its peak. The events of 1067, in particular the Battle of Nemiga and the captivity of Vseslav Charodey, led to significant consequences: the Polotsk principality lost its prince's independence for a while (the viceroy of Kiev was appointed instead), the center of Polotsk is economically weakened, and foreign policy activity is declining. 1158 - the first annalistic information about Belchitsa as the residence of the Polotsk princes. The 12th century in the history of Polotchina was even more tragic and passed in conditions of internecine struggle of the princes. At the end of the century, internecine quarrels gradually subsided and in 1180 a joint campaign of six princes of Polotchyna to Drutsk took place to strengthen the unity of the principality. In the middle of the 13th century, Novogrudok began to unite the Belarusian lands. Polotsk gave up its historical place. In the XIII-XVI centuries. Polotchina was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. 1504 - the creation of the Polotsk Province. 1563 - construction of castles in the village of M.Sitno, Turovlya. August 30, 1579 Polish King Stefan Batory captured Polotsk, as a result of which Polotchyn again joined the Belarusian lands, but already in the new state - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The results of the Livonian War were catastrophic for the region, which for more than 20 years was a theater of active military operations. The population declined, the economic life came to a total collapse: the villages were burnt and deserted, the arable land overgrown with chumney. The first half of the XVII century. was mostly peaceful for Polotchyna.

In 1654, the Russian tsar began a war against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The first victim was Polotsk. For 13 years on the Polotsk lands was dominated by Russia. Weakened by a prolonged war, the warring parties concluded a truce over which Polotsk and the Polotsk voivodeship returned to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1667.

All power in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of the XVIII century belonged to the gentry. Weak royal power was powerless in the struggle against the gentry anarchy. Until the late eighteenth century. The Commonwealth speech entered a period of deep crisis. The state was dying.

After losing the last forces of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Russia, Austria and Prussia watched. In 1772 they held the first section of the Commonwealth, the right-bank part became part of the Russian Empire. 

August 14, 1776 formed Polotsk province with a center in Polotsk.

In 1793, the left-bank part of Polotchyna became part of the Russian Empire.

In 1842 in Polotsk district there were 2 copper smelters, 1 tile, 2 brick, 3 tanning, 1 patashny. Since 1866 the movement of trains along the Rigo-Oryol railway began on the section Vitebsk-Polotsk-Dinoburg.

According to the first general census of the Russian Empire in 1897, 141 847 people lived in the Polotsk district. March 3, 1924 Polotchina became a member of the BSSR. August 15, 1924 was founded Polotsk district.

Since July 16, 1941, the area was occupied by German fascist invaders.

June 29 - July 7, 1944 was the Polotsk offensive operation. The troops of the First Baltic Front liberated the Polotsk district.

During the occupation, the German invaders destroyed all district institutions, burned 194 settlements, burned 6,584 collective farm houses, and 17,117 different collective farm buildings. In 1954, the Polotsk region, which lasted 10 years, became part of the Vitebsk region.