Smolensk

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Smolensk is a city and the administrative centre of Smolensk Oblast, located on the Dnieper River. Situated 360 kilometers west-southwest of Moscow, this walled city was destroyed several times throughout its long history since it was on the invasion routes of both Napoleon and Hitler. Today, Smolensk is noted for electronics, textiles, and food processing. Population: 325,137 (2002 Census)

The name of the city is derived from the name of the Smolnya Rivulet. The origin of the hydronym is less clear. One possibility is the old Slavic word for black soil, which might have coloured the waters of the long-derelict Smolnya. An alternative origin could be the Russian word smola, which means tar. Pine trees grow in the area, and city was once a center of resin processing and trade.

Smolensk is among the oldest of Russian cities. The first recorded mention of the city was 863 AD, two years after the founding of ancient Russia. According to Russian Primary Chronicle, Smolensk (probably located slightly downstream, at the archaeological site of Gnezdovo) was the capital of the Slavic Krivichs tribe in 882 when Oleg of Novgorod took it in passing from Novgorod to Kiev. The town was first attested two decades earlier, when the Varangian chieftains Askold and Dir, while on their way to Kiev, decided against messing with Smolensk on account of its large size and population.

The first foreign writer to mention the city was the Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus. In De Administrando Imperio (c. 950) he described Smolensk as a key station on the Road from Varangians to Greeks. The Rus sailed from the Baltics up the Western Dvina as far as they could then they pulled their boats out onto the ground and dragged them along to the upper Dnieper. It was in Smolensk that they supposedly mended any leaks and small holes that might have appeared in their boats from being dragged on the ground and they used tar to do that, hence the city name.

Although spared by the Mongol armies in 1240, Smolensk paid tribute to the Golden Horde, gradually becoming a pawn in the long struggle between Lithuania and Muscovy. The last sovereign monarch of Smolensk was George of Smolensk; during his disastrous reign the city was taken by Vytautas of Lithuania on three occasions, in 1395, 1404 and 1408. After the city's incorporation into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, some Smolensk boyars (e.g., the Sapiehas) moved to Vilnius; descendants of the ruling princes (e.g., the Tatishchevs, Kropotkins, Mussorgskys, Viazemskis) fled to Moscow.

With a population of tens of thousands of people, Smolensk was probably the largest city in 15th century Lithuania. Three Smolensk regiments proved decisive during the Battle of Grunwald against the Teutonic knights. It was a severe blow to Lithuania when the city was taken by Vasili III of Russia in 1514. To commemorate this event, the tsar founded the Novodevichy Convent in Moscow and dedicated it to the icon of Our Lady of Smolensk.

In order to repel future Polish-Lithuanian attacks, Boris Godunov made it his priority to heavily fortify the city. The stone kremlin constructed in 1597–1602 is the largest in Russia. It features remarkably thick walls and numerous watchtowers. Heavy fortifications didn't prevent the fortress from being taken by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1611 after a long 20-month siege, during the Time of Troubles and Dimitriads. Weakened Muscovy ceded temporarily Smolensk land to the Commonwealth in the Truce of Deulino and for the next forty three years it was the capital of the Smolensk Voivodeship.

To recapture the city, Muscovy launched the so-called "Smolensk War" against the Commonwealth in 1632. After a heavy defeat at the hands of king Wladislaw IV, the city remained in Polish-Lithuanian hands. In 1632, the Uniate bishop Lew Kreuza built his apartments in Smolensk; they were later converted into the Orthodox Church of St. Barbara. The hostilities resumed in 1654 when the Commonwealth was being rocked by the Uprising of Ukrainian Cossacks and Swedish invasion. After another siege, on September 23, 1654 Smolensk was recaptured by Russia as the Polish garrison left the city. In the 1667 Treaty of Andrusovo the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth finally renounced its claims to the Smolensk.

Smolensk has been a special place to Russians for many reasons, not least for the fact that the local cathedral housed one of the most venerated Orthodox icons, attributed to St Luke. Building the new Cathedral of the Assumption was a great project which took more than a century to complete. Despite slowly sinking into economic backwater, Smolensk was still valued by tsars as a key fortress defending the route to Moscow. It was made the capital of Guberniya in 1708.

In August 1812, two of the largest armies ever assembled clashed in Smolensk. During the hard-fought battle, described by Leo Tolstoy in War and Peace, Napoleon entered the city. Total losses were estimated at 30,000 men. Apart from other military monuments, downtown Smolensk features the Eagles monument, unveiled in 1912 to mark the centenary of Napoleon's Russian campaign.

Immediately after the October Revolution, when Belarus proper was still occupied by German forces, Smolensk (Belarusian: Смаленск, Smalensk) became a notable centre of Belarusian political life, although remaining administratively a part of Russia. In 1918, German occupational forces declared Smolensk Governorate a constituent of the Belarusian People's Republic, which only lasted less than a year. On January 2, 1919 the Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in Smolensk, but its government moved to Minsk as soon as the Polish forces had been driven out of the Belarusian capital several months later.

During World War II, Smolensk was again chosen by history as a stage for one of its greater battles, the Battle of Smolensk. She captured by Nazis in July 16, 1941. The first Soviet counteroffensive against the German army was launched here in August 1941 but failed. Over 93% of the city was destroyed during the fighting. The ancient icon was lost forever. She finally liberated in September 25, 1943. It is no surprise that the title of Hero City was bestowed on Smolensk after the war. Smolensk is served by Smolensk Airport and Smolensk air base.

Tourist attractions in Smolensk

The Assumption cathedral
The cathedral was erected in memory of the heroic defense of Smolensk in 1609-1611 on the spot of the former cathedral bearing the same name in the 12th century. The Assumption Cathedral lies on Sobornaya Hill. The construction began in 1677 under the guidance of the sculptor A. Korolkov, in 1732, A. Shedel was the next architect to work on the cathedral, but the building was completed only in 1772. (252)

Oryol tower
Oryol tower (formerly Veselukha) is one of the towers that are preserved nowadays. Lower than that, on Krachevka Hill there is Orlov rampart that was attacked by Shein on 25 December 1632. The underground passage connected the tower with Lake Krachevskoe. In the years of Ekaterina's reign, the passage served as refuge for robbers and forgers. Architected by Fyodor Kon, the tower was built in 1596-1602.

Gromovaya Tower
Gromovaya Tower (formerly Tupikinskaya) lies at the intersection of Dzerzhinsky and October Revolution Streets, next to the Governor's break. The tower embrasures were turned into broad windows. The Governor's archives are located there. The break was made on the spot of the former "Ilinskaya fortochka" and was broadened in 1870. From Kopytenskaya tower to Gromovaya one stretches the ancient town rampart. Designed by Fyodor Kon the tower was built in 1596-1602.

The Church of Saints Peter and Paul
This sample of the 12th century architecture was built in 1140's or 1150's. It might have served as a country church of the prince Rostislav Mikhailovich. In 1960's it was reconstructed by one of the most distinguished restorers - the architect P.D. Baranovsky. It is an important monument of the Russian architecture before the Tartar invasion. The church is situated on the right bank of the Dnieper not far from Smolensk railway station. It has come down to our days.

The deer in Blonie
The monument was designed by the famous sculptor Fresy. In 1909, Wilhelm II put up in front of his hunting house a bronze statue of the noble deer that he had killed. In 1944 the sculpture vanished. It was known that later it was put up in front of Gering's country house; afterwards the statue was found on one of the children playgrounds in Smolensk.

The Bridge over the Dnieper on Bolshaya Sovetskaya Street
Bolshaya Sovetskaya Street was founded in 1851, when the main road (Orlovsko-Vitebsky Tract - Troitskaya Road) was being built. A large break was made in the fortress wall near the new bridge over the Dnieper. In 1895, the break was broadened and in 1897 the so-called bridge was opened. Nowadays it is the main bridge over the Dnieper. Bolshaya Sovetskaya Street is characterized by a steep rise of the road (about 70 meters from the bridge to Lenin Street). The bridge connecting Bolshaya Sovetskaya and Belyaev Streets was built instead of the former blown-up one. The modem bridge was reconstructed in 1970 and in 2002.

The monument with eagles
The monument is in the form of a steep cliff with a nest at its peak guarded by two eagles. A Gallic soldier clad in medieval armour stands on a ledge almost at the top. He is reaching towards the nest with the unsheathed sword in his hand. One eagle, its wings outstretched, checks his blow, and grasps the Gaul's arm, while the other guards the nest and is ready to take the enemy in the rear. The stone cliff symbolizes Russia, the two eagles - the two Russian armies that united at Smolensk. On the eastern part of the monument there is a bronze plaque bearing the map of the European part of Russia and the words (Grateful Is Russia to the Heroes of 1812. The names of the Russian Commanders - Barclay de Tolly, Bagration, Neverovsky, Raevsky and Dokhturov are at the back.
The other two sides bear bronze wreaths, which frame the Emblem of the Russian Empire and the Emblem of Smolensk. A low fence of massive iron chains, resting on granite posts surrounds the monument.

The region is rich in historical and cultural monuments, which number about 400.000.

The annual International festival of jazz, pop and rock music «Smolensk prospekt» is also held in the city.