First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest cities in Russia. It has been a regional capital for most of the past millennium, beginning as the capital of aneponymous principality in the 11th-15th centuries, then theSmolensk Voivodeship ofLithuania andPoland, andSmolensk Governorate and Oblast within Russia. It was the main stronghold of the Smolensk Gate, a geostrategically significant pass between theDaugava andDnieper rivers, and as such was an important point of contention in the struggle for dominance inEastern Europe, passing at various times between Lithuania, Poland and Russia. In more recent history, it was captured byNapoleon's Franco–Polish forces andHitler's Germany during their marches towardsMoscow, and was the place of theSmolensk air disaster of 2010.
The name of the city is derived from the name of the Smolnya River. Smolnya river flows through Karelian and Murmansk areas of north-western Russia.[15] The origin of the river's name is less clear. One possibility is the oldSlavic wordсмоль (smol') forblack soil, which might have colored the waters of the Smolnya. An alternative origin could be theRussian wordсмола (smola), which meansresin,tar, orpitch.Pine trees grow in the area, and the city was once a center of resin processing and trade. TheByzantine emperorConstantine VII (r. 913–959) recorded its name asΜιλινισκα (Miliniska).[16]
The city is located inEuropean Russia on the banks of the upperDnieper River, which crosses the city within theSmolensk Upland, which is the western part of theSmolensk–Moscow Upland. The Dnieper River flows through the city from east to west and divides it into two parts: the northern (Zadneprove) and southern (center). Within the city and its surroundings the river takes in several smalltributaries.
In the valleys are stretched streets, high ridges, hills, and headlands form the mountain. Smolensk is situated on seven hills (mountains). The old part of the city occupies the high, rugged left (south) bank of the Dnieper River. The area features undulating terrain, with a large number of tributaries, creeks and ravines.
St. Michael's Church (Svirskaya) was built in 1180–1197 and is one of the few surviving structures in Russia from before the Mongol conquests.
Smolensk is among the oldest Russian cities. The first recorded mention of the city was 863 AD, two years after the founding ofKievan Rus'. According toRussian Primary Chronicle, Smolensk (probably located slightly downstream, at the archaeological site ofGnezdovo) was located on the area settled by the East SlavicRadimichs tribe in 882 whenOleg of Novgorod took it in passing fromNovgorod toKiev. The town was first attested two decades earlier, when theVarangian chieftainsAskold and Dir, while on their way to Kiev, decided against challenging Smolensk on account of its large size and population.
ThePrincipality of Smolensk was founded in 1054. Due to its central position inKievan Rus', the city developed rapidly. By the end of the 12th century, the princedom was one of the strongest inEastern Europe, so that Smolensk princes frequently controlled the Kievan throne. Numerouschurches were built in the city at that time, including the church of Sts. Peter and Paul (1146, reconstructed to its presumed original appearance afterWorld War II) and the church of St. John the Baptist (1180, also partly rebuilt). The most remarkable church in the city is calledSvirskaya (1197, still standing); it was admired by contemporaries as the most beautiful structure east ofKiev.
Smolensk had its ownveche since the very beginning of its history. Its power increased after the disintegration ofKievan Rus', and although it was not as strong as theveche in Novgorod, the princes had to take its opinion into consideration; several times in 12th and 13th centuries there was an open conflict between them.[17]
French and Polish soldiers assault the burning city of Smolensk, 1812.
Smolensk has been a special place to Russians for many reasons, not least for the fact that the localcathedral housed one of the most veneratedOrthodox icons, attributed toSt. Luke. Building the new Cathedral of the Assumption was a great project which took more than a century to complete. Despite slowly sinking into an economic backwater, Smolensk was still valued by the Tsars as a key fortress defending the route toMoscow. It was made the seat ofSmolensk Governorate in 1708.
In August 1812, two of the largestarmies ever assembled clashed in Smolensk. During thehard-fought battle, described byLeo Tolstoy inWar and Peace (Book Three Part Two Chapter 4),Napoleon entered the city. Total losses were estimated at 30,000 men. Apart from other military monuments, central Smolensk features the Eagles monument, unveiled in 1912 to mark the centenary ofNapoleon's Russian campaign.
In 1940, 18 km (11 mi) from Smolensk, theKatyn Massacre occurred, in which some 22,000 PolishPOWs were murdered by theNKVD. At this time Boris Menshagin was mayor of Smolensk, with his deputy Boris Bazilevsky. Both of them would bekey witnesses in theNuremberg Trials over the massacre.[20]
Smolensk under German occupation, 1941.
DuringWorld War II, Smolensk once again saw wide-scale fighting during thefirst Battle of Smolensk when the city was captured by the Germans on 16 July 1941. The first Soviet counteroffensive against the German army was launched in August but failed. However, the limited Soviet victories outside the city halted the German advance for a crucial two months, granting time to Moscow's defenders to prepare in earnest. Over 93% of the city was destroyed during the fighting; the ancient icon ofOur Lady of Smolensk was lost. Nevertheless, it escaped total destruction. In late 1943,Hermann Göring had orderedGotthard Heinrici to destroy Smolensk in accordance with the Nazi "scorched earth" policy. He refused and was punished for it. The city was finally liberated on 25 September 1943, during thesecond Battle of Smolensk. The rare title ofHero City was bestowed on Smolensk after the war.
After the Germans captured the city in 1941, they found the intact archives of the Smolensk Oblast Committee of the Communist Party, the so-calledSmolensk Archive. The archive was moved to Germany, and a significant part of it eventually ended up in the United States, providing Western scholars and intelligence specialists with unique information during theCold War on the local workings of the Soviet government during its first two decades. The archives were returned to Russia by the United States in 2002.[21][22]
On 10 April 2010, aTu-154 military jet carrying Polish president Lech Kaczyński, his wife, and many notable political and military figures crashed in a wooded area near Smolensk while approaching the local military airport. All ninety-six passengers died immediately on impact. The purpose of the visit was to commemorate the 70th anniversary of theKatyn massacre.
In June 2013, archaeologists of theRussian Academy of Sciences discovered and unearthed ancient temples in Smolensk dated to the middle to second half of the 12th century, built on the left bank of the Dnieper River. At the time the city was the capital ofSmolensk principality.[23]
In September 2013, Smolensk widely celebrated its 1,150th anniversary with funds spent on different construction and renovation projects in the city.[24] In celebration theCentral Bank of Russia issuedcommemorative coins made of precious metals.[25]
Owing to its long and rich history, Smolensk is home to many examples ofRussian architecture ranging from theKievan Rus period to post-WWIIStalinist style. Although the city was destroyed several times over, many historically and culturally significant buildings remain, including a large number of churches and cathedrals. The most famous of these are theCathedral of the Assumption, theImmaculate Conception Church, and the Church of St. Michael the Archangel, which is one of the few structures from before the Mongol invasion remaining in Russia.
TheSmolensk Kremlin, built at the end of the 16th century during the reign of TsarsFyodor I Ioannovich andBoris Godunov, under the supervision of the architectFyodor Kon, is one of the greatest achievements of Russian medieval architecture and military engineering.
Smolensk serves as the administrative center of theoblast and, within theframework of administrative divisions, it also serves as the administrative center ofSmolensky District, even though it is not a part of it.[1] As an administrative division, it is incorporated separately asSmolenskUrban Okrug—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of thedistricts.[1] As amunicipal division, this administrative unit also has urban okrug status.[9]
Smolensk has a warm-summerhumid continental climate (Köppen climate classificationDfb). By European standards, the climate is quite cold for its latitude on54°N. The far inland position warms springs up relatively quickly, with May being quite a bit milder than September.
Climate data for Smolensk (1991–2020, extremes 1887–present)
Smolensk is located on theM1 main highway andMoscow–Brest Railway. Since 1870, there is a railway connection between Smolensk and Moscow.[29] Local public transport includes buses and trolleybuses.Public transportation network includes buses, trolleybuses, trams, andmarshrutkas.
There are two airports located in the outskirts of the city;Smolensk South (civilian) andSmolensk North (military); however, there are no regular flights scheduled to Smolensk South Airport.
Smolensk is home to theSmolensk State University (SMOLGU) and the Smolensk State Medical University (affiliated as university in 2015) (SSMU); together with colleges of further education and other educational institutes.
Администрация Смоленской области. Постановление №261 от 30 апреля 2008 г. «Об утверждении реестра административно-территориальных единиц и территориальных единиц Смоленской области», в ред. Постановления №464 от 27 июня 2014 г. «О внесении изменений в реестр административно-территориальных единиц и территориальных единиц Смоленской области». Опубликован: База данных "Консультант-плюс". (Administration of Smolensk Oblast. Resolution #261 of April 30, 2008On the Adoption of the Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Units and Territorial Units of Smolensk Oblast, as amended by the Resolution #464 of June 27, 2014On Amending the Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Units and Territorial Units of Smolensk Oblast. ).
Смоленский городской Совет. Решение №164 от 28 октября 2005 г. «Устав города Смоленска (новая редакция)», в ред. Решения №1419 от 29 мая 2015 г. «О внесении изменений в Устав города Смоленска». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования, за исключением положений, для которых установлены иные сроки вступления в силу. Опубликован: "Смоленские новости", №71, 22 декабря 2005 г. (Smolensk City Council. Decision #164 of October 28, 2005Charter of the City of Smolensk (New Edition), as amended by the Decision #1419 of May 29, 2015On Amending the Charter of the City of Smolensk. Effective as of the day of the official publication, with the exception of the clauses for which other dates of taking effect are specified.).
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