Smolensk (; ; ; ) is a
Russian
city and the administrative centre of
Smolensk Oblast, located on the
Dnieper River. Situated 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:
History
Origins of the name
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 "смоль" (smol) 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
resin,
tar, or
pitch.
Pine trees grow in the area, and city was once a center of resin processing and trade.
Medieval origins
thumb|left|350px|Locationthumb|left|250px|Principality of Smolensk within Kievan Rus in the 11th centurySmolensk is among the oldest of Russian cities. The first recorded mention of the city was 863 AD, two years after the founding of ancient Rus. According to
Russian Primary Chronicle, Smolensk (probably located slightly downstream, at the archaeological site of
Gnezdovo) was the capital of the Baltic
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 challenging 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.
The
Principality of Smolensk was founded in 1054. Due to its central position amid Russian lands, the city developed rapidly. By the end of the 12th century the princedom was one of the strongest in
Eastern Europe, so that
Smolensk dynasty frequently controlled the
Kievan throne. Numerous
churches were built in the city at that time, including the church of Sts Peter and Paul (1146, reconstructed to its presumed original appearance after
World War II) and church of
St John the Baptist (1180, also partly rebuilt). The most remarkable church in the city is called
Svirskaya (1197, still standing); it was admired by contemporaries as the most beautiful structure to the east of
Kiev.
Our Lady of Smolensk (11th century)
Between Russia, Lithuania and Poland
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.
Modern history
Eagles monument in Smolensk, commemorating the centenary of the Russian victory over Napoleon
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.
Coat of arms of Smolensk
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 () 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. It was captured by the Germans on
July 16,
1941. The first
Soviet counteroffensive against the German army was launched here in August 1941 but failed. However the limited Soviet victories in the battles outside the city in August 1941 halted the German advance for a crucial two months, essentially allowing Moscow to be saved and through the Red Army's victory there, the Great Patriotic War to be won. Camp 126 was situated close to Smolensk and at this time
Boris Menshagin was mayor of Smolensk, with his deputy Boris Bazilevskii. Both of them would be key witnesses in the Nurenburg trial over the
Katyn massacre.
Over 93% of the city was destroyed during the fighting. The ancient icon was lost forever. The city was finally liberated on
September 25,
1943. It is no surprise that the title of
Hero City was bestowed on Smolensk after the war.
After the Germans captured the city in 1941, they found the intact archives of Smolensk Oblast Committee of the Communist Party, the so-called
Smolensk 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 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
As indicated by his name, the prominent 19th century
Jewish novelist
Peretz Smolenskin and his family originated from Smolensk, though he himself was born near
Mogilev.
As an added note, this is the part of Russia from which the paternal ancestry of the famous
anarchist Peter Kropotkin originated.
Smolensk Today
Economy
thumb|right|260px|Cathedral of the Assumption (Uspensky Sobor)Smolensk has several factories including the
Smolensk Aviation Plant and several electronics and agricultural machinery factories.
Transport
Smolensk's railway station
Smolensk is located on the
M1 main highway and main railway between Moscow and Minsk. The city is also served by
Smolensk Airport. Local public transport includes buses and trolleybuses.
Buses, trolleybuses, tram and
marshrutka (passenger van) are the safest and cheapest way to travel around city. The cost is near by 8 to 10 rouble for 1 way ticket.
Education
Smolensk is home to the Smolensk State University (SMOLGU) and the Smolensk State Medical Academy (SGMA); together with colleges of further education and other educational institutes.
Sister cities
People from Smolensk
Other pictures
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