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Smolensk

Smolensk (Russian: Смоленск, IPA: [smɐˈlʲensk] (listen)) is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, 360 kilometers (220 mi) west-southwest of Moscow. First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest cities in Russia.

Smolensk
Смоленск
Smolensk Art Gallery
Location of Smolensk
Smolensk
Location of Smolensk
Smolensk
Smolensk (European Russia)
Smolensk
Smolensk (Europe)
Coordinates: 54°46′58″N 32°02′43″E / 54.78278°N 32.04528°E / 54.78278; 32.04528Coordinates: 54°46′58″N 32°02′43″E / 54.78278°N 32.04528°E / 54.78278; 32.04528
CountryRussia
Federal subjectSmolensk Oblast[1]
First mentioned863[2]
Government
 • BodyCity Council[3]
 • HeadAndrew Borisov
Area
 • Total166.35 km2 (64.23 sq mi)
Elevation
242 m (794 ft)
Population
 • Total326,861
 • Estimate 
(2018)[6]
330,025 (+1%)
 • Rank54th in 2010
 • Density2,000/km2 (5,100/sq mi)
 • Subordinated toSmolensk Urban Okrug[1]
 • Capital ofSmolensk Oblast[1], Smolensky District[1]
 • Urban okrugSmolensk Urban Okrug[7]
 • Capital ofSmolensk Urban Okrug[7], Smolensky Municipal District[7]
Time zoneUTC+3 (MSK [8])
Postal code(s)[9]
214ХХХ
Dialing code(s)+7 4812
OKTMO ID66701000001
Websitewww.smoladmin.ru

The city has been destroyed several times throughout its long history because it was on the invasion routes of various empires. Smolensk is known for its electronics, textiles, food processing, and diamond faceting industries.

Etymology

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.[10] The origin of the river's name is less clear. One possibility is the old Slavic word смоль (smol) for black soil, which might have colored the waters of the Smolnya. An alternative origin could be the Russian word смола (smola), which means resin, tar, or pitch. Pine trees grow in the area, and the city was once a center of resin processing and trade. The Byzantine emperor Constantine VII (r. 913–959) recorded its name as Μιλινισκα (Miliniska).[11]

Geography

The city is located in European Russia on the banks of the upper Dnieper River, which crosses the city within the Smolensk Upland, which is the western part of the Smolensk–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 small tributaries.

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.

History

Medieval origins

 
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 of the known Rus' era. The first recorded mention of the city was 863 AD, two years after the founding of Kievan Rus'. According to Russian Primary Chronicle, Smolensk (probably located slightly downstream, at the archaeological site of Gnezdovo) was located on the area settled by the East Slavic Radimichs 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 Byzantine Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus. In De Administrando Imperio (c. 950) he described Smolensk as a key station on the trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks. The Rus' people sailed from the Baltic region up the Western Dvina (Daugava) River as far as they could then they portaged their boats 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 in Kievan Rus', the city developed rapidly. By the end of the 12th century, the princedom was one of the strongest in Eastern Europe, so that Smolensk princes 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 the 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 east of Kiev.

Smolensk had its own veche since the very beginning of its history. Its power increased after the disintegration of Kievan Rus', and although it was not as strong as the veche 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.[12]

Between Lithuania and Russia

Historical affiliations

  Grand Duchy of Lithuania 1404–1514
  Grand Duchy of Moscow 1514–1547
  Tsardom of Russia 1547–1611
  Poland–Lithuania 1611–1656
  Tsardom of Russia 1656–1721
  Russian Empire 1721–1812
  French occupation 1812
  Russian Empire 1812–1917
  Russian Republic 1917–1918
  Belarusian People's Republic 1918–1919
  Socialist Soviet Republic of Byelorussia 1919
  Russian SFSR 1919–1922
  Soviet Union 1922–1941
  German occupation 1941–1943
  Soviet Union 1943–1991
  Russia 1991–present

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

 
Siege of Smolensk (1609–1611) by Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth

Three Lithuanian Smolensk regiments took part in the 1410 Battle of Grunwald (Tannenberg) against the Teutonic Knights. It was a severe blow to Lithuania when the city was taken by Vasily 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 thick walls and numerous watchtowers. Heavy fortifications did not prevent the fortress from being taken by the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1611 after a long twenty-month siege, during the Time of Troubles and Dimitriads. Weakened Muscovy temporarily ceded Smolensk land to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in the Truce of Deulino. The city was granted Magdeburg rights in 1611 and was the seat of Smolensk Voivodeship for the next forty-three years.[13]

To recapture the city, the Tsardom of Russia launched the so-called "Smolensk War" against the Commonwealth in 1632. After a 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 Eastern Orthodox Church of Saint Barbara. The hostilities resumed in 1654 when the Commonwealth was being affected by the Khmelnytsky Uprising and the Swedish deluge. After another siege, on September 23, 1654, Smolensk was recaptured by Russia. In the 1667 Truce of Andrusovo, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth renounced its claims to Smolensk.

Modern history

 
View of Smolensk in 1912. Early colour photograph by Sergei Prokudin-Gorskii
 
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 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 an economic backwater, Smolensk was still valued by the Tsars as a key fortress defending the route to Moscow. It was made the seat of Smolensk Governorate 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 (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 of Napoleon's Russian campaign.

At the beginning of World War I, the 56th Smolensk Infantry Division was first assigned to the First Army of the Imperial Russian Army. They fought at the Battle of Tannenberg. It was subsequently transferred to the 10th Army and fought at the Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes. In March 1918, the Belarusian People's Republic, proclaimed in Minsk under the German occupation, declared Smolensk part of it. In February–December 1918, Smolensk was home to the headquarters of the Western Front, North-West Oblast Bolshevik Committee and Western Oblast Executive Committee. On January 1, 1919, the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in Smolensk,[14] but its government moved to Minsk as soon as the German forces had been driven out of the city several days later.

Soviet period

After the revolution, there was debate on whether to include Smolensk in the Byelorussian SSR. In 1920 a provincial census was held, according to which the Russian population prevailed over the Belarusian one, meaning Smolensk had to be transferred to the Russian SFSR. In 1940, 18 km (11 mi) from Smolensk, the Katyn Massacre occurred, in which some 22,000 Polish POWs were murdered by the NKVD. At this time Boris Menshagin was mayor of Smolensk, with his deputy Boris Bazilevsky. Both of them would be key witnesses in the Nuremberg Trials over the massacre.[15]

 
Smolensk under German occupation, 1941.

During World War II, Smolensk once again saw wide-scale fighting during the first Battle of Smolensk when the city was captured by the Germans on July 16, 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 of Our Lady of Smolensk was lost. Nevertheless, it escaped total destruction. In late 1943, Hermann Göring had ordered Gotthard 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 September 25, 1943, during the second Battle of Smolensk. The rare 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 the 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 during the Cold 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.[16][17]

Recent events

On April 10, 2010, a Tu-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 the Katyn massacre.

In June 2013, archaeologists of the Russian 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 of Smolensk principality.[18]

In September 2013, Smolensk widely celebrated its 1,150th anniversary with funds spent on different construction and renovation projects in the city.[19] In celebration the Central Bank of Russia issued commemorative coins made of precious metals.[20]

Attractions

Owing to its long and rich history, Smolensk is home to many examples of Russian architecture ranging from the Kievan Rus period to post-WWII Stalinist 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 the Cathedral of the Assumption, the Immaculate 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.

The Smolensk Kremlin

The Smolensk Kremlin, built at the end of the 16th century during the reign of Tsars Fyodor I Ioannovich and Boris Godunov, under the supervision of the architect Fyodor Kon, is one of the greatest achievement of Russian medieval architecture and military engineering.

Churches and cathedrals

Monuments

Being the site of many great battles in Russian history, Smolensk is home to many monuments commemorating its rich military history.

Lopatinsky garden

Square of Memory of Heroes

Education buildings

Post-war Stalinist buildings

Administrative and municipal status

Smolensk serves as the administrative center of the oblast and, within the framework of administrative divisions, it also serves as the administrative center of Smolensky District, even though it is not a part of it.[1] As an administrative division, it is incorporated separately as Smolensk Urban Okrug—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts.[1] As a municipal division, this administrative unit also has urban okrug status.[7]

Climate

Smolensk has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb). By European standards, the climate is quite cold for its latitude on 54°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)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 9.3
(48.7)
9.0
(48.2)
19.4
(66.9)
28.0
(82.4)
30.6
(87.1)
33.3
(91.9)
34.5
(94.1)
37.2
(99.0)
29.5
(85.1)
24.8
(76.6)
14.6
(58.3)
9.8
(49.6)
37.2
(99.0)
Average high °C (°F) −3.5
(25.7)
−2.6
(27.3)
3.0
(37.4)
11.7
(53.1)
18.3
(64.9)
21.5
(70.7)
23.6
(74.5)
22.3
(72.1)
16.6
(61.9)
9.2
(48.6)
2.0
(35.6)
−2.1
(28.2)
10.0
(50.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) −5.8
(21.6)
−5.5
(22.1)
−0.8
(30.6)
6.7
(44.1)
12.7
(54.9)
16.1
(61.0)
18.2
(64.8)
16.7
(62.1)
11.4
(52.5)
5.5
(41.9)
−0.2
(31.6)
−4.2
(24.4)
5.9
(42.6)
Average low °C (°F) −8.4
(16.9)
−8.6
(16.5)
−4.3
(24.3)
2.0
(35.6)
7.3
(45.1)
10.8
(51.4)
13.1
(55.6)
11.8
(53.2)
7.1
(44.8)
2.3
(36.1)
−2.4
(27.7)
−6.4
(20.5)
2.0
(35.6)
Record low °C (°F) −37.9
(−36.2)
−36.8
(−34.2)
−28.1
(−18.6)
−15.9
(3.4)
−5.4
(22.3)
−0.7
(30.7)
4.4
(39.9)
0.3
(32.5)
−4.4
(24.1)
−12.8
(9.0)
−23.8
(−10.8)
−35.2
(−31.4)
−37.9
(−36.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 48
(1.9)
45
(1.8)
44
(1.7)
39
(1.5)
73
(2.9)
82
(3.2)
88
(3.5)
84
(3.3)
61
(2.4)
71
(2.8)
57
(2.2)
51
(2.0)
743
(29.3)
Average extreme snow depth cm (inches) 19
(7.5)
25
(9.8)
22
(8.7)
2
(0.8)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
4
(1.6)
11
(4.3)
25
(9.8)
Average rainy days 9 8 10 15 17 18 16 16 16 18 15 11 169
Average snowy days 25 22 16 5 1 0 0 0 1 4 15 23 112
Average relative humidity (%) 87 84 78 69 69 75 77 79 83 85 89 89 80
Mean monthly sunshine hours 47 75 123 178 249 271 259 231 156 91 35 24 1,739
Source 1: Pogoda.ru.net[21]
Source 2: NOAA (sun, 1961–1990)[22]

Economy

Smolensk has several factories including the Smolensk Aviation Plant and several electronics and agricultural machinery factories.

Transportation

Smolensk is located on the M1 main highway and Moscow–Brest Railway. Since 1870, there is a railway connection between Smolensk and Moscow.[23] Local public transport includes buses and trolleybuses. Public transportation network includes buses, trolleybuses, trams, and marshrutkas.

There are two airports located in the outskirts of the city; Smolensk South (civilian) and Smolensk North (military); however, there are no regular flights scheduled to Smolensk South Airport.

Education

Smolensk is home to the Smolensk 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.

Twin towns – sister cities

Smolensk is twinned with:[24][25]

Notable people

Honors

Smolensk Strait between Livingston Island and Deception Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named after the city.[32][33]

A Soviet post World War II project planned the creation of a light cruiser vessel named Smolensk. It was never constructed.

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Resolution #261
  2. ^ Историческая справка
  3. ^ "Смоленский городской Совет - Официальный сайт органа местного самоуправления". www.smolsovet.ru.
  4. ^ "Результат запроса". www.gks.ru.
  5. ^ Russian Federal State Statistics Service (2011). Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года. Том 1 [2010 All-Russian Population Census, vol. 1]. Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года [2010 All-Russia Population Census] (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service.
  6. ^ "26. Численность постоянного населения Российской Федерации по муниципальным образованиям на 1 января 2018 года". Federal State Statistics Service. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c d Decision #164
  8. ^ "Об исчислении времени". Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации (in Russian). June 3, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  9. ^ Почта России. Информационно-вычислительный центр ОАСУ РПО. (Russian Post). Поиск объектов почтовой связи (Postal Objects Search) (in Russian)
  10. ^ "Государственный водный реестр: река Смольная". textual.ru. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  11. ^ Paul Stephenson (April 21, 2000). "Byzantine Relations with Northern Peoples in the Tenth Century" (PDF).
  12. ^ Алексеев, Л. В. (1980). Смоленская земля в IX-XIII вв (in Russian). Moscow: Наука. pp. 111–115.
  13. ^ Никитин, Павел (1848). История города Смоленска. Moscow: Типография Селивановского. p. 171.
  14. ^ Marples, D. (2016). Belarus: From Soviet Rule to Nuclear Catastrophe. Springer. p. 11. ISBN 978-0230378315.
  15. ^ Sanford, George. Katyn and the Soviet Massacre of 1940: Truth, Justice and Memory, Part 804, 2005, p. 140. ISBN 978-0-415-33873-8.
  16. ^ [1] January 29, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ "Prologue: Selected Articles". Archives.gov. October 19, 2011. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  18. ^ "Интерфакс-Религия: Археологи обнаружили в Смоленске храм XII века". www.interfax-religion.ru.
  19. ^ 1150-летие Смоленска: от проектов к реализации April 15, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  20. ^ "К 1150-летию основания Смоленска отчеканили памятные монеты из драгоценных металлов". www.35kopeek.ru.
  21. ^ "Weather and Climate-The Climate of Somlensk" (in Russian). Weather and Climate (Погода и климат). Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  22. ^ "Smolensk Climate Normals 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  23. ^ Train Station in Smolensk (in Russian) March 23, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  24. ^ "Города-побратимы". smoladmin.ru (in Russian). Smolensk. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  25. ^ "Colorado Springs Sister Cities International". coloradosprings.gov. City of Colorado Springs. April 30, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  26. ^ Colorado Springs Suspends Sister City Partnership With Russian City, March 7, 2022, retrieved December 9, 2022
  27. ^ https://www.myheritage.com/names/leonilla_baryatinskaya[bare URL]
  28. ^ "Glinka, Fedor Nikolaevich" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 12 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 122.
  29. ^ "Glinka, Michael Ivanovich" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 12 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 122.
  30. ^ "Glinka, Sergy Nikolaevich" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 12 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 123.
  31. ^ Bain, Robert Nisbet (1911). "Potemkin, Grigory Aleksandrovich, Prince" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 22 (11th ed.). p. 22.
  32. ^ Smolensk Strait. SCAR Composite Antarctic Gazetteer.
  33. ^ Ivanov, L. In: Bulgarian Antarctic Research: A Synthesis. Eds. C. Pimpirev and N. Chipev. Sofia: St. Kliment Ohridski University Press, 2015. pp. 17–28. ISBN 978-954-07-3939-7

Sources

  • 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, 2008 On 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, 2014 On 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, 2005 Charter of the City of Smolensk (New Edition), as amended by the Decision #1419 of May 29, 2015 On 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.).
  • "Była notatka o opcjach prawnych śledztwa". Były dyplomata o katastrofie smoleńskiej - Polsat News, polsatnews.pl [dostęp 2020-03-18] (pol.)https://www.polsatnews.pl/wiadomosc/2016-10-24/byla-notatka-o-opcjach-prawnych-sledztwa-byly-dyplomata-o-katastrofie-smolenskiej/.

Bibliography

External links

  • "Smolensk (town)" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 25 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 278.
  • (in Russian) Official website of Smolensk
  • (in Russian) Travel in Smolensk
  • (in Russian) Smolensk news
  • (in Russian) Smolensk Wiki
  • (in Russian) Homepage of the Smolensk fortress
  • Some photos of the Smolensk fortress
  • More photos of Smolensk
  • (in English) Smolensk photos in Soviet times, 1983 in color
  • Historic images of Smolensk
  • (in Russian)
  • (in Russian) News of Smolensk sport
  • (in Russian) News of Smolensk medicine
  • The murder of the Jews of Smolensk during World War II, at Yad Vashem website.
  • Smolensk, Russia at JewishGen
  • Smolensk State Medical University
  •   Smolensk travel guide from Wikivoyage

smolensk, redirects, here, racehorse, horse, other, uses, disambiguation, russian, Смоленск, smɐˈlʲensk, listen, city, administrative, center, oblast, russia, located, dnieper, river, kilometers, west, southwest, moscow, first, mentioned, oldest, cities, russi. Smolensko redirects here For the racehorse see Smolensko horse For other uses see Smolensk disambiguation Smolensk Russian Smolensk IPA smɐˈlʲensk listen is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast Russia located on the Dnieper River 360 kilometers 220 mi west southwest of Moscow First mentioned in 863 it is one of the oldest cities in Russia Smolensk SmolenskCity 1 Smolensk Art GalleryFlagCoat of armsLocation of SmolenskSmolenskLocation of SmolenskShow map of Smolensk OblastSmolenskSmolensk European Russia Show map of European RussiaSmolenskSmolensk Europe Show map of EuropeCoordinates 54 46 58 N 32 02 43 E 54 78278 N 32 04528 E 54 78278 32 04528 Coordinates 54 46 58 N 32 02 43 E 54 78278 N 32 04528 E 54 78278 32 04528CountryRussiaFederal subjectSmolensk Oblast 1 First mentioned863 2 Government BodyCity Council 3 HeadAndrew BorisovArea 4 Total166 35 km2 64 23 sq mi Elevation242 m 794 ft Population 2010 Census 5 Total326 861 Estimate 2018 6 330 025 1 Rank54th in 2010 Density2 000 km2 5 100 sq mi Administrative status Subordinated toSmolensk Urban Okrug 1 Capital ofSmolensk Oblast 1 Smolensky District 1 Municipal status Urban okrugSmolensk Urban Okrug 7 Capital ofSmolensk Urban Okrug 7 Smolensky Municipal District 7 Time zoneUTC 3 MSK 8 Postal code s 9 214HHHDialing code s 7 4812OKTMO ID66701000001Websitewww wbr smoladmin wbr ruThe city has been destroyed several times throughout its long history because it was on the invasion routes of various empires Smolensk is known for its electronics textiles food processing and diamond faceting industries Contents 1 Etymology 2 Geography 3 History 3 1 Medieval origins 3 2 Between Lithuania and Russia 3 3 Modern history 3 4 Soviet period 3 5 Recent events 4 Attractions 4 1 The Smolensk Kremlin 4 2 Churches and cathedrals 4 3 Monuments 4 3 1 Lopatinsky garden 4 3 2 Square of Memory of Heroes 4 4 Education buildings 4 5 Post war Stalinist buildings 5 Administrative and municipal status 6 Climate 7 Economy 7 1 Transportation 7 2 Education 8 Twin towns sister cities 9 Notable people 10 Honors 11 See also 12 References 12 1 Notes 12 2 Sources 13 Bibliography 14 External linksEtymology EditThe 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 10 The origin of the river s name is less clear One possibility is the old Slavic word smol smol for black soil which might have colored the waters of the Smolnya An alternative origin could be the Russian word smola smola which means resin tar or pitch Pine trees grow in the area and the city was once a center of resin processing and trade The Byzantine emperor Constantine VII r 913 959 recorded its name as Miliniska Miliniska 11 Geography EditThe city is located in European Russia on the banks of the upper Dnieper River which crosses the city within the Smolensk Upland which is the western part of the Smolensk 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 small tributaries 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 History EditSee also Timeline of Smolensk Medieval origins Edit 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 of the known Rus era The first recorded mention of the city was 863 AD two years after the founding of Kievan Rus According to Russian Primary Chronicle Smolensk probably located slightly downstream at the archaeological site of Gnezdovo was located on the area settled by the East Slavic Radimichs 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 Byzantine Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus In De Administrando Imperio c 950 he described Smolensk as a key station on the trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks The Rus people sailed from the Baltic region up the Western Dvina Daugava River as far as they could then they portaged their boats 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 in Kievan Rus the city developed rapidly By the end of the 12th century the princedom was one of the strongest in Eastern Europe so that Smolensk princes 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 the 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 east of Kiev Smolensk had its own veche since the very beginning of its history Its power increased after the disintegration of Kievan Rus and although it was not as strong as the veche 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 12 Between Lithuania and Russia Edit Historical affiliations Grand Duchy of Lithuania 1404 1514 Grand Duchy of Moscow 1514 1547 Tsardom of Russia 1547 1611 Poland Lithuania 1611 1656 Tsardom of Russia 1656 1721 Russian Empire 1721 1812 French occupation 1812 Russian Empire 1812 1917 Russian Republic 1917 1918 Belarusian People s Republic 1918 1919 Socialist Soviet Republic of Byelorussia 1919 Russian SFSR 1919 1922 Soviet Union 1922 1941 German occupation 1941 1943 Soviet Union 1943 1991 Russia 1991 present Although spared by the Mongol armies in 1240 Smolensk paid tribute to the Golden Horde gradually becoming a pawn in the long struggle between Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Grand Duchy of Moscow The last sovereign monarch of Smolensk was Yury of Smolensk during his reign the city was taken by Vytautas the Great of Lithuania on three occasions in 1395 1404 and 1408 After the city s incorporation into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania some of Smolensk s boyars e g the Sapiehas moved to Vilnius descendants of the ruling princes e g the Tatishchevs Kropotkins Mussorgskys Vyazemskys fled to Moscow Siege of Smolensk 1609 1611 by Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth Three Lithuanian Smolensk regiments took part in the 1410 Battle of Grunwald Tannenberg against the Teutonic Knights It was a severe blow to Lithuania when the city was taken by Vasily 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 thick walls and numerous watchtowers Heavy fortifications did not prevent the fortress from being taken by the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1611 after a long twenty month siege during the Time of Troubles and Dimitriads Weakened Muscovy temporarily ceded Smolensk land to the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth in the Truce of Deulino The city was granted Magdeburg rights in 1611 and was the seat of Smolensk Voivodeship for the next forty three years 13 To recapture the city the Tsardom of Russia launched the so called Smolensk War against the Commonwealth in 1632 After a 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 Eastern Orthodox Church of Saint Barbara The hostilities resumed in 1654 when the Commonwealth was being affected by the Khmelnytsky Uprising and the Swedish deluge After another siege on September 23 1654 Smolensk was recaptured by Russia In the 1667 Truce of Andrusovo the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth renounced its claims to Smolensk Modern history Edit View of Smolensk in 1912 Early colour photograph by Sergei Prokudin Gorskii 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 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 an economic backwater Smolensk was still valued by the Tsars as a key fortress defending the route to Moscow It was made the seat of Smolensk Governorate 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 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 of Napoleon s Russian campaign At the beginning of World War I the 56th Smolensk Infantry Division was first assigned to the First Army of the Imperial Russian Army They fought at the Battle of Tannenberg It was subsequently transferred to the 10th Army and fought at the Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes In March 1918 the Belarusian People s Republic proclaimed in Minsk under the German occupation declared Smolensk part of it In February December 1918 Smolensk was home to the headquarters of the Western Front North West Oblast Bolshevik Committee and Western Oblast Executive Committee On January 1 1919 the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in Smolensk 14 but its government moved to Minsk as soon as the German forces had been driven out of the city several days later Soviet period Edit After the revolution there was debate on whether to include Smolensk in the Byelorussian SSR In 1920 a provincial census was held according to which the Russian population prevailed over the Belarusian one meaning Smolensk had to be transferred to the Russian SFSR In 1940 18 km 11 mi from Smolensk the Katyn Massacre occurred in which some 22 000 Polish POWs were murdered by the NKVD At this time Boris Menshagin was mayor of Smolensk with his deputy Boris Bazilevsky Both of them would be key witnesses in the Nuremberg Trials over the massacre 15 Smolensk under German occupation 1941 During World War II Smolensk once again saw wide scale fighting during the first Battle of Smolensk when the city was captured by the Germans on July 16 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 of Our Lady of Smolensk was lost Nevertheless it escaped total destruction In late 1943 Hermann Goring had ordered Gotthard 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 September 25 1943 during the second Battle of Smolensk The rare 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 the 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 during the Cold 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 16 17 Recent events Edit On April 10 2010 a Tu 154 military jet carrying Polish president Lech Kaczynski 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 the Katyn massacre In June 2013 archaeologists of the Russian 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 of Smolensk principality 18 In September 2013 Smolensk widely celebrated its 1 150th anniversary with funds spent on different construction and renovation projects in the city 19 In celebration the Central Bank of Russia issued commemorative coins made of precious metals 20 Attractions EditOwing to its long and rich history Smolensk is home to many examples of Russian architecture ranging from the Kievan Rus period to post WWII Stalinist 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 the Cathedral of the Assumption the Immaculate 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 House Engelhardt House Budnikova Sberbank Building Editorial office of the newspaper Krasnoarmeyskaya Pravda Smolensk Philharmonic Concert Hall Smolensk railway station Department Store building The A Griboedov Smolensk Drama TheaterThe Smolensk Kremlin Edit The Smolensk Kremlin built at the end of the 16th century during the reign of Tsars Fyodor I Ioannovich and Boris Godunov under the supervision of the architect Fyodor Kon is one of the greatest achievement of Russian medieval architecture and military engineering The walls of Smolensk Monument to Fyodor Kon Bubleika Tower Dolgochevskaya Tower Oryol TowerChurches and cathedrals Edit Cathedral of the Assumption Immaculate Conception Church Church of St Michael the Archangel Church of St Peter and St Paul on Gorodyanska Temple of St John the Divine Church of St Nicholas Ascension Cathedral Epiphany Cathedral Savior Transfiguration Avraamiev Monastery Holy Trinity CathedralMonuments Edit Being the site of many great battles in Russian history Smolensk is home to many monuments commemorating its rich military history The Scorched Flower a monument to child prisoners of Nazi concentration camps Monument to Alexander Tvardovsky and Vasily TurkinLopatinsky garden Edit Monument to the 2nd Sofia Infantry Regiment Cannon in Lopatinsky garden Monument to the defenders of SmolenskSquare of Memory of Heroes Edit View of the Heroes Square The Grateful Russia Monument commemorating the centenary of the Russian victory over Napoleon The bust of Mikhail KutuzovEducation buildings Edit Smolensk State University building Smolensk Polytechnic College building Smolensk Academy of Physical Culture Sports and Tourism building Smolensk College of Telecommunications buildingPost war Stalinist buildings Edit Administrative and municipal status EditSmolensk serves as the administrative center of the oblast and within the framework of administrative divisions it also serves as the administrative center of Smolensky District even though it is not a part of it 1 As an administrative division it is incorporated separately as Smolensk Urban Okrug an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts 1 As a municipal division this administrative unit also has urban okrug status 7 Climate EditSmolensk has a warm summer humid continental climate Koppen climate classification Dfb By European standards the climate is quite cold for its latitude on 54 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 Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high C F 9 3 48 7 9 0 48 2 19 4 66 9 28 0 82 4 30 6 87 1 33 3 91 9 34 5 94 1 37 2 99 0 29 5 85 1 24 8 76 6 14 6 58 3 9 8 49 6 37 2 99 0 Average high C F 3 5 25 7 2 6 27 3 3 0 37 4 11 7 53 1 18 3 64 9 21 5 70 7 23 6 74 5 22 3 72 1 16 6 61 9 9 2 48 6 2 0 35 6 2 1 28 2 10 0 50 0 Daily mean C F 5 8 21 6 5 5 22 1 0 8 30 6 6 7 44 1 12 7 54 9 16 1 61 0 18 2 64 8 16 7 62 1 11 4 52 5 5 5 41 9 0 2 31 6 4 2 24 4 5 9 42 6 Average low C F 8 4 16 9 8 6 16 5 4 3 24 3 2 0 35 6 7 3 45 1 10 8 51 4 13 1 55 6 11 8 53 2 7 1 44 8 2 3 36 1 2 4 27 7 6 4 20 5 2 0 35 6 Record low C F 37 9 36 2 36 8 34 2 28 1 18 6 15 9 3 4 5 4 22 3 0 7 30 7 4 4 39 9 0 3 32 5 4 4 24 1 12 8 9 0 23 8 10 8 35 2 31 4 37 9 36 2 Average precipitation mm inches 48 1 9 45 1 8 44 1 7 39 1 5 73 2 9 82 3 2 88 3 5 84 3 3 61 2 4 71 2 8 57 2 2 51 2 0 743 29 3 Average extreme snow depth cm inches 19 7 5 25 9 8 22 8 7 2 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 6 11 4 3 25 9 8 Average rainy days 9 8 10 15 17 18 16 16 16 18 15 11 169Average snowy days 25 22 16 5 1 0 0 0 1 4 15 23 112Average relative humidity 87 84 78 69 69 75 77 79 83 85 89 89 80Mean monthly sunshine hours 47 75 123 178 249 271 259 231 156 91 35 24 1 739Source 1 Pogoda ru net 21 Source 2 NOAA sun 1961 1990 22 Economy EditSmolensk has several factories including the Smolensk Aviation Plant and several electronics and agricultural machinery factories Transportation Edit Smolensk railway station Smolensk is located on the M1 main highway and Moscow Brest Railway Since 1870 there is a railway connection between Smolensk and Moscow 23 Local public transport includes buses and trolleybuses Public transportation network includes buses trolleybuses trams and marshrutkas There are two airports located in the outskirts of the city Smolensk South civilian and Smolensk North military however there are no regular flights scheduled to Smolensk South Airport Education Edit Smolensk is home to the Smolensk 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 Twin towns sister cities EditSee also List of twin towns and sister cities in Russia Smolensk is twinned with 24 25 Colorado Springs United States 1993 suspended 2022 26 Hagen Germany 1985 Kerch Ukraine 2000 Kragujevac Serbia 2009 Targovishte Bulgaria 2002 Tulle France 1981 Vitebsk BelarusNotable people EditIvan Ivanovich Baryatinsky 1772 1825 Russian Rurikid Prince father of Prince Aleksandr Baryatinsky 27 Sergey Belavenets 1910 1942 chess master theoretician and chess journalist Alexander Belyayev 1884 1942 science fiction writer Lydia Durnovo 1885 1963 art restorer and historian Dzham born 1986 hip hop musician Peter Fishman born 1955 sculptor Yuri Gagarin 1934 1968 cosmonaut Fyodor Glinka 1786 1880 a Russian poet and author 28 Mikhail Glinka 1804 in Novospasskoye 1857 composer 29 Sergey Glinka 1774 1847 a minor Russian author of the Romantic period 30 Elizaveta Golovanova born 1993 Miss Russia 2012 Natalia Ishchenko born 1986 swimmer Anatoly Kharlampiyev 1906 1979 founder of Sambo Eduard Khil 1934 2012 singer Patriarch Kirill of Moscow born 1946 religious leader Ivan Kirpa born 1978 boxer Vladimir Kirpichnikov 1903 1950 general Sergey Konenkov 1874 1971 sculptor Dina Korzun born 1971 theater and film actress Pavel Kucherov born 1964 football player and coach Olga Kuzenkova born 1970 athlete Semyon Lavochkin 1900 1960 aircraft designer Maria Itkina 1932 2020 runner Natalia Levchenkova born 1977 biathlete Anatoly Lukyanov 1930 2019 politician Grigorii Maksimov 1893 1950 politician Morris Markin 1893 1970 businessman and founder of Checker Motors Corporation Timofey Mikhaylov 1859 1881 revolutionary one of the assassins of Tsar Alexander II Uladzimir Navumau born 1956 Belarusian politician and general Viktor Nemytskii 1900 1967 mathematician Anatoly Onishchuk born 1946 sport shooter Taisiya Osipova born 1984 political activist Yevgeny Polivanov 1891 1938 linguist orientalist Grigory Potyomkin 1739 at Chizheva 1791 statesman 31 Andrey Starovoytov 1915 1997 IIHF Hall of Fame inductee Aleksandr Tvardovsky 1910 1971 writer Olga Voronets 1926 2014 mezzo soprano folk singerHonors EditSmolensk Strait between Livingston Island and Deception Island in the South Shetland Islands Antarctica is named after the city 32 33 A Soviet post World War II project planned the creation of a light cruiser vessel named Smolensk It was never constructed See also EditBattle of Orsha Immaculate Conception Church SmolenskReferences EditNotes Edit a b c d e f g Resolution 261 Istoricheskaya spravka Smolenskij gorodskoj Sovet Oficialnyj sajt organa mestnogo samoupravleniya www smolsovet ru Rezultat zaprosa www gks ru Russian Federal State Statistics Service 2011 Vserossijskaya perepis naseleniya 2010 goda Tom 1 2010 All Russian Population Census vol 1 Vserossijskaya perepis naseleniya 2010 goda 2010 All Russia Population Census in Russian Federal State Statistics Service 26 Chislennost postoyannogo naseleniya Rossijskoj Federacii po municipalnym obrazovaniyam na 1 yanvarya 2018 goda Federal State Statistics Service Retrieved January 23 2019 a b c d Decision 164 Ob ischislenii vremeni Oficialnyj internet portal pravovoj informacii in Russian June 3 2011 Retrieved January 19 2019 Pochta Rossii Informacionno vychislitelnyj centr OASU RPO Russian Post Poisk obektov pochtovoj svyazi Postal Objects Search in Russian Gosudarstvennyj vodnyj reestr reka Smolnaya textual ru Retrieved February 13 2022 Paul Stephenson April 21 2000 Byzantine Relations with Northern Peoples in the Tenth Century PDF Alekseev L V 1980 Smolenskaya zemlya v IX XIII vv in Russian Moscow Nauka pp 111 115 Nikitin Pavel 1848 Istoriya goroda Smolenska Moscow Tipografiya Selivanovskogo p 171 Marples D 2016 Belarus From Soviet Rule to Nuclear Catastrophe Springer p 11 ISBN 978 0230378315 Sanford George Katyn and the Soviet Massacre of 1940 Truth Justice and Memory Part 804 2005 p 140 ISBN 978 0 415 33873 8 1 Archived January 29 2008 at the Wayback Machine Prologue Selected Articles Archives gov October 19 2011 Retrieved December 24 2011 Interfaks Religiya Arheologi obnaruzhili v Smolenske hram XII veka www interfax religion ru 1150 letie Smolenska ot proektov k realizacii Archived April 15 2014 at the Wayback Machine K 1150 letiyu osnovaniya Smolenska otchekanili pamyatnye monety iz dragocennyh metallov www 35kopeek ru Weather and Climate The Climate of Somlensk in Russian Weather and Climate Pogoda i klimat Retrieved November 8 2021 Smolensk Climate Normals 1961 1990 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Retrieved October 30 2021 Train Station in Smolensk in Russian Archived March 23 2012 at the Wayback Machine Goroda pobratimy smoladmin ru in Russian Smolensk Retrieved December 21 2020 Colorado Springs Sister Cities International coloradosprings gov City of Colorado Springs April 30 2018 Retrieved December 21 2020 Colorado Springs Suspends Sister City Partnership With Russian City March 7 2022 retrieved December 9 2022 https www myheritage com names leonilla baryatinskaya bare URL Glinka Fedor Nikolaevich Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 12 11th ed 1911 p 122 Glinka Michael Ivanovich Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 12 11th ed 1911 p 122 Glinka Sergy Nikolaevich Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 12 11th ed 1911 p 123 Bain Robert Nisbet 1911 Potemkin Grigory Aleksandrovich Prince Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 22 11th ed p 22 Smolensk Strait SCAR Composite Antarctic Gazetteer Ivanov L General Geography and History of Livingston Island In Bulgarian Antarctic Research A Synthesis Eds C Pimpirev and N Chipev Sofia St Kliment Ohridski University Press 2015 pp 17 28 ISBN 978 954 07 3939 7 Sources Edit Administraciya Smolenskoj oblasti Postanovlenie 261 ot 30 aprelya 2008 g Ob utverzhdenii reestra administrativno territorialnyh edinic i territorialnyh edinic Smolenskoj oblasti v red Postanovleniya 464 ot 27 iyunya 2014 g O vnesenii izmenenij v reestr administrativno territorialnyh edinic i territorialnyh edinic Smolenskoj oblasti Opublikovan Baza dannyh Konsultant plyus Administration of Smolensk Oblast Resolution 261 of April 30 2008 On 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 2014 On Amending the Registry of the Administrative Territorial Units and Territorial Units of Smolensk Oblast Smolenskij gorodskoj Sovet Reshenie 164 ot 28 oktyabrya 2005 g Ustav goroda Smolenska novaya redakciya v red Resheniya 1419 ot 29 maya 2015 g O vnesenii izmenenij v Ustav goroda Smolenska Vstupil v silu so dnya oficialnogo opublikovaniya za isklyucheniem polozhenij dlya kotoryh ustanovleny inye sroki vstupleniya v silu Opublikovan Smolenskie novosti 71 22 dekabrya 2005 g Smolensk City Council Decision 164 of October 28 2005 Charter of the City of Smolensk New Edition as amended by the Decision 1419 of May 29 2015 On 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 Byla notatka o opcjach prawnych sledztwa Byly dyplomata o katastrofie smolenskiej Polsat News polsatnews pl dostep 2020 03 18 pol https www polsatnews pl wiadomosc 2016 10 24 byla notatka o opcjach prawnych sledztwa byly dyplomata o katastrofie smolenskiej Bibliography EditSee also Bibliography of the history of SmolenskExternal links Edit Smolensk town Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 25 11th ed 1911 p 278 in Russian Official website of Smolensk in Russian Travel in Smolensk in Russian Smolensk news in Russian Smolensk Wiki in Russian Homepage of the Smolensk fortress Some photos of the Smolensk fortress More photos of Smolensk in English Smolensk photos in Soviet times 1983 in color Historic images of Smolensk in Russian Basketball in Smolensk in Russian News of Smolensk sport in Russian News of Smolensk medicine The murder of the Jews of Smolensk during World War II at Yad Vashem website Smolensk Russia at JewishGen Smolensk State Medical University Smolensk travel guide from Wikivoyage Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Smolensk amp oldid 1131507032, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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