Smolensk facts for kids

"Smolensko" redirects here. For the racehorse, see Smolensko (horse).

For other uses, see Smolensk (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids Smolensk (English) Смоленск (Russian)
- City -
[[File: \|250px]]

Coat of arms	Flag
Administrative status
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Smolensk Oblast
Administratively subordinated to	Smolensk Urban Okrug
Municipal status
Urban okrug	Smolensk Urban Okrug
Head	Alexander Novikov
Representative body	City Council
Statistics
Area	166.35 km² (64.23 sq mi)
Population (2010 Census, preliminary)	326,861 inhabitants
- Rank in 2010	54th
Density	1,965/km² (5,089/sq mi)
Time zone	MSK (UTC+04:00)
First mentioned	863
Postal code(s)	214ХХХ
Dialing code(s)	+7 4812
Official website: http://www.smoladmin.ru

Smolensk is a city in Russia. It is the main city of Smolensk Oblast. The city is located on the Dnieper River. It is about 360 kilometers (220 mi) west-southwest of Moscow. Smolensk was first mentioned in 863. This makes it one of Russia's oldest cities.

In 2021, about 316,570 people lived in Smolensk.

What's in a Name?

The city's name comes from the Smolnya River. This river flows through parts of northwestern Russia. The name of the river itself is a bit of a mystery.

One idea is that it comes from an old Slavic word, smol (смоль). This word means "black soil." The river's water might have looked dark because of this soil.
Another idea is the Russian word smola (смола). This means "resin," "tar," or "pitch." Many pine trees grow in the area. Long ago, Smolensk was a place where people processed and traded resin.

Where is Smolensk?

Smolensk is in European Russia. It sits on the upper part of the Dnieper River. The river flows through the city from east to west. It divides Smolensk into two main parts.

The city is built on seven hills. The older part of Smolensk is on the high, southern bank of the Dnieper River. This area has many hills, small rivers, and valleys.

A Look Back at Smolensk's History

Smolensk is one of the oldest cities in Russia. It has a long and important history.

Early Days

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 was first written about in 863 AD. This was just two years after Kievan Rus' was founded. The city was an important stop on the "trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks." This was a major trade path.

Traders would sail their boats up the Daugava River. Then, they would carry their boats over land to the Dnieper River. In Smolensk, they would fix any leaks in their boats using tar. This might be why the city got its name.

In 1054, the Principality of Smolensk was formed. The city grew quickly because of its central location. By the late 1100s, Smolensk was one of the strongest areas in Eastern Europe. Many churches were built during this time. One famous church, Svirskaya, was built in 1197. People at the time thought it was the most beautiful building east of Kiev.

Between Two Powers

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

Smolensk was not attacked by the Mongol armies in 1240. However, it had to pay tribute to the Golden Horde. Over time, Smolensk became a key city in the fight between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Grand Duchy of Moscow.

Lithuania took the city three times between 1395 and 1408. In 1514, Vasily III of Russia took Smolensk for Russia. To celebrate, he built the Novodevichy Convent in Moscow.

To protect the city from future attacks, Boris Godunov built strong walls around it. The Smolensk Kremlin, built from 1597 to 1602, is the largest in Russia. It has thick walls and many watchtowers. Even with these strong defenses, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth captured the city in 1611 after a long siege. Smolensk was part of Poland-Lithuania for 43 years.

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

In 1654, Russia recaptured Smolensk. In 1667, Poland-Lithuania officially gave up its claim to the city.

Modern Times

Fortress in 1912

View of Smolensk in 1912. Early colour photograph by Sergei Prokudin-Gorskii

Smolensk has always been important to Russians. Its cathedral held a very special religious icon. Building the new Cathedral of the Assumption took over a century. Even though Smolensk became less important economically, Russian leaders still valued it as a key fortress protecting the way to Moscow.

In August 1812, a huge battle took place in Smolensk. This was during Napoleon's invasion of Russia. Napoleon entered the city after a difficult fight. Many soldiers were lost on both sides. Today, a monument called the Eagles monument stands in central Smolensk. It was built in 1912 to mark 100 years since Napoleon's campaign.

French and Polish soldiers assault the burning city of Smolensk, 1812.

World War II and Beyond

In 1940, a sad event known as the Katyn Massacre happened near Smolensk. Around 22,000 Polish prisoners of war were killed.

Smolensk under German occupation, 1941.

During World War II, Smolensk saw heavy fighting again. German forces captured the city on July 16, 1941. The city was almost completely destroyed during the battles. Over 93% of Smolensk was ruined. The ancient icon of Our Lady of Smolensk was lost.

In late 1943, Smolensk was finally freed by Russian forces. After the war, Smolensk was given the special title of Hero City. This honor is given to cities that showed great bravery during the war.

In 2010, a military jet carrying the Polish president and other important people crashed near Smolensk. All 96 people on board died. They were going to a ceremony to remember the Katyn Massacre.

In 2013, Smolensk celebrated its 1,150th anniversary. The city had many new buildings and renovations. Russia's Central Bank even made special coins to celebrate.

Places to See in Smolensk

Smolensk has a long and rich history. Because of this, it has many beautiful buildings. These buildings show different styles of Russian architecture. Even though the city was destroyed many times, many important historical buildings still stand.

The Cathedral of the Assumption
The Immaculate Conception Church
The Church of St. Michael the Archangel (one of the few buildings left from before the Mongol invasion)

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 Theater

The Smolensk Kremlin

The Smolensk Kremlin was built in the late 1500s. It was built under the architect Fyodor Kon. It is one of the greatest examples of Russian medieval architecture. It is also a great example of military engineering.