Smolensk
Smolensk
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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.
It has a population of 316,570 (2021 Census).[13]
EtymologyThe 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.[14] 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).[15] GeographyThe city is located in 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. HistoryMedieval originsSmolensk 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 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 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 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.[16] Between Lithuania and RussiaHistorical affiliations
Although spared by the .Three Lithuanian Smolensk regiments took part in the 1410 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 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.[17]
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 23 September 1654, Smolensk was recaptured by Russia. In the 1667 Truce of Andrusovo, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth renounced its claims to Smolensk. Modern historySmolensk 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 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 Western Oblast Executive Committee. On 1 January 1919, the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in Smolensk,[18] but its government moved to Minsk as soon as the German forces had been driven out of the city several days later.
Soviet periodAfter 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 . The Polish section of the city resisted this decision, and in April 1935 the Mieczysław rebellion was held, in which an estimated 176 Polish resistance fighters perished, in contrast to 7 wounded Russian soldiers dispatched to control the rioting.
In 1940, 18 km (11 mi) from Smolensk, the Nuremberg Trials over the massacre.[19]
During 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.[20][21] Recent eventsOn 10 April 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 Smolensk principality.[22]
In September 2013, Smolensk widely celebrated its 1,150th anniversary with funds spent on different construction and renovation projects in the city.[23] In celebration the Central Bank of Russia issued commemorative coins made of precious metals.[24] AttractionsOwing to its long and rich history, Smolensk is home to many examples of 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 KremlinThe 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 achievements of Russian medieval architecture and military engineering.
Churches and cathedrals
MonumentsBeing 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 buildingsAdministrative and municipal statusSmolensk serves as the administrative center of the PoliticsChairman of the City Council of the VI convocation (since 24 December 2021) – Anatoly Ovsyankin (United Russia). The Smolensk City Council of the VI convocation was elected on 13 September 2020. The party composition of the current city council is as follows: United Russia – 23 deputies, the A Just Russia – 1 deputy, Party of Pensioners – 1 deputy.[25]
ClimateSmolensk 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.
EconomySmolensk has several factories including the Smolensk Aviation Plant and several electronics and agricultural machinery factories. TransportationSmolensk is located on the M1 main highway and Moscow–Brest Railway. Since 1870, there is a railway connection between Smolensk and Moscow.[28] 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. EducationSmolensk 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 citiesSmolensk is twinned with:[29][30]
Notable people
HonorsSmolensk Strait between Livingston Island and Deception Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named after the city.[37][38] A Soviet post World War II project planned the creation of a light cruiser vessel named Smolensk. It was never constructed. See alsoReferencesNotes
Sources
BibliographyExternal links
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