Smolensk
The year 863 marks the first recorded mention of Smolensk in historical texts. This date places the city's origins two years after the founding of Kievan Rus'. The name itself comes from the nearby Smolnya River that flows through Karelian and Murmansk areas. One theory suggests the river's name derives from an old Slavic word meaning black soil. Another possibility links it to the Russian word for resin, tar, or pitch. Pine trees grow abundantly in this region, and the city once served as a center for processing and trading these materials. Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII recorded the name as early as 950 AD.
Tsars Fyodor I Ioannovich and Boris Godunov ordered the construction of the stone Kremlin between 1597 and 1602. Architect Fyodor Kon supervised this massive project which stands today as one of Russia's greatest medieval achievements. The fortress features thick walls and numerous watchtowers designed to repel future attacks. Despite these heavy fortifications, Polish-Lithuanian forces captured the city during a twenty-month siege ending in 1611. The loss of Smolensk inspired Jan Matejko to paint his famous work Stańczyk. Three Lithuanian regiments fought at the Battle of Grunwald against Teutonic Knights in 1410. The last sovereign monarch Yury of Smolensk saw his city taken by Vytautas the Great three times between 1395 and 1408.
Smolensk became a pawn in the long struggle between Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Grand Principality of Moscow. The city served as the main stronghold of the Smolensk Gate, a geostrategically significant pass between the Daugava and Dnieper rivers. It passed at various times between Lithuania, Poland and Russia throughout centuries of conflict. Boris Godunov made it his priority to heavily fortify the city after losing control temporarily. The Truce of Andrusovo in 1667 finally ended Polish claims to Smolensk. During the Time of Troubles, weakened Muscovy ceded land to the Commonwealth until recapture in 1654. The Uniate bishop Lew Kreuza built apartments that later converted into the Eastern Orthodox Church of Saint Barbara.
Two of the largest armies ever assembled clashed in Smolensk during August 1812. Napoleon entered the city during this hard-fought battle described by Leo Tolstoy in War and Peace. Total losses were estimated at 30,000 men across both sides. An Eagles monument unveiled in 1912 marks the centenary of this campaign. German forces captured the city again on the 16th of July 1941 during Operation Barbarossa. Over 93% of the urban landscape was destroyed during fighting that lasted months. Hermann Göring ordered Gotthard Heinrici to destroy Smolensk according to Nazi scorched earth policy. Heinrici refused the order and faced punishment for his defiance. The city was liberated on the 25th of September 1943 during the second Battle of Smolensk.
In 1940 approximately 22,000 Polish prisoners of war were murdered by the NKVD from Smolensk. Boris Menshagin served as mayor while his deputy Boris Bazilevsky held office during these events. Both officials became key witnesses in the Nuremberg Trials over the massacre. After German occupation began in 1941, they discovered intact archives of the Communist Party committee. These documents moved to Germany before ending up partly in the United States. Western scholars gained unique information about Soviet government operations during its first two decades through these files. The United States returned the archives to Russia in 2002 after decades of Cold War secrecy.
A Tu-154 military jet carrying Polish president Lech Kaczyński crashed near Smolensk on the 10th of April 2010. All ninety-six passengers died immediately upon impact including the president's wife and many political figures. The visit aimed to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre. Archaeologists from the Russian Academy of Sciences unearthed ancient temples dated to the middle 12th century in June 2013. Smolensk celebrated its 1,150th anniversary in September 2013 with commemorative coins issued by the Central Bank. Current population statistics reflect ongoing administrative governance structures within the oblast framework. The city serves as administrative center for both Smolensk Oblast and Smolensky District despite not being part of that district itself.
Common questions
When was Smolensk first recorded in historical texts?
The year 863 marks the first recorded mention of Smolensk in historical texts. This date places the city's origins two years after the founding of Kievan Rus'. Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII recorded the name as early as 950 AD.
Who ordered the construction of the stone Kremlin in Smolensk between 1597 and 1602?
Tsars Fyodor I Ioannovich and Boris Godunov ordered the construction of the stone Kremlin between 1597 and 1602. Architect Fyodor Kon supervised this massive project which stands today as one of Russia's greatest medieval achievements. The fortress features thick walls and numerous watchtowers designed to repel future attacks.
What happened to Smolensk during August 1812 involving Napoleon?
Two of the largest armies ever assembled clashed in Smolensk during August 1812. Napoleon entered the city during this hard-fought battle described by Leo Tolstoy in War and Peace. Total losses were estimated at 30,000 men across both sides.
When did German forces capture Smolensk again during Operation Barbarossa?
German forces captured the city again on the 16th of July 1941 during Operation Barbarossa. Over 93% of the urban landscape was destroyed during fighting that lasted months. Hermann Göring ordered Gotthard Heinrici to destroy Smolensk according to Nazi scorched earth policy.
Where did a Tu-154 military jet carrying Polish president Lech Kaczyński crash near Smolensk on the 10th of April 2010?
A Tu-154 military jet carrying Polish president Lech Kaczyński crashed near Smolensk on the 10th of April 2010. All ninety-six passengers died immediately upon impact including the president's wife and many political figures. The visit aimed to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre.