This city, built on the famous route from the Varangians to the Greeks, is called the “western gate of Russia”. He more than once stood in the way of the enemy to Moscow and, like a phoenix, was always reborn from the ashes. More about him and his history will tell the sights of Smolensk. Let's talk about the most interesting places that are worth visiting in the first place.

Smolensk Kremlin

Built on the example of the Moscow Kremlin in the XVI – n. XVII centuries, the fortress became one of the most mysterious and beautiful buildings. About half of the once largest fortification has survived to this day: 3.5 km of fortress walls and 18 towers out of 38 erected. None of the towers of the Smolensk fortress repeated the other in appearance and internal arrangement.

The Thunder Tower was considered the most beautiful, which, according to legend, is connected by an underground passage to the Lithuanian rampart. In Zaaltarnaya, tourists are sure to look for the inscription “spider”, left by an extreme in love. The rest are museums and restaurants. The Smolensk Kremlin, which stood on the way to Moscow, was attacked more than once, but it was never completely destroyed thanks to a successful design that made it possible to fight on 3 levels at once.

The fortress stopped the Poles in 1611, detained the French in 1812 and served as a refuge for the townspeople in 1941-1943. Now she keeps the message to posterity. This is the second note left in the fortress. The first one, written in 1963, was read in 2013 and the next one was written, which addresses the people of 2063.

fortress wall

The wall of the Smolensk fortress ranks third in the world among similar structures in length, yielding to the Chinese wall and the Constantinople fortress. Its length today is only 3.5 km out of 6.5 built. The height of the walls varied depending on the terrain, on the flat terrain it reached 18 m, near ditches and ravines it did not exceed 13 m. The width of the fortress wall is 5-5. others

According to legend, the skull of a horse belonging to the patron of the city is immured in the walls of the fortification. And as soon as the city is in danger, a horse neighing will be heard from the walls. Another legend warns everyone about the curse of Boris Godunov, which will kill anyone who tries to destroy the walls.

Square of memory of Heroes and the Eternal Flame

Along the fortress wall there is one of the quietest parks – the square of memory of the Heroes. This is its official modern name. In 1912, when Emperor Nicholas II opened it in honor of the 100th anniversary of the victory over the French, it was called the Square of Memory of 1812. Its main attractions were the Monument with eagles, personifying the heroes defending Russia, and the bust of Kutuzov, because which the locals call the square Kutuzovsky.

After the city was liberated from the Nazis, Soviet heroes began to be buried under the fortress wall, allegedly by Stalin's personal permission. In 1968, a memorial sign “Eternal Flame” similar to the one in the capital was installed in the square. A bronze star is placed on a granite pedestal, from the middle of which fire bursts out, brought from the tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow. Then the park began to be called the Square of Memory of Heroes. In 1987, the monuments were replenished with busts of the generals who participated in the battles of 1812.

Assumption Cathedral

On the mountain, towering over the whole city, there is one of the most majestic churches in Russia, the calling card is the Assumption Cathedral. Today, tourists can see a unique architectural monument built in 1772 slightly to the north of the original building of the 11th century. The first Assumption Cathedral was built under Monomakh in 1101 and stood until 1611, when it was blown up by local residents during a siege by the Poles. The construction of the new cathedral began only in 1676.

Several times parts of the building collapsed, architects changed, construction was stopped and resumed. So far, the architect Shedel was not involved in the construction, who by 1740 had erected a 7-domed Baroque cathedral. The last change was the replacement of the 7-domed top with a 5-domed one due to the collapsed dome. The temple, which Napoleon liked and admired by Hitler's Guderian, managed to preserve its valuables: the Hodegetria icon of the Mother of God, the shroud, the relics and shoes of St. Mercury, the patron saint of the city.

Historical Museum

The Historical Museum, which is part of the Smolensk Museum-Reserve, offers tourists to learn the centuries-old history of the city and the region. Opened in 1888, it changed its name and location more than once, and enlarged its fund and expositions. Now the exhibition of the museum presents more than 3.5 thousand exhibits and covers the period from ancient times to the XVIII century. The first part of the exposition (100 thousand years BC – IX century) demonstrates the life, tools and living conditions of ancient people. The most interesting exhibits are the skeleton of a mammoth, a unique amphora pot, and Viking swords.

The second part (XI-XIII centuries) will tell about the history of the city, which is part of the Old Russian state. Visitors will see the surviving part of the 800-year-old house, the seal of one of the first princes, birch bark letters, temple frescoes, etc. The last part was opened only in 2014. Its exposition tells about the Tatar-Mongol invasion, the entry of the city into the Lithuanian principality and the return to the Russian state, protection from the Polish attack, Peter's reforms, etc.

Embankment

The 3-tier embankment with a landscaped area, benches, lanterns and a playground is a favorite place for walking for locals and one of the new attractions for tourists. The history of this project goes back several centuries.

The construction of the embankment was supposed during the restoration of the city after the Russian-French war, but it really began only in the 1920s. After the fascist bombings, it began to be rebuilt in 1980, and again the construction was stopped. The current stage of development was supposed to end in 2013, but it is still being completed.

Now the embankment is a 3-tier structure with inclined transitions. The upper tier is a fully equipped boulevard. The rest are still being developed. From the embankment, the length of which is 865 m, offers a view of a number of attractions: the fortress, the Assumption Cathedral, the Church of St. John the Theologian and the Church of Peter and Paul.

Blonier garden

Another project from the past is the Blonier Garden, which is officially called the Glinka Park. This cozy central park appeared in 1830, when a garden was laid out on the site of the former parade ground on the instructions of the governor.

The trees in it were planted by the governor and officials personally, and the flower beds were laid out by ladies of high society. The true history of the name is unknown. According to one of the interpretations, the word “Blonye” means a settlement, a suburb and is associated with the initial location outside the city. The second – “open place for shooting” accurately reflects its essence.

The latest version refers to the Polish language, where it means flooded meadow. The park received its modern name after the installation of the monument to Glinka. The entrance to the park is decorated with figured gates, openwork forged lattices are placed in the corners. In its center there is a light-musical fountain, from which paths diverge like beams. Among the attractions are the statues of the Deer, 2 lions, Blonev and the stylized cafe “Russian Court”.

thunder tower

In the very center is one of the 18 surviving towers of the Kremlin – Gromovaya. Built in n. 17th century in addition to the main one, obtained due to the good acoustics of the dome during a thunderstorm, it has several more names. The swamps surrounding it gave the name Topinskaya, and Tupinskaya it was nicknamed because of the fortress wall, which forms an obtuse angle here.

The tower was an archive, a museum, a hostel, until in 1977 the Smolensk-Shield of Russia museum was placed in it, which in 2017 updated its exposition. The multifaceted tower consists of 4 tiers. On the 1st there is a souvenir shop. The second and third are occupied by the exposition of the military museum, the largest exhibit of which is a model of a fortress with an area of about 5 m2.

From the third tier there is an exit to the preserved part of the wall and visitors are allowed to walk along it. The upper tier is a covered observation deck; here you can hold events or take a wonderful panoramic picture.

House of Engelhardt

A luxurious mansion, built in the late 70s of the 18th century, is an adornment of the central street. Built for the head of the city of the chamber junker A. Engelhardt, the house attracts the attention of passers-by with its unique neo-baroque style.

The arched front entrance, rounded large windows, muffled columns, a large parapet, attics with a round hole, pedestals with flowerpots, rich stucco are the characteristic features of this style. The facade of the house overlooks one of the main streets, the back side faces the Square of Memory of Heroes. The square 2-storey central structure is extended by two rectangular wings on the sides.

Identical from the facade, they are absolutely different. One of them has a rounded shape with many large windows – there is a large hall here. The second is rectangular – it housed a winter garden. A mezzanine rises above the central part of the mansion, making the facade of the building picturesque. There is a small well-groomed garden in the courtyard of the noble mansion. Now the Palace of Marriages is located in the mansion, erected by the architect Y.Konoplyansky.

Mound of Immortality

In Readovsky Park in the southwest, in 1970, the Mound of Immortality was erected, dedicated to more than 400 thousand who died in the Great Patriotic War in the Smolensk region. The memorial is a 10-meter hill in the form of a five-sided pyramid with a 40-meter base.

The land for which was taken from all cemeteries, mass graves and burial places of the Smolensk region. At the top of the hill there is an 11-meter stele in the form of an open book, on the pages of which the years of the beginning and end of the war are indicated. It can be reached by a staircase that climbs the southern slope of the hill.

On the northern side of the hill, between two granite slabs representing the bowed banners, there is a copper bas-relief. In the center of it are depicted 3 warriors-defenders of the city, on one side of them partisans with a boy, on the other – a mother with a child in her arms. The words of Rozhdestvensky are carved above the bas-relief, the Eternal Flame burns in front of him.

Memorial complex “Katyn”

A memorial complex is located 20 km from the city, which is a must-see for all tourists. “Katyn” is a reminder of the political repressions of the 1930s and 1940s, in which more than 14,000 people died in the forest itself.

The complex, consisting of architectural, artistic and ritual structures, was opened in 2000. It is divided into 2 parts: Polish and Russian, which are united by the Alley of Memory. The entrance to the complex is a glass gate between two burial mounds. From them, deep into Katyn, the alley leads to metal portals, passing through which you can see the museum and exhibition center, the cemetery of the Polish military, which tells about the dispossession of the object “Gulak on wheels”, the sculpture “Execution”, “Wall of Memory” and burial places of the dead.

Thousands of Russians come every year to honor the memory of soldiers and lay flowers at memorable places, as well as residents of other countries. In 2010, Polish President L. Kaczynski and government officials died in a plane crash near Smolensk, where they were supposed to arrive in honor of the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre.

Lopatinsky garden

One of the most amazing parks, which in n. XX was named the best park in Russia – Lopatinsky Garden. It was built in 1874 on the site of the destroyed Royal Bastion by order of Governor Lopatin. For more than 140 years of existence, the park has changed and grown significantly. From the historical landscape garden, as it was created, the Lopatinsky garden has become a cultural and entertainment garden, expanding the territory and including the entertainment infrastructure.

In addition to the monuments to the defenders of the city and the Sofia regiment, there are no less interesting places here. These are preserved towers with a fragment of the fortress wall, a bridge of sighs and an alley of stones. The moat surrounding the bastion was filled with water – now it is a small lake with a beautiful cascade and the opportunity to go boating. For lovers there is a separate corner with trees for castles. Benches decorated with non-recurring figures are also interesting.

Smolensk region during the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945

In the Square of Memory of Heroes, in the failure of the fortress wall, on the site of the destroyed tower, a building was erected that fit into the architectural ensemble, where the public school was originally located, and since 1973 it has been occupied by a museum.

The fund began with a small exposition as part of the local history museum. After being allocated to a separate museum, the collection expanded significantly. Here are authentic photographs of the early 1940s, and historical documents of this period, banners and uniforms, personal belongings and awards of ordinary military personnel, Marshal Timoshenko and Generals Russiyanov and Lukin, and even a real dugout.

Among the exhibits are also German trophies. There is a sounded diorama, which depicts a fragment of one of the battles near Smolensk. A separate part of the exhibition is the small arms of the armies of Nazi Germany and the USSR. An open-air exposition of military equipment awaits visitors. Here are the famous “Katyusha”, T-34 and IS-2, anti-aircraft gun “Shilka”, MiG-23M fighter.

Art Gallery

In a 19th century mansion more like a palace, the Real School was previously hidden behind the red and white facade, now it houses the Art Gallery. The exposition of the gallery is significant and can surprise even sophisticated art lovers. Part of it was donated by the Tretyakovskaya and other galleries, another came from nationalized estates, and the third was received as a gift from private collectors.

The collection of works of ancient Russian art is represented by icons from the collection of Princess M. Tenisheva. The most famous exhibits of Russian painting are the works of Aivazovsky, Kuindzhi, Tropinin, Serov, Repin, which are not often seen outside of exhibitions in megacities.

There are also representatives of European schools: Caracci, Strozzi, de Zurbarana, Teniers the Younger, Luttihuis, Vernet and others. Along with painting, sculpture is also presented, among which animalistic bronze figurines of French masters stand out. At the exhibition, unusual German porcelain from the Main and Vienna manufactories awaits visitors.

Bolshaya Sovetskaya street

Bolshaya Sovetskaya Street is one of the most ancient streets in the city. Employees of the Historical Museum believe that its history began in the 12th century, when it was called the Great Road. It became wide already in the 17th century by order of Peter I, who considered it insufficient for the transport of cannons. At that time, it was called Molokhovskaya and connected the two ends of the city from the Molokhovsky to the Dnieper gates. In 1830, after the retreat of Napoleon's troops, who blew up the Molokhov Tower, the street was renamed Blagoveshchenskaya in honor of the church rebuilt above the gate.

Later it became longer due to the fact that the ditch separating it from the Trinity Highway was filled up. The revolution changes its name again, now it is Soviet. Whatever the name of the street, it has always been an important transport interchange and ran near the Assumption Cathedral and the Trinity Monastery. On it is the House of the Book and the former Merchant Assembly, the House of the Red Army, the House with Clocks, etc.

Railway station building

The first railway station “Western Gate” in Russia was built in the neoclassical style. Because two branches went through the city: Orlovsko-Rizhskaya and Moscow-Brestskaya, and on the platform of each of which a separate building was erected, the first station united them with an arched structure with a clock. In the summer of 1941, it was so destroyed by a Nazi air raid that there was no talk of restoration.

The station reappeared already in 1952. According to the project of Mezentsev and Shpotov, a monumental 3-tier structure was erected in the spirit of the era. The central facade of the structure is marked by an arched opening with a colonnade. The whole building is decorated with decorative edgings, platbands, incomplete columns, belts, medallions and rosettes. No less intricate is the interior of the station. High vaults resting on columns, luxurious stucco and Empire chandeliers, marble and granite in the decoration of walls and floors. And against the background of this magnificence, the huge paintings of Serov, Shishkin, Buldakov and others.

Deer sculpture

The sculpture of a bronze Deer has become the decoration of the Blonje garden and the favorite photo zone of all the kids. Established after the Second World War, it is surrounded by legends and overgrown with traditions. In 1945, a huge box with the inscription: “To the children of Smolensk from the fighters of the N-th Guards Regiment” was unloaded onto the platform from a wagon that arrived from Koenigsberg. In the box was a sculpture of a Deer, which was decided to be installed in the garden. According to one version, the bronze statue by the famous animal painter R. Friese was a military trophy taken from Goering's hunting lodge.

The very same sculpture was created for Emperor Wilhelm II, a passionate hunter who wanted to perpetuate the copy he liked. It is believed that if you rub a deer, then luck will surely accompany. And graduates of a military school for good luck should drink from a sawn-off horn (which weighs about 200 kg). Because of these signs, the statue has already been restored several times.

Museum-Reserve Gnezdovo

Gnezdovo, one of the largest archaeological museum-reserves in Russia, is located 12 km from the city. Little remains of the settlement that was located here a little over 1 thousand years ago: a complex of mounds, a settlement and ancient Russian monuments. It was discovered by chance during the construction of the Vitebsk-Orel road. The workers were surprised by the artificial mounds, later they found decorations that are exhibited in the Hermitage. Invited historians and archaeologists are still excavating the settlement and the ancient settlement, supplementing the information already received about the life, traditions and rituals of the people living here.

The complex stretching for 3 km is a storehouse of amazing finds, including pagan amulets, Slavic temple ornaments, Scandinavian brooches, various weapons, tools, etc. The best time to visit this attraction is mid-August, when a historical festival takes place here. This is a reconstruction of the life and way of life of ancient Russia with fairs and tournaments.

Monument to the Sofia Regiment

The merits of the Sofia Infantry Regiment, which participated in the Battle of Smolensk during the Patriotic War of 1812, were immortalized by grateful descendants in a symbolic commemorative obelisk. It was installed in Smolensk “Lopatinsky Garden” on the territory of the Royal Bastion. Today, this monument, erected a century after the end of the war with Napoleon, is one of the federal objects of cultural heritage of the peoples of the Russian Federation.

The majestic quadrangular obelisk is crowned with the figure of an eagle proudly spreading its wings. According to the idea of the author of the monument, sculptor and artist B.N. Tsapenko – in the lower part of the pedestal there were bronze plaques on which stories about the exploits of the Sofia regiment were engraved, but today only two of the six commemorative plaques have survived, the rest are under reconstruction. Installed at the expense of officers and soldiers of the Sofia regiment, the memorial obelisk was badly damaged during the formation of Soviet power and during the German occupation of Smolensk in 1941-1943.

The first restoration of the monument was carried out in 1960, then restoration work was needed in 2011, when the unique monument was already in disrepair. Currently, the monument has been restored, is available for inspection, and the city authorities are solving the issue of landscaping the territory adjacent to it.

Monument to Fyodor Kon

In the list of attractions, the monument to Fyodor Kon is considered one of the most visited historical and cultural monuments. Its inspection is included in most excursion programs, and tourist guides place it on the first pages of their review.

The character on the monument identifies the collective image of Fyodor Savelyevich Kon, a Russian architect who lived in the second half of the 16th – early 17th centuries. In the history of his country, he became famous for the construction of the tower and city walls, erected in the period from 1596 to 1602 and preserved to this day intact. Another outstanding achievement of the talented architect was the walls and towers of the Moscow “White City” built in 1585-1593.

Historians have not been able to find any evidence of the appearance of a skilled craftsman, so the figure on the monument is only a conjectural image. Komov and Anipko became the authors of the monument to Fyodor Kon, and its grand opening near the fortress tower took place in 1991.

Monument “Scorched Flower”

Full of symbolic meaning, designed to serve as a reminder to posterity of the horrors of war and the crippled destinies of children, the monument “Scorched Flower” was created according to the project of A.S. Parfenov in 2005. It is dedicated to children who, by the will of fate, became prisoners of concentration camps set up by the Nazis in Europe.

“Scorched Flower” is located near the intersection of Victory Square with Barclay de Tolly Street in Pioneer Park. At the bottom of the monument there is a memorial plaque listing the names of children's concentration camps. The initiator of the erection of the monument was the Smolensk regional organization “Former juvenile prisoners of fascist concentration camps.”

Cathedral Mountain

Cathedral Hill is both its main decoration, and an object of pride, and a kind of place of power. Having become a true symbol of the city, this attraction attracts the attention of tourists, whom guides are happy to tell about its significance. In the 9th century, an administrative, cultural and religious center was located on this place elevated above the river. The elevated location gave the city a presentable appearance and served as an excellent strategic advantage in case of military attacks.

At the very beginning of the 12th century, the first stone cathedral was built here, named after the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Unfortunately, the cathedral did not survive the invasion of the Poles at the beginning of the 17th century, but in its place already in 1677 a new architectural ensemble was laid, the construction of which was carried out for more than a century. The new Assumption Cathedral aroused the admiration of both the Russian rulers and the common people.

By a happy coincidence, neither the Cathedral Hill nor the Orthodox complex of the Assumption Cathedral suffered in the course of history and remained almost unchanged. Today, on Cathedral Hill, tourists can see not only the main temple, but also the magnificent front staircase, bishops' chambers, the building of the former consistory, a bakery, a religious school, and from the observation deck you can admire the beauties of the city and its environs.

Square of Memory of Heroes

One of the most significant memorial complexes is the City Square of Memory of Heroes, located in the very heart of the city near the walls of the Smolensk Kremlin. The soldiers who died during the bloody battles for the Fatherland are buried here. Their memory is carefully preserved by their descendants, and their names are immortalized on memorial plaques, in the lists of which there are several dozen names.

The Square of Memory of Heroes is an analogue of the famous burial place in Moscow on Red Square. The ashes of the heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812 and the Great Patriotic War are buried here. The square was founded in 1912, the centenary of the victory over Napoleon. The opening ceremony of the park, which took place on the last summer day of 1912, was led by Emperor Nicholas II.

Sculpture Museum S.T. Konenkov

The opening took place in the spring of 1973 at the initiative of the sculptor himself, who during his lifetime expressed a desire to create an exhibition center of his creations in his small homeland. Initially, the artist's creative workshop was based exclusively in Moscow, but after more than four dozen works were transferred to the Smolensk region, the creation of a new exhibition was initiated.

On this occasion, Konenkov wrote that he was giving his art to dear countrymen. Subsequently, the author's collection was repeatedly replenished from the funds of the Ministry of Culture, private collections, the Volgograd Art Museum and other museums in Russia. Today, about a hundred works by the master are available to visitors, of which fantasy and fairy-tale sculptures are especially popular.

It is located on Mayakovsky Street, 7 and is open from 10 am to 6 pm daily, except Monday. On Friday it closes an hour earlier than usual. Wednesdays at the end of the month are sanitary days.

Museum “In the world of fairy tales”

In the center of the city, behind carved doors and a stylized sign, there is a real kingdom of childhood and magic. Everyone who crosses the threshold of the museum turns out to be in a fairy tale. Huge wonderful chests, bulky chests, neat baskets, ancient tongs and cast irons – all this surrounds visitors. The tour starts from the hall, where drawings and crafts of children who have already visited the museum are exhibited. The exposition includes household items, national costumes, works of applied art.

Visitors will see carved Vologda sleighs, towels embroidered by nuns, a painted chest, a German porcelain doll set, etc. The most striking event will be a meeting with fairy-tale characters, some of whom will turn out to be alive and will ask riddles. Opened in 1992, the museum combined a fun holiday, an exciting game and acquaintance with the folklore traditions of the Russian people.