The city of Smolensk escaped the fate of a transit and transshipment point, despite its geographical position. The fact is that the city is located along the road from Moscow to Belarus and European countries. Here, with the naked eye, one can see the independence and solidity that are felt in everything.
A striking example of this is that Smolensk was one of the first cities to meet the enemy from the west and take the hardest blow. This is due to the presence of some characteristic structures, one of which is the fortress wall. Where to go in Smolensk? Where to start your journey through this wonderful city is up to you. Below are its most popular attractions.
Smolensk fortress wall
Those who came to Smolensk must first visit the fortress wall, called the Kremlin by the locals. This wall is the main attraction and pride of the city.
Its construction was dated to the beginning of the XVII century. In this difficult time, the city felt the blows and attacks from the west. The construction of the wall was progressing very rapidly, despite the length of 6.5 km and the presence of 38 towers in its design. The nobleman Boris Godunov strictly forbade any construction other than the wall until the fortification of the city was thoroughly strengthened. If the answer to the question: "Where can I go in Smolensk?" not yet found, it should go to the wall, which is the pride and symbol of the city’s valor.
Defensive fortress
The first enemies who appreciated the defensive ability of the Smolensk wall were the Poles. Despite the excellent fortification qualities of this building and its enormous length (along the entire city), the enemy-minded Poles, breaking a moat under the legendary wall, nevertheless took the city. This happened after a tiring long siege. Significantly less fortunate were the Swedish occupiers, led by Charles XII. It was this legendary commander who almost fell into Russian captivity. The next attack on the Smolensk fortress was from the French side back in 1812. But, unfortunately, the most difficult and debilitating trials befell this fortification during the Great Patriotic War. It should be noted that, thanks to the presence of towers, the fighting was carried out from three tiers. Of the total number of towers in modern times, only 17 structures can perform their functions.
Where to go in Smolensk on the weekend? Every tourist who came to Smolensk for just a couple of days should definitely get acquainted with the spiritual heritage of the city.
Assumption Cathedral
According to the chronicles, the construction of the cathedral in Smolensk began back in 1101. It was conducted by order of Vladimir Monomakh. The cathedral was consecrated already in 1150 with all honors. This monastery was the first stone temple in the city. The shrine was a special pride of all citizens. According to the famous legend, during the militia of Smolensk by the troops of Batu Khan, one foreigner prayed fervently at the icon of the Mother of God, and she ordered him to put on his armor and go to the camp of the horde. When at night the fearless warrior appeared in the Tatar town with weapons and killed a huge number of people, the enemy troops got scared and left Smolensk. Based on this legend, a warrior named Mercury is the embodiment of holiness, even his sandals are kept as a relic in the cathedral. Where to go in Smolensk to be filled with healing energy and at the same time touch the history of the city? Assumption Cathedral is an ideal place for such a walk.
Hard times
The monastery faithfully served its hometown for half a millennium. But, unfortunately, in 1611, during the period of enemy attacks by King Sigismund and his troops on the city, Russian soldiers locked themselves in the cathedral and soon blew it up. In this way, courageous defenders have shown that it is better to die than to be captured. After some time, a beautiful temple was built on the site of an old cathedral. It differed from a number of others in its architecture and exterior. The built shrine had 3 portals at the entrance, a cross-domed appearance with an apse consisting of 3 parts. The iconostasis itself was of incredible beauty, it was painted by the best masters of the legendary school of painting Andrei Rublev. The dimensions of the temple are also impressive: the height under the dome is about 30 meters. At the end of the 18th century, a beautiful bell tower was built near the holy church, as well as an improvised annex for the clock. The 20th century in the history of the cathedral was marked by the construction of an aisle in honor of the church shrine. The plight of Smolensk can be traced to all the wars that affected him. But even the enemy side always admired the unearthly beauty of the temple. According to the chronicles and eyewitness accounts, Napoleon himself, who was on his way to Moscow through Smolensk, in 1812 took off his hat in front of the facade of the shrine. In addition, in 1941, one of the German commanders, General Guderian, ordered his subordinates to guard this holy monastery.
Garden Blonie
One of the most interesting places in Smolensk from the point of view of history is the Blonie Garden. This place was founded at the beginning of the XIX century. Earlier in its place was the front square. The name of this garden also has very interesting historical roots, as its sound resembles the French language. But scientists have proven that it has native Russian roots and means “open area” in translation. In 1885, a monument to the legendary Glinka was erected here. Then in the park appeared a statue of a deer brought from Germany, made of cast bronze. Relatively recently, trellises were installed in this park and almost all old trees were cut down, which changed the garden beyond recognition.
Lopatinsky park
This cozy place is located in the very center of the city on the territory of the legendary fortress wall. If the question “Where to go with a child in Smolensk?” Arose, then the best option is simply not to find. The park is a favorite place for walks of all citizens and guests of the city. Back in 1874, Lopatin developed a landscape garden of unearthly beauty, which became the main part of the park. One of the first visitors to Smolensk Park was Nicholas II, who very warmly appreciated this beautiful creation. At the end of revolutionary action, the Bolsheviks renamed it the Sobolev Park. But already in the XX century, the square returned to its original name. Today it is one of the visiting cards of the city and a wonderful place to go to Smolensk is a must.
What is remarkable about the park?
The park has a rather interesting geographical location, since it is located at the intersection of four streets - Lenin, Karl Marx, Dzerzhinsky and Przhevalsky. Each of the streets mentioned above has great historical value due to the presence of monuments of different times. At the end of each street there is a gate, which is the entrance to the territory of Lopatinsky park. The territory of the park is zoned thematically. The historical part is a piece of wall, bastion and dungeons. The entertaining element of the park consists of a variety of attractions. Recreation area is a paradise for a relaxing holiday. It consists of singing fountains, a pond with waterfowl and aviaries with cute squirrels. Each of the zones deserves attention, and in tandem they give positive emotions to their visitors. Anyone can see the picturesque nature, feed the local inhabitants, ride catamarans along the ponds and arrange an unforgettable photo shoot surrounded by the pristine beauty of plants.
Amazing city - Smolensk. "Where to go, what to see?" - questions asked by every tourist who visited this wonderful place. Fortunately, there are many interesting objects in Smolensk that are worth a look.