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SMOLENSK
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SMOLENSK , a See also:town of See also:Russia, See also:capital of the See also:government of the same name, on both See also:banks of the See also:Dnieper, at the junction of the See also:railways from See also:Moscow to See also:Warsaw and from See also:Riga to See also:Orel, 252 M. by See also:rail W.S.W. of Moscow. Pop. (1900) 57,405. The town, with the ruins of its old kreml, or citadel, is built on high crags on the See also:left See also:bank of the Dnieper. Its walls, built during the reign of Boris Godunov (1598—1605), are rapidly falling into decay. But the See also:city has much improved of See also:late years. It has monuments in See also:commemoration of the See also:war of 1812 and of the See also:Russian musical composer, M. I. See also:Glinka (1885). It has three public See also:libraries, an See also:historical and archaeological museum, a See also:people's See also:palace, and several scientific See also:societies. The See also:cathedral was erected in 1676-1772, on the site of a more See also:primitive See also:building (dating from rtor), which was blown up in 1611 by the defenders of the city during a See also:siege by the Poles. The picture of the Virgin brought to Russia in 1046, and attributed to St See also:Luke, which is kept in this cathedral, is much venerated throughout central Russia. Two other churches, built in the 13th See also:century, have been spoiled by See also:recent additions. Smolensk is neither a commercial nor a manufacturing centre. Smolensk is one of the See also:oldest towns of Russia, and is mentioned in See also:Nestor's See also:Chronicle as the See also:chief town of the Slav tribe of the Krivichis, situated on the See also:great commercial route " from the Varyaghs to the Greeks." It maintained a lively See also:traffic with See also:Constantinople down to the 11th century, when the principality of Smolensk included See also:Vitebsk, Moscow, See also:Kaluga and parts of the See also:present government of See also:Pskov. The princes of See also:Kiev were often recognized as military chiefs by the vyeche (See also:council) of Smolensk, who mostly preferred Mstislav and his descendants and Rostislav, son of Mstislav, became the ancestor of a See also:series of nearly See also:independent princes of Smolensk. From the 14th century these See also:fell under the See also:influence of the Lithuanian rulers, and in 1408 Smolensk was annexed to Lithuania. In 1449 the Moscow princes renounced their claims upon Smolensk; nevertheless this important city, with nearly See also:ioo,000 inhabitants, was a See also:constant source of contention between Moscow and Lithuania. In 1514 it fell under Russian dominion; but during the disturbances of 1611 it was taken by See also:Sigismund III. of See also:Poland, and it remained under See also:Polish See also:rule until 1654, when the Russians retook it. In 1686 it was definitely annexed to Russia. In the 18th century it played an important See also:part as a basis for the military operations of See also:Peter the Great during his See also:wars with See also:Sweden. In 1812 it was well fortified; but the See also:French, after a two days' See also:battle, defeated the Russians here and took the city, when it suffered much. Additional information and CommentsThere are no comments yet for this article.
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