The 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. The origin of the river's name is less clear. One possibility is the old See more

Owing to its long and rich history, Smolensk is home to many examples of Russian architecture ranging from the Kievan Rus period to post-WWII Stalinist style. Although the … See more

Smolensk serves as the administrative center of the oblast and, within the framework of administrative divisions, it also serves as the administrative center of Smolensky District, … See more

• Ivan Ivanovich Baryatinsky (1772-1825), Russian Rurikid Prince; father of Prince Aleksandr Baryatinsky.
• Sergey Belavenets (1910–1942), chess master, theoretician, and chess journalist See more

The city is located in European Russia on the banks of the upper 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 … See more

Medieval origins
Smolensk 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 Kievan Rus'. According to Russian Primary Chronicle, Smolensk (probably … See more

Smolensk has several factories including the Smolensk Aviation Plant and several electronics and agricultural machinery factories.
Transportation
Smolensk is located on the M1 main highway See more