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The Smolensk Fortress, which is sometimes also called the Smolensk Kremlin, is one of the most powerful defensive structures of Rus'. Built in 1595-1602, having delayed the enemy more than once, it still gives the impression of a mighty stronghold. A little less than half has survived to this day: about 3.5 km of wall, 9 fragments of walls and 18 towers.
Ancient Smolensk occupied a profitable geographical position: the famous trade route “From the Varangians to the Greeks” went through it. True, the city stood a little to the side, in the area of the modern village of Gnezdovo, which is 14 km west of Smolensk along the Vitebsk highway. The first fortified settlements appeared there, on the right bank of the Dnieper, back in the 1st millennium BC. The first written mention of Smolensk in the Tale of Bygone Years dates back to 862. At that time it was the center of the Krivichi tribal union. The city was already very strongly fortified, as evidenced by the fact that in 863 Askold and Dir, on a campaign from Novgorod to Constantinople, bypassed Smolensk, not wanting to fight with the populous and well-fortified city. In 882, Prince Oleg annexed Smolensk to the Old Russian state and gave it as an inheritance to the young Prince Igor.
In Smolensk itself, the earliest archaeological layers date back to the 9th century. They were found on Malaya Shkolnaya Street on Sobornaya Hill. The heyday of the Smolensk Principality occurred in the years 1127-1274, which then gave way to a period of decline. Over time, Smolensk came under the rule of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1449 Grand Duke Lithuanian Casimir and Moscow Grand Duke Vasily the Dark entered into an agreement according to which Moscow renounced the Smolensk land forever.
Several times Russian troops unsuccessfully besieged Smolensk. In 1513, Russian troops again besieged the city. Only the third attempt was successful: after a fierce attack launched on July 29, 1514, the Lithuanian garrison surrendered. On August 1, 1514, Grand Duke Vasily III solemnly entered Smolensk, appointing Vasily Shuisky as the first governor and governor. Local noble Smolensk residents, accustomed to Lithuanian liberties, tried to rebel against the new government. The conspiracy was exposed, and its instigators were hanged on the city gates. From then on, Smolensk became part of the Russian state, becoming a powerful outpost on the western borders of Russia.
A section of the fortress wall near Victory Square
In the spring of 1554, by order of Ivan the Terrible, construction of a new wooden fortress began in Smolensk. However wooden walls were already vulnerable to artillery, which was actively developing at that time. Therefore, in December 1595, Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich “I ordered Prince Vasily Ondreevich Zvenigorodsky and Semyon Volodimirov Bezobrazov and clerk Posnik Shepilov and Nechai Perfiryev and city master Fyodor Savelyev Kony to go to Smolensk”(S. Platonov. The real case about the structure of the city of Smolensk).
In the spring of 1596, in the presence of Boris Godunov, the de facto ruler of Russia, the foundation of a new fortress began. A native of the Smolensk region, Fyodor Kon (about 1540-1606), who had previously built the walls of the White City in Moscow, was appointed head of the work. The Smolensk fortress was built on the model of the walls of other kremlins: Moscow, Kolomna, Zaraisk, Serpukhov. However, the walls of the Smolensk fortress are much higher, longer and have three battle tiers instead of two.
Monument to Fyodor Kon in Smolensk
The work was carried out under the most difficult conditions and in extreme haste: in January 1603, the ten-year truce with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was expiring. The weather was unfavorable for construction: in 1597, it rained all summer, which flooded all the trenches and ditches, as a result of which the sliding soil had to be strengthened with piles. In 1600, famine began throughout Russia due to crop failure caused by extreme heat and heavy rains. However, work did not stop for a minute.
The fortress rampart, a section of the fortress wall, the Bubleyka towers and the Kopytensky Gate
The whole country built the Smolensk fortress. For the first time, mercenary labor was used - due to the famine that broke out in the country in 1600-1602, many fled to build a new fortress in order to somehow feed themselves. More than 30 thousand people were employed at the work. The workers worked from dawn to dusk, lived in the most difficult conditions, experiencing numerous hardships. For the slightest offense they were severely punished. Many of them were injured and left crippled. In 1599, a riot even broke out, after which working conditions were somewhat relaxed.
A section of the fortress wall around
The first sections of the wall were erected on the western side of Smolensk, where there was maximum danger. In general, the new fortress repeated the configuration old wall, which for safety reasons was left until construction was completed. The eastern part of the fortress, the construction of which was carried out in the rainy autumn of 1602, turned out to be less durable. The Poles subsequently took advantage of this.
Construction technology of the Smolensk fortress
At the base Smolensk wall there are oak piles located close to each other, driven into the bottom of the pit. The space between them was filled with compacted earth. Then new piles were driven into the compacted earth, on top of which longitudinal and transverse logs chopped into each other were placed. The resulting cells were filled with a mixture of earth and rubble. In places where the ground was hard, cobblestones held together with lime mortar were laid directly into the trenches. “Rumors” were built under the foundations, intended for forays outside the fortress during a siege.
The structure of the walls and towers of the Smolensk fortress. From the museum “Smolensk - Shield of Russia”
On this powerful wide foundation, external brick walls were erected on both sides. Bricks for construction were transferred along a multi-kilometer “human chain”. They built it “with the whole world” - they demanded two bricks from each yard in Russia: there are no bricks - there is no head on the shoulders either. Apparently, this incentive contributed not only to productivity, but also to the quality of the bricks - some are still, several centuries later, almost like new. In total, 100 million bricks were spent on the construction of the Smolensk fortress.
Tools and building materials used in the construction of the Smolensk fortress. Exhibition at the museum “Smolensk - Shield of Russia”
Special bricks were also used, called “two-handed” bricks. They were about one and a half times larger than ordinary bricks and, accordingly, heavier. You can’t hold them with one hand, that’s why they were called two-handed.
Section of the fortress wall near Victory Square
The space between brick walls filled with cobblestones and filled with lime mortar. Shallow niches in the form of arches were lined on the inside of the wall. Some were made deaf, others were equipped with combat cameras. In some blind arches, there were passages at the bottom, or, as they were called, “wickets” - small arched passages outside the fortress, which, if necessary, could be quickly laid down. In addition, the wall contained passages for communication between the towers, rifle and cannon loopholes, and ammunition storage rooms.
In the northern part of the wall, water flowed into the Dnieper through special pipes from numerous streams running down gullies and ravines. The pipes were covered with strong iron bars, through which enemy spies could not get through. Thereby engineering solution Excess water was drained from the city, which prevented the destruction of the wall.
The fortress wall turned out to be impressive. The thickness of the walls is 5-5.2, in some places up to 6 meters. It was possible to drive a troika freely across the combat area, which was 4-4.5 meters wide and lined with brick. The height of the walls depended on the terrain: where the wall was protected by ravines and ditches, it was lower, on flat terrain it was higher: 18 meters or more. In addition, with outside The wall was protected by water-filled ditches and ramparts.
Walls and towers of the Smolensk fortress. Plan. From the museum “Smolensk - Shield of Russia”
The fortress walls and towers of Smolensk were originally whitewashed like the walls of the Moscow Kremlin and the White City. With their careful finishing, white stone pilasters with profiled belts, and colored painting of some architectural details, they produced a very strong visual effect.
An unspeakable beauty, the like of which is not found in all of heaven, for just as a valuable necklace rests beautifully on an important boyar, adding to her beauty and pride, so the Smolensk Wall will now become a necklace of all Orthodox Rus' to the envy of its enemies and the pride of the Moscow state... - Boris Godunov (A. Mitrofanov. City walks. Smolensk.)
Combat system
The Smolensk fortress had a three-tier battle system. Foot combat was carried out from special chambers in which guns and squeaks were installed. To conduct a medium battle, vaulted chambers were equipped in the center of the wall, where the cannons were placed. On the combat platform, fenced with alternating blind and combat battlements in the shape of a “swallow tail,” there was an upper battle. Above it was a gable plank roof, protecting the guns and people from precipitation and more.
The upper battle of the fortress wall of Smolensk. Section of the wall near the Thunder Tower
Towers of the Smolensk Fortress
A total of 38 towers were built: 13 solid rectangular towers, 7 sixteen-sided and 9 round towers. Their height ranged from 22 to 33 meters. No two of them were alike: the architect Fyodor Kon sought to make the fortress as elegant as possible. The towers of the Smolensk fortress were located at a distance of 150-160 meters from one another.
Staircase up inside the Thunder Tower
Climbing to the top of the Thunder Tower
Area under the tent
9 towers were equipped entrance gate. The Frolovskaya (Dnieper) tower served as the main gate to the city, from here there was a route to Moscow. The road to Kyiv and Roslavl went through the Molokhov Tower.
Other gate towers that were of secondary importance and therefore less ornate are Lazarevskaya, Kryloshevskaya, Avraamievskaya, Nikolskaya, Kopytenskaya, Pyatnitskaya and Voskresenskaya.
Siege of the Smolensk fortress in the 17th century
In the 17th century, the Smolensk fortress was besieged three times during the Russian-Polish wars, and never could it be taken by battle, only by betrayal. On September 16, 1609, Smolensk was besieged by the army of Sigismund III. The defense of the city was led by Mikhail Shein. The siege lasted 20 months. Despite the fact that the besieged could leave the city through “rumors” and receive reinforcements, dysentery and scurvy began among the townspeople. But the city did not give up. As always, a traitor was found. Andrei Dedeshin pointed out to the Poles the weak, eastern section of the wall, which was hastily built in the wet autumn of 1602. He was the most fragile.
On the night of June 3, 1611, the Poles, concentrating all their forces in this area, began shelling. The defenders of Smolensk locked themselves in the ancient 1101 and blew themselves up: a gunpowder warehouse was built in the cellars on Cathedral Hill. Part of the cathedral collapsed, burying people, others were killed by the Poles who burst into the city. Mikhail Shein was taken prisoner, where he remained until 1619.
The Poles took Smolensk. But exhausted by the long siege of the city, they no longer went to Moscow, since Sigismund spent all his funds and was forced to disband the army. We can say that in 1611, Smolensk saved Moscow at the cost of its surrender: without receiving reinforcements, the Moscow garrison of Poles surrendered to the people's militia.
In 1613-1617, Russian troops tried to recapture Smolensk, but to no avail. According to the Deulin truce of 1618, Russia recognized Smolensk as the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1633-1934, the Russian army under the leadership of Mikhail Shein, by that time freed from Polish captivity, again besieged Smolensk. But the troops of King Vladislav IV arrived in time and were able to besiege the besiegers themselves, as a result of which they were forced to capitulate.
Shein's bastion, built in 1633 by the Poles, which Mikhail Shein could not break through, and a section of the fortress wall near Victory Square
Upon returning to Moscow, Mikhail Shein was accused of treason and executed on Red Square. He was accused, in particular, of the fact that during his captivity he “kissed the cross of King Sigismund III and the young prince Vladislav.” Historians are still arguing whether Shein was a victim of a boyar conspiracy or whether he actually made a number of gross tactical mistakes that cost Smolensk.
On August 16, 1654, Russian troops led by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich again launched an assault on Smolensk. The first assault was unsuccessful, Russian losses were 7,000 killed and 15,000 wounded. However, on September 23, 1654, the Smolensk garrison, having exhausted all means, capitulated.
Smolensk was finally annexed to Russia. The Truce of Andrusovo in 1667 legally secured this annexation, and the Eternal Peace of 1686 between Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth confirmed it.
A section of the fortress wall, now part of the Lopatinsky Garden
Smolensk Fortress during the Patriotic War of 1812
On August 17-18, 1812, the Battle of Smolensk took place between Napoleon’s army and Russian troops, as a result of which both sides lost about 20 thousand people. The Russians were forced to retreat. Napoleon's army occupied Smolensk in flames. At the beginning of November 1812, retreating from the city, Napoleon ordered to mine and blow up all the towers of the Smolensk fortress. On November 5, 9 towers were blown up, the rest were recaptured and cleared by the Don Cossack Corps led by Ataman M.I. Platov.
Photo of the Nikolsky Gate, Museum “Smolensk - Shield of Russia”
After the Patriotic War of 1812, the entire city lay in ruins; at least 80% of the buildings were burned. The total loss was estimated at a huge amount for those times: 6.6 million rubles. Therefore, it is not surprising that local residents dismantled the dilapidated fortress in order to restore their homes.
A section of the fortress wall near the Lopatinsky Garden. Photo by S.M. Prokudin-Gorsky, 1912
Smolensk Fortress in the 20th century
In the 1930s, when active construction was underway in Smolensk, some sections of the wall were demolished to clear new ones. construction sites. Bricks and cobblestones from the dilapidated fortress were used to construct new buildings. The Smolensk fortress suffered both during the Great Patriotic War and in the post-war period, when Smolensk was raised from the ruins. As a result, only 18 towers and 9 fragments of the wall have survived to this day. However, even the preserved sections of the Smolensk fortress are amazing.
Eastern section of the fortress wall, view from Cathedral Hill
The following towers have been preserved: Volkova (Semenovskaya, Strelka), Kostyrevskaya (Red), Veselukha (Luchinskaya), Dnieper Gate, Pozdnyakova (Rogovka), Orel (Gorodetskaya), Avraamievskaya, Zaaltarnaya (Belukha), Voronina, Dolgochevskaya (Shembeleva), Zimbulka, Nikolskaya tower (Nikolsky Gate), Mokhovaya, Donets, Gromovaya (Tupinskaya), Bubleika, Kopytenskaya Tower (Kopytensky Gate), Pyatnitskaya Tower.
Lost towers: Antifonovskaya, Pyatnitsaya Tower (Water), Bogoslovskaya, Ivorovskaya (Verzhenova), Water Gate (Resurrection Gate), Granovitaya, Gurkina, Frolovskaya, Evstafievskaya (Brikareva), Kassandalovskaya (Kozodavlevskaya, Artishevskaya), Round No. 11, Round No. 13 , Kryloshevsky Gate, Lazarevsky Gate, Molokhovsky Gate, Mikulinskaya Tower, Stefanskaya, Kolominskaya (Sheinova), Gorodetskaya (Semenovskaya), Quadrangular No. 8, Quadrangular No. 12, Quadrangular No. 19.
The longest section, more than 1.5 kilometers long, is located in the eastern part of Smolensk. It runs along from the Nikolsky Gate in the southeast to the Veselukha Tower in the north. On both sides, the wall is limited by ravines up to 30 meters deep, which, coupled with magnificent panoramic views, creates an extremely strong visual effect. A particularly impressive view opens from the top platform of the Eagle Tower.
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The Smolensk Fortress in Smolensk is an architectural monument that in the Middle Ages served as a defensive structure. Currently, only half of the fortress has survived: most of this landmark of Smolensk was destroyed during the War of 1812. Excursions around Smolensk almost always include a visit to the fortress.
Story
Under Ivan the Terrible, a wooden structure with an earthen rampart stood on the site of the fortress. The history of the Smolensk fortress is eventful. The city of Smolensk was an important defensive point and was often subject to attacks, which the wooden fortress could not withstand. Therefore, in 1595, they began to build a stone fortification with towers here - the Smolensk Fortress. Thirty thousand mercenaries were employed at the work, who worked for six whole years. As a result, a fortress appeared eighteen meters high, the thickness of the walls reached six meters. 38 towers were also built - mostly they had three tiers of different heights - from twenty to thirty meters.
Towers
The towers of the Smolensk fortress performed several functions at once. From them it was possible to conduct observation, shelling, protect the gates, troops took refuge here. Nine structures had gates. The main tower - Frolovskaya - was a roadway, through which one could get to the capital. All other towers were made simpler: 13 buildings were completely blank, rectangular in shape, 7 were sixteen-sided, 9 were round.
Pyatnitskaya Tower
In the Middle Ages, passage to Smolensk opened through this tower. But in 1812 it was destroyed by Napoleon's army. Then the Church of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk was built in its place. Today the Pyatnitskaya Tower has been restored and ennobled; the Russian Vodka Museum has been opened here, where you can taste the distillery’s products.
Thunder Tower
It is considered the most beautiful of all the towers of the fortress in Smolensk and has other names - Topinskaya, Round, Tupinskaya. The Thunder Tower was the very first to be restored and restored to its original form. Inside you can see the unique interior, climb the steep stairs and enjoy the beauty of the wooden dome.
On the second tier of the tower there is an exhibition telling about the construction and defense of the fortress. There is also a model of the original appearance of the structure with all the towers, gates and loopholes.
On the third tier of the Thunder Tower there is an exhibition “ Battle of Grunwald, 600 years later." Among the exhibits are reconstructions of weapons and armor of soldiers of the Smolensk Principality. On the fourth tier there is an observation deck where various concerts are held.
The significance of the Smolensk fortress
During the Russian-Polish War in the eighteenth century, the Smolensk fortress was often attacked, during which four towers were destroyed to the ground, but no one could take it immediately from the battle. The enemies had to attack the structure again and again.
One of the sieges of the Smolensk fortress lasted more than three years. In 1786, the artillerymen and their guns were distributed to other fortifications. But in an attempt to capture the city, Napoleon again stormed the fortress and its gates. The walls withstood a two-day assault during the defense of Smolensk and shelling French army, and during her retreat, Napoleon ordered all the towers to be mined, as a result of which nine of them were completely destroyed.
However, the fortress wall of Smolensk was destroyed not only as a result of wars. In the twenties of the nineteenth century, its walls were dismantled, and the bricks were used to restore buildings destroyed during hostilities.
Smolensk Fortress today
Today, the total length of the Smolensk fortress wall is 3.5 kilometers, it includes nine fragments of walls and eighteen towers. The largest section of the wall, one and a half kilometers long, is located in the eastern part of Smolensk. Tourists love this fortress very much and come here regularly, appreciating this beautiful and interesting place Smolensk.
The main historical monument is a museum, a meeting place and a favorite site for parkour enthusiasts. A walk through the fortress will be remembered for a long time, because from here you can look at the ancient city from above and admire the Dnieper. A film about the Smolensk Fortress is currently being filmed – “Bastions of Russia”.
How to get there
The address of the Smolensk Fortress is Smolensk, st. Bolshaya Sovetskaya, 11, Smolensk State Museum-Reserve. Getting there is very easy. From the railway station - by bus No. 2 and 10, stop Trukhachevskogo Street or by tram No. 6, 7 - get off at Pl. Smirnova. The fortress exhibitions can be explored from Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 18.00.
For me, a passionate history buff, there is nothing more beautiful and interesting than architectural monuments in the cities I visit. The walls of castles, estates, churches, and fortifications can tell about the city’s past better than any guide. The main thing is to be attentive and be able to listen to the whispering of the walls. When I come to a new place, I first of all look for ancient buildings, and the older the better. So, having arrived in Smolensk, I first of all decided to get acquainted with one of the oldest silent storytellers of history - the Smolensk fortress wall.
Unfortunately, most of the fortification was destroyed as a result of the wars, and only fragments of the wall and a few towers have reached us. But, nevertheless, they are well preserved, and the traveler, seeing this defensive object of amazing beauty, will receive a lot of impressions.
Historical reference
The stone fortress wall was erected at the beginning of the 17th century on the site of the old fortress by the “sovereign master” Fyodor Kon, famous throughout Rus' at that time. For hundreds of years, the wall protected the western borders of the Russian state from enemies and was a symbol of Smolensk.
The fortification had to be erected in Time of Troubles, when the Russian kingdom faced the question of protecting its borders from the invasion of Polish invaders. In the spring of 1596, the construction of the wall began in full swing in Smolensk: the Great Construction, in which tens of thousands of people from many cities of the country participated. It was decided to make the fortification so that the defenders could fire at the enemy from three points at once: from below (bottom battle system), from the center of the wall (called the middle battle) and from above (top battle).
Seven years later, the wall was completed, and already in 1609–1611 it successfully withstood a 20-month siege by the army of the Polish king Sigismund III. The diagram of the Smolensk fortress wall is presented below.
Explore the Smolensk fortress wall
As I already said, the fortress wall is located within the city: it surrounds the Leninsky district (old Smolensk) and goes down the hills to the Dnieper. You should start exploring the fortification from the Volkov Tower (I’ll say right away that exploring the wall will take you about 4–5 hours). If you don’t have a car, you can get to the city center from the train station by public transport: you need to get off at the Sobolev stop. You can see how to get to this stop by public transport from the railway station.
- We examine the Volkov tower and move to the next one - Kostyrevskaya - one of the few that stands apart (see the map above).
If you finished your route at the Kopytenskaya Tower, then you can get to the restaurant by bus No. 38 or minibus No. 38 n. Just cross the road (Dzerzhinsky Street) as shown on the map and wait for the necessary transport at the Dzerzhinsky stop.
We get to the Sobolev stop and go to the restaurant (shown on the map).
Towers of the Smolensk fortress wall
In terms of length, the Smolensk fortress wall ranks third in the world (after the Great Wall of China and Constantinople). Initially, its length was 6.3 km, and the wall itself connected 38 towers. Currently, the length of the surviving fortification is 2.5 km, and only 18 towers remain. The height of the Smolensk fortress wall in some places reaches 19 meters, but on average it is 14–16 meters. Thickness - 5–6 meters.
West Side The fortifications where the Zaaltarnaya, Dolgochevskaya, and Voronina towers stand are in excellent condition. When you look at them, you get the feeling that time has not touched this defensive area.
The two most visited towers by tourists, the Eagle and the Thunder, are also well preserved.
Almost all the towers that have survived to this day are closed. Of course, if you want, you can get into them through secret loopholes, but nothing except building materials, garbage, and wooden beams, you will not see inside. Over the past ten years, restoration work has been carried out repeatedly: something has been tampered with, something has been repaired, but everything is in perfect order. interior decoration the towers were never brought.
Eagle Tower of the Smolensk fortress wall
The multi-faceted, checkerboard-shaped Eagle Tower is located in the eastern part of the fortress on Timiryazev Street. Previously, it was easy to get into, but two years ago local authorities, for an unknown reason, decided to wall up the entrance. Because of this, residents and guests of Smolensk lost the stunning observation deck, the function of which was performed by the Eagle Tower: it offered an amazing panoramic view of the city. The only good thing is that not far from the tower, in the thickness of the wall, there is a steep staircase that allows you to climb the wall and look at the city.
Thunder Tower of the Smolensk fortress wall
The Thunder Tower is located near the Blonier Garden, and, in fact, is the only defensive structure of the wall where entry is allowed. It is impossible not to notice it, it stands apart right in the middle of a busy street. Address: October Revolution Street, 3. A small part of the fortification has been preserved nearby. You can walk along the wall: you can access it from the second tier of the tower. It is interesting that the building itself has reached us almost in its original form: part of it has survived unique interior and a narrow steep staircase.
Now the tower houses the Smolensk - Shield of Russia museum, dedicated to the military history of the city. The museum occupies three tiers, and on the fourth there is an observation deck from which you can admire the panorama of Smolensk. The view may not be as breathtaking as from the tower, but it is also impressive.
The museum is open from Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 18:00. Ticket price - 80 rubles.
Secrets of the Smolensk fortress wall
The Smolensk Fortress is not only an architectural monument, but also a very mysterious structure, with which a lot is connected interesting secrets and legends.
The Legend of a Cheerful Girl
The legend about the name of the tower is very dark and ominous. It is connected with the story of a cheerful and cheerful girl nicknamed Veselukha. The legend says that the builders of the fortress had to sacrifice it in order to get rid of the constantly appearing crack in the tower. The chief builder had a dream in which the spirits told him: to prevent the crack from appearing again, he needed to find the most beautiful and cheerful girl in the city and wall her up in the wall. When the girl was killed, the crack disappeared instantly, but since then, for more than three hundred years, women’s laughter has allegedly been heard from the tower at night, which in rainy weather develops into ominous laughter. And in a calm and moonlit night near the tower you can see the white silhouette of a girl walking alone. They say that if you scare Veselukha, you can die. This is how she takes revenge for her own death.
Horse skull
Among the residents of the city there is a legend about a horse neighing coming from different parts fortress and always foreshadowing trouble. Legend has it that when they began to build the fortress, it was decided to wall up the skull of a horse, and not just any horse, but the war horse of St. Mercury of Smolensk, the patron saint of the city, who in 1239 stopped the invasion of Smolensk by the Mongol Khan Batu. Since that time, the horse allegedly warns the city residents of impending danger with its neighing.
Dishonest Count
There is also a legend associated with the tower. In the middle of the 18th century, the Polish Count Zmeyavsky arrived in the city and built a brick factory very close to the tower. But this plant was just a disguise. In fact, in the dungeon of the tower there was a workshop for the production of counterfeit coins, which were secretly delivered to Poland and exchanged for real ones. The Count came up with a clever way to keep people from prying into his affairs. Every evening on the Eagle Tower a foreigner put on a performance - he depicted the presence of “ghosts” who were supposed to scare away the residents. Rumors quickly spread throughout the city about evil spirits, “hunted” in the tower. But a few years later, Zmeyavsky’s plan was discovered, he was arrested and sent to hard labor. The count's factory was destroyed, and the entrance to the underground workshop for the production of counterfeit money was blocked. They say that even today on Christmastide or Kupala you can see strange shadows that, in some kind of hellish dance, rage on the battlements of the tower.
Dinner at the Pyatnitskaya Tower
After exploring the fortress wall, stop by the Temnitsa restaurant, which is located in the Pyatnitskaya Tower. You will not regret! Above I wrote how you can get to it. Address: Studencheskaya street, 4. This establishment is famous for its specific game dishes. Very comfortable room, cozy interior and reasonable prices.
Finally
The Smolensk fortress wall is a huge and impressive structure, with which a large number of beautiful legends and secrets are associated. All towers of the fortress are unique and have their own amazing story and are worth seeing with your own eyes. If you are a lover of antiquity, and defensive fortifications inspire your admiration, then I am sure that you will be delighted with the Smolensk Wall.
Plan.
1. Introduction.
2 Smolensk Fortress is an outstanding architectural and fortification structure
a) the need for construction -
historical reference
b) architect Fyodor Kon
c) construction of a fortress
d) defensive capabilities of the fortress
3 Conclusion.
4 Applications.
1. Introduction
This is a chronicle of battles, This is a story about the destinies of Rus'! This is a stone shield
What does her heart keep in Moscow!...
A working city, a warrior city, a city of Russian glory!
This is what historians call Smolensk. For the second millennium, it stands unshakably on the steep Dnieper hills, at the crossroads of many roads, honestly and courageously accepting everything that history has assigned to it. In the entire centuries-old history of the city, there has not been a century when Smolensk residents did not have to take up arms.
Smolensk is the very history of our Motherland,
his fate has always been inextricably linked with
the fate of the state.
M.S.Gorbachev
At the turn of the 16th-17th centuries, Smolensk, as an important strategic point, was fortified by a powerful stone wall. For six years, from the spring of 1596 to the autumn of 1602, the Smolensk fortress was built. Four hundred years ago, builders were working on creating a wall. The wall was erected under the leadership of the outstanding Russian architect Fyodor Savelyevich Kon.
He was nicknamed the Horse for his strength:
The power of the beater played in him!
Tsar Ivan Vasilich the Terrible himself
The kid was christened Horse.
Indeed, accurate, albeit unflattering,
That nickname stuck with him:
His tousled mane
Exactly like a horse's...
Dmitry Kedrin.
The walls were built so skillfully that they became a reliable defense for the city. Smolensk is called the “key city”, the road to Moscow. The Smolensk fortress played an important role not only for the Smolensk region, but also for the whole of Russia. This wall has endured many sieges and wars.
On September 13, 1609, seven years after the completion of the fortress, the Polish king Sigismund 3 approached Smolensk with a huge army and besieged it. The defenders of the city, its entire population, selflessly held back the onslaught of a well-armed army of invaders for more than twenty months.
In the summer of 1708, the troops of the Swedish king Charles 12 approached the southern borders of the Smolensk land; it was through Smolensk that he threatened to advance to Moscow. But Peter I arrived in the city, and the most energetic measures were taken to repair the fortress and meet the enemy at the distant approaches. Having encountered well-equipped fortifications, having suffered several major defeats and almost being captured, Charles 12 realized that it was impossible to get through Smolensk to Moscow, and turned south to Ukraine, where the famous Battle of Poltava took place (1709).
The ancient city increased its military merits in the Patriotic War of 1812. Two Russian armies united on Smolensk soil - M.B. Barclay de Tolia and P.I. Bagration. This ruined Napoleon's strategic plan to break them apart. On August 4-5, 1812, near the walls of the Smolensk fortress major battle, in it the French troops suffered heavy losses, and the Russian army was able to carry out a strategic maneuver and maintain its combat effectiveness. When the city was abandoned, a partisan war broke out in its surroundings throughout Smolensk. By this time, 38 towers had been preserved in the fortress wall. At the end of the war, during Napoleon's retreat, his army blew up 8 towers.
The most difficult trials befell Smolensk during the Great Patriotic War. On the distant and near approaches to ancient city, on its streets and squares, throughout the surrounding land, the largest battle raged for two months initial period war, the Battle of Smolensk, which destroyed Hitler’s “blitzkrieg” plans. When the city found itself under temporary occupation, the remaining population continued to fight the enemy. On September 25, 1943, Smolensk was liberated.
Ruins of buildings, mountains of crumbled bricks, charred trees, brick pipes The soldiers of the Red Army saw the site of the former dwellings and entered the city. A new heroic feat was required to overcome the devastation and revive life in the ashes and ruins. And this feat was accomplished.
Today's Smolensk is one of the most beautiful cities in the country. In it, hoary antiquity coexists with modern buildings; the revived buildings delight the eye with their architectural appearance. History here reminds of itself either with an earthen defensive rampart, or an ancient temple, or a fortress tower... Smolensk residents are proud of their heroic past, building a new life.
Smolensk Kremlin -
an outstanding architectural and fortification structure.
Someone is moving the arrows slowly
On the earth's dial of centuries,
Yes, on a white thread
A series of golden clouds .
Drop your necklace onto your shoulders
Dnieper green hills
The harsh thread is torn
Nothing
To patch up the injuries of these spinners,
And connect these word beads:
Zaaltarnaya, Strelka, Belukha,
Shakhovskaya, Zimbulka, Donets,
Thunder, Eagle, Veselukha -
Father's blood crown of thorns .
In these arches, openings, spaces,
A flock of scattered days is circling,
Only the wind within Russian borders
Only painting of colorless stones .
2.a) The need for construction - historical background.
In the second half of the 60s of the 16th century, a difficult time came for the Russian state . The grueling Livonian War, which lasted a quarter of a century (1558 - 1583), had a very hard impact on the country's economy. . It cost enormous sacrifices and did not solve the main state task - access to Baltic Sea, it also fell heavily on the shoulders of the peasantry . But in the 80s of the 16th century, the economic power of the country began to gradually level out . Construction, which had greatly declined during the period of desolation, is also reviving . The question of the urgent implementation of large construction orders of national importance became especially acute at that time. . Weakened by an inconclusive long-term war and internal social contradictions, the country has become a tempting bait for aggressive neighbors. . Crimean Tatars constantly threatened from the south , received support from the Sultan's Turkey . In the west, danger threatened from the gentry of Poland - the natural ally of Crimea in the fight against the Moscow state, and in the north-west the Swedes were waiting for an opportune moment to attack . Every precaution had to be taken to prevent the possibility of external invasion . Some external cities also required protection, the fortifications of which were either lost or simply became unusable in the south and southeast, and to try to return Votskaya Pyatina, that section of the ancient Novgorod territory on the coast of the Gulf of Finland, which was lost in the Lebanon War . It was finally necessary to satisfy other, already internal construction needs of the country, not related to defense tasks . However, the government did not have enough qualified work force, capable of carrying out all this construction . Attempts to change the current situation in the construction business were made during the Lebanese War . At that time, Russia, blocked from the west, was establishing relations with England, and Ivan the Terrible, in a letter to Queen of England Elizabeth asked for a call to temporary duty as an architect . The need for specialist builders did not disappear even during the reign of Boris Godunov (1598-1605). . Replenishment of Russian architects from time to time with invitees from abroad could not meet the growing construction needs . A strong reorganization of the construction business was needed . Therefore, at the end of 1583 or the beginning of 1584, during the life of Ivan the Terrible, a special construction department was created in Moscow - « Order of stone affairs ». The Order of Stone Affairs acquired particular significance under Boris Godunov: under him it turned into the largest specialized organization that took into its own hands all state construction . It can be said with almost certainty that at the same time the Order of Stone Affairs also regulated the extraction of stone in the long-famous Myaikovo quarries . At the end of the 16th century, monasteries were also involved in construction duties. . The implementation of the above measures allowed the Moscow government to short term carry out huge construction in the country . The initiator of this construction was Boris Godunov . The reign of Ivan the Terrible is also characterized by great construction activity . Especially big ones construction works took place in Moscow . In 1565, like many others, Savely Petrov came to Moscow to work with his son Fyodor, who later became a great Russian architect , who built the Smolensk fortress .
2.b) Architect Fyodor Kon.
Fyodor Kon was born on July 4, 1556 in Dorogobuzh . Fyodor Kon's father , Saveliy Petrov , was a carpenter . And in 1565, Savely Petrov came to Moscow to work; he brought his nine-year-old son Fedor with him to the capital to teach him the craft of ward construction . Savely Petrov was one of the “black people” who had almost no rights . At that time, a new one was being built across the Neglinnaya River. royal palace, where Savely Petrov got a job . Supervised the work experienced master- foreigner Johann Clairaut . In Moscow, Fyodor Kon was delighted with the almost fabulous charm of “St. Basil” and the greatness of “Ivan the Great” . He was greatly impressed by the harsh walls of the Moscow Kremlin and Kitai-gorod . At first he helped his father : carried boards, dug ditches for foundations, got used to the craft of ward construction, but in the fall of 1568, a fireweed epidemic swept across Moscow: many townspeople and newcomers died . Carpenter Savely Petrov also died . Johann Clairaut left his son Fyodor at the construction site, assigning him as a junior assistant to the carpenter Foma Krivousov . Soon a stranger from his native place informed Fyodor about the death of his mother and younger brothers. . The orphaned Fyodor Savelyev left the construction of the royal chambers and continues to work in Moscow, erecting stone walls and log huts, which were built at that time according to « samples" developed by experienced carpenters and masters of ward construction . In 1571, Moscow was attacked by the hordes of the Crimean Khan and almost all wooden buildings were destroyed by fires. . Fedor « with friends » continued to build . A tall and smart young man becomes a senior in a carpentry team . He stood out among his comrades for his extraordinary strength and endurance. . It is no coincidence that already sixteen-year-old Fyodor Savelyev received the nickname Horse . « Black » Human Fedor the Horse loved Rus' with all the soul of the simple Russian people and gave all his knowledge and strength to strengthen its power . Wandering around Moscow and half-starved life « stink » did not develop in Fyodor Kon an insatiable interest in stone city buildings . Fyodor lived at that time on Arbat in the courtyard of the parish priest Gur Agapitov, from whom the inquisitive young man learned to read and write, gleaned some information from sacred history . Fedor continued to walk around the yards in search of odd jobs . The thirst for knowledge led Fedor to the master Johann Clairaut . The educated engineer Clairo undertook to teach the Horse mathematics and the principles of structural mechanics . Stories about great architects, about ancient Greek and Roman architecture, about castles and fortresses, revealed a new unknown world to the young carpenter . From Clairot the Horse learned German and Latin languages, independent reading of foreign books . The friendship of Fyodor Kon with the cannon master Andrei Chekhov dates back to this time. . Meanwhile, the life of the artel carpenter went on as before . Huts, barns, chambers - rarely did a large order come up . The spring of 1573 has arrived . Fedor Kon « with friends » built mansions for the German Heinrich Staden, who served at court . Horse hasn’t had much work for a long time, and he devoted himself enthusiastically to completing an interesting order. . The work was coming to an end; the carpenters erected a high fence around the new mansion. . The Horse himself cut the gate patterns . But the German owner did not like the magnificent Russian carvings . Without saying a word, he struck the Horse and turned to walk away . Fyodor Kon flared up and, overcome with anger, knocked the German to the ground . A fight broke out ... Fedor was accused of rebellion and atheism . Knowing well that severe punishment awaited him, Fyodor Kon fled from Moscow . A refugee hid in the Boldinsky monastery near hometown Dorogobuzh . At the time of Fyodor Kon’s arrival, the Boldinsky Monastery was one of the richest in Rus' . The monks wanted to surround the monastery with stone . Fedor had the opportunity to try his knowledge and experience on the big business of stone construction . Standing out for his knowledge and courage of artistic thought, the Horse led the monastery construction . Under the leadership of Fyodor Kon, a cathedral with three altar niches, a monastery belfry, a refectory with a small church next to it, and chopped oak walls were built . But Fyodor Kon did not escape for long in the monastery . He was forced to leave him . The participation of Fyodor Kon in the construction of the Boldinsky Monastery is confirmed by many researchers of Russian architecture . Analyzing architectural details Odigitrievsky Church of the Ivano-Predtechensky Monastery in Vyazma, one cannot help but be convinced that they were made by the hand of the same master as stone buildings Boldinsky Monastery . Simultaneously with the construction of the Ivano-Predtechensky Monastery, Fyodor Kon was entrusted with the construction of the Vyazemsky City Cathedral, which later received the name Trinity . The Trinity Cathedral in Vyazma has survived to this day without significant changes and testifies to the great creative talent of the architect . Fyodor Kon clearly imagined what Russian fortresses should be like . Based on the experience of Russian fortification art, he paved his own path in this area . Longing for great job forced Fyodor Kon to leave Vyazma in March 1584 and secretly return to Moscow . There he wrote a petition addressed to Tsar Ivan the Terrible . But Grozny could not forgive the escape from the sovereign’s justice . That's why a week later Fedor Kon received an answer: « The city master Fyodor, the son of Savely, is allowed to live in Moscow, and for escaping he will be beaten fifty times. ». Fedor endured the punishment for escaping with fortitude. . Thus began a new stage in the life of Fyodor Kon, who was destined to increase the power and glory of Moscow Rus' . In Moscow, Fyodor Kon met with his old friend - foundry master Andrei Chekhov, who was casting the Tsar Cannon at that time . Again the ward master had to leave Moscow . This time Fyodor Kon worked in the Moscow region on the construction of the Pafnutiev Monastery in Borovsk . The reign of Boris Godunov continued the policy of Ivan the Terrible to strengthen the Russian state . Godunov paid great attention to the defense of the Fatherland and especially the capital . At his suggestion, in 1586, work began on the construction of a new Tsarev city around Moscow. . Godunov remembered the city master Fyodor Kon . Dream « black » man's dream came true - he was entrusted with the construction of Tsarev-city . Fyodor Kon set to work with great energy; judging by the excavations carried out during the construction of the Moscow Metro, the depth of the foundations of the White City was 2 . 1 meters . The width of the walls at the foundation level reached six meters, and in the upper part it was 4 . 5 meters . Loopholes were built in the walls for short and long-range shelling , 28 towers rose above the walls . In 1593, the construction of the White City was completed . As a reward for his work, Fyodor Kon received from boyar Godunov a piece of brocade and a fur coat, and Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich allowed the city planner to take his hand . The construction of the White City brought honor and wealth to Fyodor Kon . Fyodor Kon married the widow of a merchant from « cloth row » Irina Agapovna Petrova and he is accepted into the cloth hundred . At the same time, he erected the Church of the Don Mother of God in the Moscow Donskoy Monastery . After completing the construction of the Don Church, Fyodor Kon began building and strengthening the Simonov Monastery - one of the brightest pages in the history of Russian fortress construction . Upon completion of work in the Simonov Monastery, Fyodor Kon was entrusted with the construction of the Smolensk fortress wall. In 1595, Fyodor Kon arrived in Smolensk on the orders of the Tsar to build a fortress. The Smolensk Fortress is the second large structure of Fyodor Savelyevich Kon.
The stone walls of the Smolensk fortress were erected around the old part of the city, going down to the Dnieper. Smolensk had a strategic important location in the west of the Russian state, so the project turned out to be large-scale. The fortress in Smolensk is often called the Kremlin, but this is not entirely true, since the fortification here was built not as a city administration, but for the purposes of military defense.
The original length of the Smolensk fortress wall is 6.5 km.
The width of the walls is about 6 m, and the height of the Smolensk fortress wall reaches 13-19 m in different places.
Panoramic view of the Smolensk Kremlin (fortress wall):
Towers of the Smolensk Fortress
An interesting fact is that all the towers of the Smolensk fortress wall are different from each other - there were no identical samples here. Their sizes were determined depending on the relief. In total, 38 towers were built on the Smolensk fortress wall. The main one among the 9 passing towers was Frolovskaya (Dneprovskaya), the road from which led towards the capital. The second most important was the Molokhov Tower, which opens the way to Kyiv.
13 towers of the Smolensk fortress wall were blank from rectangular shape. They are located along the entire perimeter, with round and 16-sided towers alternating between them.
Of those erected in past centuries, only 18 towers have survived. The most interesting of them:
- Veselukha. This tower appeared in the Smolensk fortress in 1596. It is located on the corner and has 16 sides. From it to the Nikolsky Gate the largest section of the fortress wall has been preserved. The name is due to the cheerful view that opens from the tower - a picturesque panorama of the Dnieper, where local residents loved to relax and have fun.
- was erected in 1609. It has 4 tiers and 16 sides, and is considered one of the most beautiful towers of the Smolensk Kremlin. After numerous reconstructions, its original appearance was restored. A branch of the museum of military history of Smolensk “Smolensk - Shield of Russia” is located here.
- Eagle. Built at the end of the 16th century, it was subsequently destroyed and restored. There is an unusual history associated with it: in the 18th century, a brick factory was built next to it. But it turned out that this was only a cover for a gang of convicts and deserters engaged in counterfeiting.
- Pyatnitskaya Tower Smolensk fortress wall. In another way it is also called Voskresenskaya or Vodyana. It was built in 1595 and has a rectangular base. Today it can not be seen in its original form; it was rebuilt several times and was converted into a church. In 1812, it was blown up by Napoleon's departing troops. Later, a new building was built here to house the Museum of Russian Vodka and the Smolensk Fortress restaurant.
- Volkova- a rectangular tower with 4 tiers. Built in 1595, at various times it was used as a warehouse, archive and even housing. Now it is the most destroyed of the surviving ones.
- Kostyrievskaya. The year of construction of this round tower is 1595. Today you can see the restored building with a stylization of the original appearance of the tower. There is a cafe in it.
You can find all the towers of the Smolensk fortress wall with names and photos on the Smolensk Fortress website.
History of the Smolensk fortress wall
The period of construction of the Smolensk Kremlin is 1596-1606. This defensive structure at that time was the largest among the fortresses in Rus'. Initially, in the middle of the 16th century, a wooden fortress was erected here. Later, it was decided to replace it with stone, since the tree could easily be destroyed by artillery. For the first time, it was decided to make 3 tiers for battle in a military-defensive structure. In the future, the history of the fortress wall of Smolensk will show that efforts to strengthen the city were not in vain.
The architect of the Smolensk Kremlin is Fyodor Kon, the author of the towers and walls of Moscow's White City.
The rapid period in which the construction of the Smolensk fortress wall took place was associated with Poland's claims to the Smolensk principality. And already in 1610, the Polish king began the siege of the fortress. The stronghold blocked the approach to Moscow, so Voivode Shein withstood 4 assaults, but by the fifth the city had already weakened greatly after a 20-month siege and fell. In the 1930s, the Russians undertook unsuccessful attempt return the fortress. Only in 1654 did the Poles surrender the city to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. But this was not the last battle in the history of the Smolensk fortress.
Peter I significantly strengthened the fortress, but the city lost its importance over time. The fortress walls of the Smolensk Kremlin fell into disrepair and began to collapse. The buildings were severely damaged during the retreat of Napoleonic troops, who blew up 9 towers. Moreover, to restore other city buildings, residents were allowed to take bricks from the destroyed Smolensk fortress. The process of dismantling the ancient historical landmark was stopped only in 1868 by decree of Emperor Alexander II, and the restoration of the surviving parts of the fortress wall of Smolensk began.
In 1941, the city hosted a battle between German and Soviet troops, which also caused damage to the wall. After the Great Patriotic War, temporary housing was set up in some towers for citizens during the period of restoration of houses. At the end of the last century, active restoration of the Smolensk fortress began. Now some of the restored buildings house various organizations: museums, restaurants, night club. A large-scale restoration of the Smolensk fortress wall is planned for the coming years: a project is being developed in 2019, and repair work should begin in 2020.
