SMOLENSK, a town of Russia, the administrative centre of the province of Smolensk, situated on the Dnieper river, in 54° 50' N., 32° 5' E., at a point where the plateau is deeply entrenched and approaches the river both on the north and south. The ancient kreml or fortress was built on high crags on the left bank during the reign of Boris Godunov (1598-1605), but is now in ruins. The town has developed owing to its position as a railway junction for five lines. Its industries include copper and iron smelting, the making of machinery for the textile industries, saw-milling, the manufacture of wooden goods, brick and pottery making and brewing. Pop. (1933) 104,100. Since the revolution a university has been created in the town, which had previously several scientific societies and museums and three public libraries. Its cathedral was built in 1676-1772 on the site of a building dating from iioi and destroyed in 1611 during a siege by the Poles. The town has a monument commemorating the Russian musical composer M. I. Glinka (5885).
Smolensk is one of the oldest towns of Russia, and is mentioned in Nestor's Chronicle as the chief town of the Slav tribe of the Krivichis, situated on the great commercial route "from the Vary aghs to the Greeks." It maintained a lively traffic with Con stantinople down to the nth century, when the principality of Smolensk included Vitebsk, Moscow, Kaluga and parts of the present government of Pskov. The princes of Kiev were often
recognized as military chiefs by the vyeche (council) of Smolensk, who mostly preferred Mstislav and his descendants, and Rostislav, son of Mstislav, became the ancestor of a series of nearly inde pendent princes of Smolensk. From the 14th century these fell under the influence of the Lithuanian rulers, and in 5408 Smolensk was annexed to Lithuania. In 5449 the Moscow princes renounced their claims upon Smolensk; nevertheless this important city, with nearly 100,00o inhabitants, was a constant source of contention between Moscow and Lithuania. In 1514 it fell under Russian dominion; but during the disturbance of 1611 it was taken by Sigismund III. of Poland, and it remained under Polish rule until 1654, when the Russians retook it. In 1686 it was definitely annexed to Russia. In the 18th century it played an important part as a basis for the military operations of Peter the Great during his wars with Sweden. In 1812 it was well fortified; but the French, after a two days' battle, defeated the Russians here and took the city, when it suffered much.