Ray (russian: Рай) is a village in

Smolensk region Smolensk Oblast (russian: Смоле́нская о́бласть, ''Smolenskaya oblast''; informal name — ''Smolenschina'' (russian: Смоле́нщина)) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative centre is the city o ...

of Russia. Located in the central part of region, 1.5 km to the south of the motorway A141 u and 6 km to the south-west of

Smolensk Smolensk ( rus, Смоленск, p=smɐˈlʲensk, a=smolensk_ru.ogg) is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow. First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest c ...

. Population – 132 residents ( 2007 year). Included in the Prigorskii rural settlement.

History

South German knight Jacob von-der after entering the service of the Polish king Wladyslaw IV received land holdings in the Smolensk district, and then was added to the Polish nobility. Later he added his name to the nickname "Lyarsky". After 1654, (when Smolensk joined the

Russian State Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

) he went into the service of king, named Alexei Mikhailovich, retaining his

possession Possession may refer to: Law * Dependent territory, an area of land over which another country exercises sovereignty, but which does not have the full right of participation in that country's governance * Drug possession, a crime * Ownership * ...

s, he began to be called Vonlyarlyarski. Alexander Vasilievich Vonlyarlyarsky called his farmstead "Ray" (in translation into English – "Heaven"). Since 1813 homestead heavily built up, was built the house, the stone church, a park. Currently, from the estate preserved Kazan church and bell tower. {{Authority control Rural localities in Smolensk Oblast Smolensky Uyezd