Smolensky District () is an administrative
[Resolution #261] and municipal
[Law #135-z] district (
raion
A raion (also spelt rayon) is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet states. The term is used for both a type of subnational entity and a division of a city. The word is from the French (meaning 'honeycomb, department'), and is c ...
), one of the
twenty-five in
Smolensk Oblast
Smolensk Oblast (), informally also called Smolenshchina (), is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative centre is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of Smolensk. As of the 2021 Russ ...
,
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
. It is located in the west of the
oblast
An oblast ( or ) is a type of administrative division in Bulgaria and several post-Soviet states, including Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. Historically, it was used in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. The term ''oblast'' is often translated i ...
and borders with
Demidovsky District
Demidovsky District () is an administrativeResolution #261 and municipalLaw #131-z district (raion), one of the administrative divisions of Smolensk Oblast, twenty-five in Smolensk Oblast, Russia. It is located in the northwest of the oblast and ...
in the north,
Dukhovshchinsky District in the northeast,
Kardymovsky District in the east,
Pochinkovsky District in the south,
Monastyrshchinsky District in the southwest,
Krasninsky District in the west, and with
Rudnyansky District in the northwest. The area of the district is .
Its
administrative center
An administrative centre is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune, is located.
In countries with French as the administrative language, such as Belgiu ...
is the
city
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
of
Smolensk
Smolensk 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 cities in Russia. It has been a regional capital for most of ...
(which is not administratively a part of the district).
Population: 44,964 (
2010 Census);
Geography
The district is split between the
drainage basin
A drainage basin is an area of land in which all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...
s of the
Dnieper
The Dnieper or Dnepr ( ), also called Dnipro ( ), is one of the major transboundary rivers of Europe, rising in the Valdai Hills near Smolensk, Russia, before flowing through Belarus and Ukraine to the Black Sea. Approximately long, with ...
and the
Daugava
The Daugava ( ), also known as the Western Dvina or the Väina River, is a large river rising in the Valdai Hills of Russia that flows through Belarus and Latvia into the Gulf of Riga of the Baltic Sea. The Daugava rises close to the source of ...
. The rivers in the northern part of the district flow into the
Kasplya River, a left tributary of the Daugava. The Kasplya has its source in the district. The Dnieper crosses the district from east to west. The southern part of the district belongs to the drainage basin of the
Sozh River
The Sozh (, ; ; ) is a river flowing in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. It is a left bank tributary of the Dnieper. The Sozh passes through Gomel, the second largest city in Belarus.
The river is crossed by the Sozh Floating Bridge at Karma, Kar ...
, a major left tributary of the Dnieper.
History
The area was continuously populated since prehistory due to the trading route along the Dnieper. Since the 9th century, it was always attached to the city of
Smolensk
Smolensk 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 cities in Russia. It has been a regional capital for most of ...
. The first settlement in the area, the
selo of
Dresna, was mentioned in chronicles under 1136; the selo of
Kasplya
The Kasplya (Belarusian language, Belarusian and ) is a river in Smolensky District, Smolensk Oblast, Smolensky, Demidovsky District, Demidovsky, and Rudnyansky District, Smolensk Oblast, Rudnyansky Districts of Smolensk Oblast of Russia and in Vit ...
was mentioned under 1150.
In 1580, after the
Livonian War
The Livonian War (1558–1583) concerned control of Terra Mariana, Old Livonia (in the territory of present-day Estonia and Latvia). The Tsardom of Russia faced a varying coalition of the Denmark–Norway, Dano-Norwegian Realm, the Kingdom ...
, the area was transferred to Poland. In 1667, according to the
Truce of Andrusovo, it was transferred back to Russia.
In the course of the
administrative reform carried out in 1708 by
Peter the Great
Peter I (, ;
– ), better known as Peter the Great, was the Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia, Tsar of all Russia from 1682 and the first Emperor of Russia, Emperor of all Russia from 1721 until his death in 1725. He reigned j ...
, the area was included into
Smolensk Governorate
Smolensk Governorate () was an administrative-territorial unit ('' guberniya'') of the Tsardom of Russia, the Russian Empire, and the Russian SFSR. It existed, with interruptions, between 1708 and 1929.
Smolensk Governorate, together with seven o ...
and remained there until 1929, with the exception of the brief period between 1775 and 1796, when Smolensk Governorate was transformed into
Smolensk Viceroyalty
Smolensk is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, 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 cities in Russia. It ...
. The area was split between
Dukhovshchinsky,
Krasninsky,
Porechsky, and
Smolensky Uyezd Smolensky Uyezd (''Смоленский уезд'') was one of the subdivisions of the Smolensk Governorate of the Russian Empire. It was situated in the central part of the governorate. Its administrative centre was Smolensk.
Demographics
At the t ...
s.
On 12 July 1929, governorates and uyezds were abolished, and three districts were established in the area:
Grinyovsky,
Kardymovsky, and
Katynsky Districts. All three district had their administrative center in the city of
Smolensk
Smolensk 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 cities in Russia. It has been a regional capital for most of ...
and belonged to
Smolensk Okrug
Smolensk is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, 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 cities in Russia. It ...
of
Western Oblast. On August 1, 1930 the okrugs were abolished, and the districts were subordinated directly to the oblast. In 1930 these three districts were merged into newly established Smolensky District with the administrative center in Smolensk.
On 27 September 1937 Western Oblast was abolished and split between
Oryol
Oryol ( rus, Орёл, , ɐˈrʲɵl, a=ru-Орёл.ogg, links=y, ), also transliterated as Orel or Oriol, is a Classification of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Oryol Oblast, Russia, situated on the Oka Rive ...
and Smolensk Oblasts. Smolensky District was transferred to Smolensk Oblast. Between 1941 and 1943, during WWII, the district was occupied by German troops.
Kardymovsky District was restored in 1935 and abolished again in 1963, during the abortive Khrushchyov administrative reform, and split between Smolensky and
Yartsevsky Districts. In 1977, it was re-established. Similarly, in 1963 Krasninsky District was abolished and merged into Smolensky District. It was re-established in 1965.
On 12 July 1929,
Kasplyansky District with the administrative center in the selo of Kasplya was established. It belonged to Smolensk Okrug of Western Oblast. In 1932 it was abolished and split between Demidovsky, Dukhovshchinsky, Rudnyandky, and Smolensky Districts. In 1938, Kasplyansky District was re-established, and in 1961, it was abolished again and merged into Smolensky District.
Administrative and municipal status
Within the
framework of administrative divisions, Smolensky District is one of the
twenty-five in the oblast.
The city of
Smolensk
Smolensk 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 cities in Russia. It has been a regional capital for most of ...
serves as its
administrative center
An administrative centre is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune, is located.
In countries with French as the administrative language, such as Belgiu ...
, despite being incorporated separately as an
urban okrug—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts.
As a
municipal division, the district is incorporated as Smolensky Municipal District.
Smolensk Urban Okrug is incorporated separately from the district
[Decision #164]
Economy
Industry
There are no big industrial enterprises in the district. Small enterprises are involved into food and construction industries.
Agriculture
The main agricultural specializations in the district are cattle breeding with meat and milk production; production of pork, poultry, and eggs, and crops growing.
Transportation
The city of Smolensk is fully surrounded by Smolensky District, and all communications to Smolensk run through the district.
The railway connecting Moscow and
Minsk
Minsk (, ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administra ...
runs through the district passing Smolensk. In Smolensk, another railway to
Vitebsk
Vitebsk or Vitsyebsk (, ; , ; ) is a city in northern Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Vitebsk Region and Vitebsk District, though it is administratively separated from the district. As of 2025, it has 358,927 inhabitants, m ...
and further with
Daugavpils
Daugavpils (see also other names) is a state city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city derives its name. The parts of the city to the north of the river belong to the historical Latvian region ...
via
Rudnya branches off north-west. East of Smolensk, two more railway lines branch off: One runs south to
Bryansk
Bryansk (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Bryansk Oblast, Russia, situated on the Desna (river), Desna River, southwest of Moscow. It has a population of 379,152 at the 2021 census.
Bryans ...
via
Roslavl
Roslavl (, ) is a town and the administrative center of Roslavlsky District in Smolensk Oblast, Russia. It is a road and rail junction and a market town. Population:
History
Roslavl was founded as Rostislavl in the 1130s or 1140s. The name is ...
, and another one runs north to
Prechistoye. The railway line to Prechistoye does not have passenger traffic, all other lines do.
The
M1 highway connecting Moscow with the state border between Russia and Belarus crosses the district from east to west bypassing Smolensk from the north. The
R133 highway to
Demidov
The Demidov family (Russian: Деми́довы), also known as Demidoff or Dimidov, is a prominent Russian nobility, Russian noble family that rose to immense wealth and influence during the 18th and 19th centuries. The Demidovs became a wealth ...
,
Velizh, and
Nevel branches off north in
Olsha. The
R120 highway continues north to Rudnya and further across the border to Vitebsk, and south to Roslavl and Bryansk. The
R135 highway runs from Smolensk to the southwest to
Krasny and continues across the border to
Orsha
Orsha (; , ; ) is a city in Vitebsk Region, Belarus. It is situated on the fork of the Dnieper, Dnieper River and Arshytsa River, and it serves as the administrative center of Orsha District. As of 2025, it has a population of 101,662.
History
...
.
The Dnieper is navigable within the district, however, there is no organized navigation.
Culture and recreation
The federally protected monuments in the districts include a park in the
selo of
Talashkino and an estate in the selo of
Syrokorenskiye Lipki
In
Katyn, just west of the city of Smolensk, thousands of Polish officers were executed in 1940 by the Soviet regime. The cite currently features a memorial, built around the
Katyn war cemetery, and a museum.
In Talashkino,
Mariya Tenisheva opened in the end of the 19th century an artisan center, where local people were employed. Most of the buildings of the estate have been lost. Those which survived, including the Church of the Holy Spirit and the fairy-tale reconstruction by
Sergey Malyutin
Sergey Vasilyevich Malyutin (; 4 October 1859 – 6 December 1937) was a Russian painter of fine crafts, (scenic) designer, illustrator and architect; initially associated with the Arts and Crafts Movement. , currently host a museum.
References
Notes
Sources
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*
*
{{Use mdy dates, date=January 2013
Districts of Smolensk Oblast
States and territories established in 1930