There were also legends of the Smolensk fortress. Excursion for 2-3-4 hours (walking or by car)

The cost is indicated from ...; for 1 hour of excursion without renting transport, depends on the season and the number of people.

... The legend of the Smolensk fortress says that a terrible curse was imposed on its walls, according to which anyone who tries to destroy its walls or towers will face terrible retribution. Be that as it may, but the Poles, and Napoleon's army, and the fascists, indeed, received punishment for trying to destroy the fortress walls of Smolensk.

But the fortress of the XVI century and to this day adorns our city.

Tours can be from 2 to 4 hours, on foot or by car.

Will we see the 9 towers of the eastern section?

or all the remaining 17 towers,

Or we'll walk around the perimeter of the fortress, as it was in the 17th century, when it was decorated and protected by 38 towers.

It depends on your will!

From the great Smolensk fortress to the present day there are 17 towers and fragments of walls.

The role of the Smolensk fortress in the history of the entire Russian state is well known - since the beginning of the 17th century, Smolensk has been called the City-Key for a reason.

• At the end of the 16th century, King Sigismund the Third seriously thought about the increment of his possessions at the expense of the Smolensk lands, and Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich ordered "the city to be made hastily, without delay, with great joy."
• The organizer of the construction was appointed "city master" Fedor Kony. On December 25, 1595, the builders who arrived in Smolensk and received the blessing of Archbishop Theodosius of Smolensk and Dorogobuga immediately began work.
• The laying of the fortress was made in the spring of 1596, the first stone was laid personally by Godunov at the base of the Thunder Tower, and the work began to boil. And at the end of 1602, Tsar Boris received a certificate with a message about the completion of construction, and exclaimed: "I have built the beauty of the unremarked necklace of all Russia!"

Thus, a mighty fortress was created, which is still a historical monument and an architectural masterpiece of all-Russian and world significance.

On excursions you will learn about the history of the fortress wall construction, its role in the defense of the Russian state, as well as hear the story of its unique towers, the legends of which have a very real background.

During the tour, we will be able (if desired, for an additional fee) to visit the museum "Grozny 17 century" in the Thunder Tower.

We will go up to the upper tiers, we will go out to the spine, I will tell you about the armament of soldiers of the 17th century, about the features of the construction of the towers of the fortress wall.

You can see the exhibits of the museum - the expositions are devoted to the events of the XVII century, the history of the construction of the fortress and the heroic defense of Smolensk 1609-1611, the period of the Polish occupation, the reform of the Russian army, the return of Smolensk by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in 1654.

• Military history

I'll tell you on our tour.

- about the 20-month siege of the city, about the repulsed assaults, the underground war, the complete blockade after the overthrow of Vasily Shuisky and the capture of Smolensk by the army of Sigismund III;

- about the 40-year Polish occupation and the attempt of the voivode Mikhail Shein to recapture Smolensk in 1632-1634,

- about the almost two-month siege of the city in 1654 by the troops of Alexei Mikhailovich, which ended in the capture of the city, the royal feast with the voivodes and the entry of Smolensk into the Russian state forever;

- about the role of the fortress in the battle of Smolensk on August 4-5, 1812 and individual towers in the battles of the Second World War.

And, of course, about the construction of the Smolensk fortress:

stages of construction;

about what architectural and military engineering techniques were used in its construction; get acquainted with the features of the towers and the history of their names;

You will learn the similarities and differences between the Smolensk fortress wall and the Moscow Kremlin.

• Serf mysticism

You will see the tower “Eagle” shrouded in mysticism, about the events around which Oettinger’s famous story was written in the 19th century. In addition, similar motives can be found in the story of Alexei Tolstoy “Count Cagliostro”, in which we are talking about the adventures in the Smolensk region of the famous illusionist. Probably, it was the Smolensk legend that became the basis of Mark Zakharov’s beloved film “Formula of Love”.

And the tower Merry folk fantasy awarded especially bright demonic images.

• Legacy of Smolensk

Only 17 towers and fragments of walls have survived from the great Smolensk fortress to the present day. The fortress wall, whose history is closely intertwined with the history of our state, is recognized as a monument of Russian architecture of the XVI-XVII centuries.