In the southeast with , in the south with , in the west with , in the northwest with and .

History of the formation of the Smolensk province

Smolensk province formed in 1708 as part of 17 cities with counties: Smolensk, Roslavl, Dorogobuzh, Vyazma, Bely, Pogoreloe Gorodishche, Zubtsov, Staritsa, Serpeisk, Kozelsk, Meshchovsk, Mosalsk, Likhvin, Borisovo-Gorodishche, Przemysl, Vorotynsk, Odoev.

In 1713, the Smolensk province was disbanded, most of it went to the Riga province.

In 1726, the Smolensk province was recreated as part of 5 counties: Smolensky, Belsky, Vyazemsky, Dorogobuzhsky and Roslavl.

In 1775, the Smolensk province was transformed into a governorate. 7 new counties were formed: Gzhatsky, Elninsky, Kasplyansky, Krasninsky, Porechsky, Ruposovsky, Sychevsky. After 2 years, Ruposovsky district was transformed into Yukhnovsky, and Kasplinsky into Dukhovshchinsky.

In 1796, the Smolensk governorship again became a province. At the same time, Dukhovshchinsky, Elninsky and Krasninsky districts were abolished (restored in 1802).

From 1802 to 1918, the Smolensk province included 12 counties:

№	County	County town	Area, verst	Population (1897), people
1	Belsky	White (6952 people)	9674,8	165 159
2	Vyazemsky	Vyazma (15,645 people)	2722,7	105 502
3	Gzhatsky	Gzhatsk (6324 people)	3447,9	98 266
4	Dorogobuzhsky	Dorogobuzh (6486 people)	3357,5	104 730
5	Dukhovshchinsky	Spirituality (3109 people)	3709,2	124 286
6	Elninsky	Yelnya (2441 people)	4319,0	137 864
7	Krasninsky	Red (2753 people)	2403,8	102 257
8	Porechsky	Porechye (5688 people)	5096,8	131 936
9	Roslavlsky	Roslavl (17,776 people)	5503,6	188 244
10	Smolensky	Smolensk (46,699 people)	2824,2	145 155
11	Sychevsky	Sychevka (4773 people)	2558,9	100 737
12	Yukhnovsky	Yukhnov (2249 people)	3593,8	121 143

They included 241 volosts, 4130 rural communities and more than 14 thousand populated areas; between the latter there are only 8 settlements and up to 560 villages, otherwise they are all small villages, farmsteads, farmsteads, etc.; There are only 97 inhabitants per village, and one village per 3.4 square versts.

In 1918, Porechsky district was renamed Demidovsky. A year later, the Mstislavsky district of the Gomel province entered the Smolensk province.

In 1922, Krasninsky district was abolished. The Goretsk district was transferred from the Gomel province, and the Yukhnovsky district was transferred to the Kaluga province.

In 1924, Goretsky and Mstislavl districts were transferred to the BSSR. A year later, Dukhovshchinsky district was transformed into Yartsevsky district.

In 1927, Demidovsky and Dorogobuzhsky districts were abolished, and a year later - Gzhatsky, Elninsky and Sychevsky.

In 1929 Smolensk province abolished, and its territory became part of the Western Region.

Additional materials on the Smolensk province

Map	Name	Scale
	Overview map of the Smolensk province	-
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Maps of Smolensk province

Name				Example	Download
PGM Belsky district	2v	1780-90	145.9mb
PGM Vyazemsky district	1c	1780-90	16.4mb
PGM Vyazemsky district	2v	1780-90	50.4mb
PGM Gzhatsky district	1c	1780-90	69.4mb
PGM Gzhatsky district	2v	1780-90	69.6mb
PGM Dorogobuzhsky district	1c	1780-90	48.5mb
PGM Dorogobuzhsky district	2v	1780-90	59.3mb
PGM Dukhovskoy district	1c	1780-90	70.5mb
PGM Elninsky district	2v	1780-90	71.5mb
PGM Krasninsky district	2v	1780-90	43.9mb
PGM Poreč district	2v	1780-90	69.03mb
PGM Sychevsky district	1c	1780-90	86.1mb
PGM Roslavl district	1c	1780-90	22.8mb
PGM Roslavl district	2v	1780-90	78.4mb
PGM Smolensk district	2v	1780-90	43.15mb
PGM Yukhnovsky district	1c	1780-90	35.4mb
GPS OZI Smolensk province
Schubert map	3v		649.7mb
Lists of populated places		1859	576.2mb
Schubert map	3v	1880

Maps are available for free download

Maps are not available for free download, to receive maps - write to mail or ICQ

Historical information on the province

Smolensk province - administrative entity within Russia that existed until 1917.It bordered from the north and northeast with the Tver province, with the E - Moscow and Kaluga, with the SE - Oryol, with the S - Chernigov, with the W - Mogilev, with the NW - Vitebsk and Pskov; was between 53°5" and 56°36" N. w. and between 30°9" and Zo°85" E. d. The greatest extent of the lips. from N to S 340 centuries, from E to W - 280 centuries. The area of ​​the province, according to Strelbitsky’s calculations, is 49,212 square meters. V. (according to general surveying 46,746 sq. in.), including under rivers and lakes 56,956 des. and under the swamps 303,752 des. Forming part of the Central Russian Upland, heading from the NW lips. from the Valdai, or Alaun, flat hill to the south in the province. Orlovskaya and Mogilevskaya, S. province. occupies the southern and east its slopes, and therefore the most elevated part of the lips. is located in the north. counties - Belsky and Sychevsky, where at the origins of pp. Osugi and Luches heights reach 1010 feet. above level seas, while the lowest areas lie in the south of the lips. in uu. Krasninsky, Roslavlsky and Elninsky, and their height reaches only 756 feet. at Zabolotya, 735 ft. at Tolbino and 707 ft. at Khotysin's. East part of the lips has a flat, treeless character, while the western one is crossed in different directions by undulating flat chains of hills that accompany the flow of rivers and in places form steep slopes into their valleys; these chains of hills also serve as a watershed for the tributaries of the Dvina and Dnieper and separate the tributaries of the latter in the south from the tributaries of the Oka, Desna and Sozh, and in the north from the tributaries of the Volga; on E they, going from Gzhatsk to Yukhnov, form the outskirts of the Moscow basin. The entire Belsky district, with the adjacent parts of Porechsky and Dukhovshchinsky, is deepened in the middle, as a result of which the waters, not having a free flow, formed huge swamps and many lakes here. Relief features of S. lips. are caused mainly by the alluvial action of the Ice Age, which deposited the material unevenly transported by it, and by the erosion of waters - which is why sometimes places lying to the north have a lower altitude than places lying to the south; so - the city of Vyazma lies at an altitude of 833 feet, and the city of Roslavl - 857 feet. and Cheluta, in Elninsky district. - 880 ft.

Administrative division

The Smolensk province was formed in 1708, consisting of 17 cities with counties: Smolensk, Roslavl, Dorogobuzh, Vyazma, Bely, Pogoreloe Gorodishche, Zubtsov, Staritsa, Serpeisk, Kozelsk, Meshchovsk, Mosalsk, Likhvin, Borisovo-Gorodishche, Przemysl, Vorotynsk, Odoev.

In 1713 the province was disbanded, most of it went to the Riga province.

In 1726, the Smolensk province was recreated as part of 5 counties: Smolensky, Belsky, Vyazemsky, Dorogobuzhsky and Roslavl.

In 1775 the province was transformed into the Smolensk governorship. 7 new counties were formed: Gzhatsky, Elninsky, Kasplyansky, Krasninsky, Porechsky, Ruposovsky, Sychevsky. After 2 years, Ruposovsky district was transformed into Yukhnovsky, and Kasplinsky into Dukhovshchinsky.

In 1796, the Smolensk governorship again became a province. At the same time, Dukhovshchinsky, Elninsky and Krasninsky districts were abolished (restored in 1802).

In 1918, Porechsky district was renamed Demidovsky. A year later, the Mstislavl district of the Gomel province entered the province.

In 1922, Krasninsky district was abolished. The Goretsk district was transferred from the Gomel province, and the Yukhnovsky district was transferred to the Kaluga province.

In 1924, Goretsky and Mstislavl districts were transferred to the BSSR. A year later, Dukhovshchinsky district was transformed into Yartsevsky district.

In 1927, Demidovsky and Dorogobuzhsky districts were abolished, and a year later - Gzhatsky, Elninsky and Sychevsky.

In 1929, the Smolensk province was abolished, and its territory became part of the Western Region.

* All materials presented for downloading on the site are obtained from the Internet, so the author is not responsible for errors or inaccuracies that may be found in the published materials. If you are the copyright holder of any material presented and do not want a link to it to be in our catalog, please contact us and we will immediately remove it.

The old administrative-territorial unit with the name Smolensk province was formed in 1708 from 17 districts, some of which were subsequently transferred to other provinces (for example, Staritsky - to Tver, and Likhvinsky - to Kaluga and Moscow). In 1713, the Smolensk province was disbanded, and most of its lands went to the Riga province. Under Catherine the First in 1726, the Smolensk province was again recreated, this time from 5 districts. In 1775, during the administrative reform of Catherine II, a new Smolensk governorate was formed, which additionally included 7 counties. The next changes to the composition and boundaries of the lands that were under the jurisdiction of the Smolensk province (reorganized from the governorship in 1796) were made under Paul the First, who enlarged some of the districts at the expense of three abolished ones and thus reduced their number to 9. Recent changes to the composition (12 districts) and the boundaries of the districts of the Smolensk province were introduced under Alexander the First (in 1802), after which during the entire subsequent period of the pre-revolutionary history of Russia the borders of this province did not change.

In the Smolensk province in whole or in part
There are the following maps and sources:
(except for those indicated on the main page of the general
all-Russian atlases, where this province may also be)

1st and 2nd layout of land surveying (1778-1797) Land survey map - non-topographic (without indicating latitudes and longitudes), hand-drawn map of the late 18th century (after the redistribution of borders in 1775-78) on a scale of 1 inch = 2 versts 1cm=840m or 1 inch = 1 verst 1 cm = 420 m. As a rule, the county was drawn on the parts that are shown on the assembly sheet. Some of the maps date back to the period of Catherine II 1775-96, Paul I, having come to power, changed the boundaries of counties within the provinces (which, in turn, Alexander I returned to its original place, but with some changes), while some of the maps from the General Land Survey fund survived only during this period. The maps are color, very detailed, broken down by county. The purpose of the map is to show the boundaries of land plots with location reference.

Military three-verst It had a scale of 1 cm = 1260 m and was the first topographic map of the Smolensk province.

Modern borders The Smolensk region is somewhat different from the pre-revolutionary ones, which is very schematically shown in the figure with a fragment of the Smolensk region.

Lists of settlements in the Smolensk province in 1868 This is a reference book that contains the following data on settlements: - is it a village, town or village, proprietary or state-owned (state) - at the well or at what river it is located - number of households, men and women separately - distance in miles from the district town and camp apartment (camp center) - notes containing the presence of churches, chapels, mills, fairs This material is not presented separately in counties on this website.

67reg. Smolensk region

Smolensk province(since 1708) as of 1914, consisted of 12 counties: Belsky, Vyazemsky, Gzhatsky, Dorogobuzhsky, Dukhovshchinsky, Elninsky, Krasninsky, Porechsky, Roslavlsky, Smolensky, Sychevsky and Yukhnovsky.

In this collection we included everything that we could find useful in the region over several years of searching in various sources (archives, libraries, Internet resources). Ancient and modern maps, literature on history and archeology, a selection of other useful materials. The maps have different years of printing and different scales, complement each other and allow you to see how the area changed in different periods.

Our Collections will be interesting and useful to search engines, local historians, archaeologists, historians, travelers, and searchers of ancestral roots.

Some of the materials are exclusive and only we have. You can try to find some materials yourself on the Internet. But to collect all this, you need both time and skill. We, for a small amount, offer a ready-made selection of the most useful materials.

You can purchase the collection on DVD (by mail) or remotely: after payment, we upload the entire set to a file hosting service and provide a download link. Downloading 2-4 GB with modern Internet is usually not a problem.

We are sure that you will not regret the purchase and will use the materials for a long time!

Collection No. 67. Smolensk region, 18-21 centuries

67.A1. Military topographic three-verst map of 1860-90. 3 versts in an inch (1 cm = 1.2 km). The most search engine-friendly map! All small objects and details are visible: farms, taverns, chapels, mills, etc. Good quality sheets. New edition!+ Old edition. The collection contains 18 sheets, all sheets are COMPLETE, in 2, and some in 3 versions! differing in the presence of a railway and other details. fragments of two versions of the sheet Fragment + 1 gluing of sheets of the old edition with GPS reference (under OziExplorer).

67.A3. Special map of the western part of Russia, Schubert. 1826-40, scale 10 versts in inches (1 cm = 4.2 km). In the collection Smolensk sheets: 23, 24, 29, 30. More information about the A3 map. Schubert 10v

67.A4. Special 10-verst map of European Russia, (Strelbitsky). 1870-1930, 10 versts per inch (1:420,000 or 1 cm = 4.2 km). Quite detailed, rich in details, with good drawing. Read more about the A4 card. Strelbitsky. In the collection Smolensk sheets: 43 and 44.

67.A7. Map of the territories of the USSR, published in the USA in 1955. 1:250,000 (1cm = 2.5km). Condition of the terrain for 1930-40. Created by US Army cartographers based on military maps of the Red Army headquarters of the 1940s. Lots of details (roads to country roads, rivers, crossings, farms, winter huts, etc.) The whole region is in the collection. + bindings for GPS (under OziExplorer).

67.A9. General survey plans (GMP) for the districts of the Smolensk province. 1790 Scale 1-2 versts per inch. Lots of small details. Although they are difficult to work with - they are drawn by hand, the state of preservation is poor (worn holes). But information from 230 years ago can be quite useful. In the collection: Belsky, Vyazemsky 2v, Gzhatsky 1 and 2v, Dorogobuzhsky 1v and 2v, Dukhovsky 1v, Elninsky 2v, Krasninsky 2v, Porechsky 2v, Roslavlsky 1v and 2v, Smolensky 2v, Sychevsky 1v, Yukhnovsky 1v.

67.A12. Topographic map of the USSR, 1970-90. 1:100,000 (1cm = 1km). Quite detailed and popular with search engines and tourists. Convenient for comparison with old maps. Whole region + bindings for GPS (under OziExplorer)

67.A13. Modern map of Russia, 2010 1:50,000 (1cm = 500m)! The latest and most detailed map! Indispensable for comparison with old maps, and simply for tourists and hunters!

A selection of historical books on the region:

Archaeological map of Russia, Smolensk region. 1997 Parts 1 and 2. Good quality, many illustrations. A useful book for lovers of searching for antiquities. Places known to archaeologists are described: mounds, zhalniks, ancient settlements, treasure finds and individual archaeological finds. You can find out where you can’t dig and where you can (focusing on where you can’t) Cover Fragment of the Smolensk region.

Lists of populated places in the Smolensk province. 1859 All settlements (cities, churchyards, villages, hamlets) are shown. The number of inhabitants, churches, fairs, archaeological sites and much other interesting information are indicated.

Military statistical review of the Smolensk province. 1849 Description of us. points: fortifications, churches, taverns, fortifications, fords, ferries, post roads, mills, houses of wealthy peasants, number of inhabitants, table of fairs, etc.

Memorial and reference books of the Smolensk province. 1855, 58, 60-65, 67, 91, 94, 95, 1900,1907, 1915. Such books were published almost every year. They reflect: positions and specific people who occupied them, fairs that took place that year, religious processions, celebrations, number of residents and other statistical information. From 150 to 350 pages.

History of Smolensk land until the beginning of the 15th century. 1895 Kyiv. Monograph by Golubovsky P.V. An interesting historical book, there may be interesting information useful not only to historians, but also to search engines. 320 pages.

Additional information! A large selection of materials on the topic of searching and collecting: Directories on coins, awards, jewelry, crosses, antiques, etc. Books, instructions and films on treasure hunting and metal detectors. Symbols of topographic maps, documents, OziExplorer programs, fragments of maps, books and films, other materials and useful programs.

Price of the entire Collection No. 67 for the Smolensk region. 18-21 at - 1200 rub.
Price for individual materials from 300 to 500 rubles.

Dates from 1708. This type of territorial unit existed until 1929. In this way, the territory of the state was divided into smaller administrative units, similar to regional division.

The history of the emergence of the Smolensk province

During the creation of eight provinces by Peter I in 1708, the Smolensk province was formed among others. The lands of this region were previously part of one territorial entity and were located in the European part of the country. The Smolensk province existed until 1929, subsequently becoming a region during the reformation of the territory. Smolensk was considered the main provincial city.

The specific location of the lands of this territorial unit of Tsarist Russia ensured proximity and economic activity with most of the other provinces.

The province bordered on the following lands:

Tver province (north and northeast);
. Moscow and Kaluga (from the east);
. Orlovskaya (from the south - east);
. Chernigovskaya (from the south);
. Mogilevskaya (from the west);
. Vitebsk and Pskov (from the north-west).

Land Reformation

The newly formed Smolensk province consisted of about seventeen cities. The largest of them are: Roslavl, Smolensk, Bely, Vyazma, Dorogobuzh. However, in 1713 the province was disbanded, its largest part went to the provincial part of the Riga province.

Subsequently, thirteen years later, it was partially restored. It included five counties: Dorogobuzhsky, Belsky, Smolensky, Vyazemsky and Roslavlsky.
Somewhat later (in 1775) the province was reformed into the Smolensk governorship. Due to territorial changes, seven new counties were included: Kasplyansky, Elninsky, Krasninsky, Gzhatsky, Sychevsky, Porechsky, Ruposovsky. A few years later, Ruposovsky and Kasplinsky districts were transformed into Yukhnovsky and Dukhovshchinsky. And only in 1796 the governorship was reformatted again into a province.

In the period from 1802 to 1918, the lists of the Smolensk province included twelve counties. Sychevsky occupied the smallest territory - 2825 square miles.

Administrative territorial districts of the Smolensk province:

Yukhnovsky;
. Vyazemsky;
. Belsky;
. Gzhatsky;
. Dukhovshchinsky;
. Elninsky;
. Sychevsky;
. Dorogobuzhsky;
. Roslavlsky;
. Smolensky;
. Porechsky;
. Krasninsky.

In the counties, 241 volosts, 4130 rural communities and about 14 thousand more populated areas were registered. In addition, there were eight settlements and about 600 villages on the territory of the province. The remaining settlements were hamlets, small villages, and farms. The length of the Smolensk province was 340 versts (one verst corresponds to modern 1067 meters). Its territory totaled just over 49,212 square miles.

Population

According to the 1897 census, the province had just over one and a half million inhabitants. Less than ten percent of the population, about 121 thousand citizens, lived in cities. Before the abolition of serfdom in 1761, the number of serfs reached 70% of the total population.

The Smolensk province had the highest rate of unfree people among all the provinces of Tsarist Russia. On average, there were about 60 serfs per nobleman. By the end of the 19th century, there were 13 monasteries, 763 churches and one community in the Smolensk province. The percentage of clergy was 0.6% of the total number of living citizens. The Smolensk province as a separate territorial unit ceased to exist in 1929, and its lands were annexed to the Western Region.

Industry and agriculture by region

The villages of the Smolensk province were famous for their skilled tanners and weavers. Local residents were mainly engaged in agriculture; cereals were cultivated: rye, oats, buckwheat, and wheat. In Rostislavsky district, millet was grown in small quantities. Hemp and flax were cultivated in Vyazemsky and Sychevsky districts. In the village of Tesovo, Sychevsky district, there was a flax plant. The weaving and paper spinning factories were located in the village of Yartsevo, Dukhovshchinsky district. In Rostislavsky district there was a match shop and production of crystal casting and wood processing was also widespread. In Belsky there is tar and brick making.

The Smolensk province was famous for its gardens. They were mainly engaged in breeding various varieties of apple, plum and pear trees. Apples were sold to Moscow. But the Smolensk province was not only famous.

Smolensk district

This region was the most densely populated compared to other lands. The local residents conducted trade business mainly with Lithuanians. Roslavl district was mainly engaged in agricultural activities.

Only here did buckwheat, barley and millet grow. For the first time, the Smolensk Agrarian Society was created to develop agriculture. There were warehouses for agricultural machines and tools. The introduction of the plow to replace the plow was very productive. The tools made by local craftsmen were not inferior to the factory standard.

By 1880, 954 factories and plants were operating in the Smolensk province. Over the next eighteen years, the number of factories and factories increased by eight hundred units. In particular, cheese factories developed and improved, of which there were most of them in the eastern districts of the province.

Conclusion

About 1000 years ago, it became clear that for the effective functioning of the state, division into administrative-territorial units was necessary. The first mentions date back to the 10th century AD. Princess Olga divided the Novgorod lands into graveyards. Later in the 15th century, Ivan the Terrible divided the Novgorod territory into Pyatina. At the beginning of the 18th century, the concept of provinces and districts was introduced. They became the prototype of modern regions and districts.