{tab Overview}
{tab Map}
{zhyandexmap:108}
{/tabs}
The Smolensk was important city-fortress on the western border and its wall is the longest fortified structure in Europe. The length of the walls of Smolensk fortress is 6.5 km and height varies from 13 to 19 meters, the walls had a system of galleries to listen for enemy activity, there were also passages and ammunition areas inside. The construction works spent 320 thousands of piles, 100 million of bricks, million cartloads of sand and was the official state duty. 8 years after the end of construction, in the early seventeenth century, the fortress had to take the first fight. The Polish army of King Sigismund III was besieging the heroic city for more than a year. In June 1654, the fortress was stormed by Russian troops and during a seven-hour storm, 16 thousand people were lost. The fortress was stormed by the Napoleon’s Army in 1812 and by the Germans in 1941 And every one of the retreating army considered its duty to blow up a part of the fortification wall. Only fragments of original walls are left intact now, especially in the southern and eastern parts of the ancient city. Also 18 towers from 38 survived. In one of the towers there is now a Museum of the Smolensk fortress.
{oziogallery 337}