* Walking tour. Smolensk is one of the oldest cities in Russia. He repeatedly acted as a "shield" in the path of Napoleon's army of 1812, Hitler's army of 1941-1945 and other invaders who were trying to take over our country. Therefore, Smolensk was given the following statuses: "key city", "shield city", "fortress city" and then "hero city". You will find out why Smolensk was named that way, what contributed to the development of the city and which of the most ancient buildings of the city can be seen today. What you will see: 1) The fortress wall is a symbol of Smolensk, a unique defensive structure of the early 17th century, striking in its size and stability. It was not for nothing that she was nicknamed the "Necklace of the Russian land." We will learn about the secrets of construction and plunge into the events of the siege of the city by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1609-1611. 2) The Royal Bastion is a powerful earthen fortification in the shape of a star, which is a separate fortress inside the Smolensk fortress wall. 3) Heroes' Memorial Square is a place that united the exploits of participants in two Patriotic wars. The necropolis at the fortress wall, the Eternal Flame, the Alley of Generals and a number of other important objects convey the glory and courage of our soldiers. 3) The Assumption Cathedral, where we will be amazed by the beauty of the iconostasis, which is as high as a ten-story building, we will see the icon of the participant in the Patriotic War of 1812, we will hear stories about the Smolensk Saints (Abraham and Mercury). 4) Lopatinsky Garden — a park that appeared in the 19th century on the site of a whole group of defensive structures thanks to the initiative of Governor Lopatin. A unique monument from the reign of Nicholas I awaits us there. We will also take photos at such places as the monument to Alexander Tvardovsky and Vasily Terkin, the monument to Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka, and the trophy monument to the Deer. In addition, you will learn: • where the "Vampires of the Middle Lane" walked in Smolensk • how the Horse built the wall • what does the spectacular "Monument with Eagles" symbolize • who does Terkin look like and why • how the issue of unmarried brides was resolved in the Smolensk region • what talents has the Smolensk land enriched the world and Russia?