The city of Smorgon is the center of the district of the same name in the Grodno region of Belarus. It is located on a river called Oksna, which is a left tributary of a river called Viliya, as well as its tributary, a river called Gervyatka.
It is located 110 kilometers from Minsk and 260 kilometers from Grondo. About 37,000 people live on its territory. This number includes not only Belarusians, but also Poles, Russians, Ukrainians, and many other nationalities.
History of Smorgon
The very first mention of a place called Smorgon was in the documents of the Vileika diocese. At that moment, the territory of the city was owned by the princes Zenovich. In 1533, the first Calvinist cathedral was founded in the city, and in 1590 the first school, hospital and paper factory were built. Find out which one here.
In the 17th century, the territory became the property of Radzillov, who created a bear training school here, which was called the “Smorgon Academy”. In 1795 the city became part of the Russian Empire.
Through the territory modern city Napoleonic troops retreated in 1812. City status was granted by Nicholas II in 1904. During the 1st World War the city was completely destroyed; only in the period 1960-1980 was it built in Smorgon a large number of largest industrial enterprises.
What is the best way to get to Smorgon
Transportation of goods and passengers is carried out entirely by the branch of Car Park No. 17. From the bus station located in Smorgon, 7 international routes depart (to Minsk, Komarovo, Baranovichi, Svir, Grodno, Molodechno), as well as 33 suburban ones. The route from Postava to Grodno also passes through the city. In addition, 12 routes operate in Smorgon public transport: 3 express routes, as well as 9 regular services.
Prices in Smorgon
It cannot be said that in the city of Smorgon there are too many shops or shopping centers. Trade in this city is basically at the same level as throughout Belarus. In addition, it cannot be said that prices here are noticeably different from other cities. In principle, we can safely say that in none of the Belarusian cities there are prices that are very different from each other. Throughout the country, prices remain at the same, certain level.
The same can be said about room prices in numerous hotels and hotels. That is why you can safely choose any hotel or inn you like, only based on its location in the city center.
What interesting places can you see in Smorgon
On the territory of the modern city of Smorgon there is a Church named after St. Michael the Archangel. This church was built during the Renaissance. The thickness of the church walls ranges from 1.8 to 3 meters. It was built back in 1552. And in 1866 the church became a church, and was converted back into a church in 1921. In 1947, the church was closed, and then was turned first into a store, then into showroom, and then to the museum. Only in 1990 the church was again returned to the ownership of believers.
Under the church there is a dungeon, which since ancient times has been considered the tomb of the Zenovich family. Since the tomb has not yet been explored, there are legends that there are a large number of passages in the dungeon as far as Kreva and Vilnius. In 2003, cosmetic repairs were carried out on the church, thanks to which it acquired an attractive appearance. Despite the fact that the city has a long history, very few historical attractions have been preserved here.
Nature and climate
The main part of the territory in the region is located in the Narachan-Vileya lowland. And its southern part is located on the Oshmyany Upland. The highest place in the area is a city called Milidavskaya, the height here is about 320 meters. The city territory contains a large amount of mineral resources: peat, sand for construction, sand and gravel material, loam, and clay.
In the month of January average temperature is about 6.2 degrees below zero, and in the month of July it is about 18 degrees above zero. The city receives about 6 hundred millimeters of precipitation per year. In addition, not only the river itself, called Viliya, flows through the entire region, but also a large number of its tributaries.
About 38 percent of all areas of the city are forested. A biological reserve called Dubatovskoe has also been created in the city area, as well as - local significance biological lakes Blue.
Smorgon Photos
Smorgon was first mentioned in acts of the 14th century as a town of the Zenovich princes, which served as their residence. But Smorgon gained special, sad fame during the First World War, which today is called still unknown.
"Unknown War"
By 1914, more than 16 thousand people lived in Smorgon. But the Russian-German front line passed through the town, and until 1917 the so-called positional war was waged. In the Smorgon region, 67 concrete pillboxes have been preserved. One of them is located right next to the road and is designated as an excursion site. Another, more thorough one, is in the village of Khodoki.
Tourists coming to Smorgon are told about the heroic 810-day defense of this small town. In September 1915, retreating Russian units near Smorgon managed to stop the enemy for the first time during the war. The civilian population was ordered to leave the city within three hours. After fierce battles, Smorgon practically ceased to exist. At the end of the war, only 154 people returned here.
One of the most tragic pages of military events in these places was the use of poisonous gases. Gas attacks were first tested by the Kaiser's soldiers on June 19, 1916, near Zalesye. Soldiers unfamiliar with these terrible weapons died in the thousands. To help the wounded medical care, a mobile hospital was deployed on the railway tracks near Zalesye, headed by Countess Alexandra Tolstaya, daughter of Leo Tolstoy. But many could not be helped, so up to 1,200 soldiers were buried a day. There were six mass graves in total.
...Today about 40 thousand residents live in Smorgon. This small cozy town perfectly combines antiquity and modernity. On the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, a memorial dedicated to the events of 1914–1917 was built here.
An excellent addition to the excursion is a visit to the exhibition “Belarus during the First World War” at the Smorgon Museum of History and Local Lore.
Dancing bears
During a tour of Smorgon, guests are told fascinating stories from the past. One of them is about the Smorgon Academy, a bear training school. It became especially widely known under Karol Stanisław Radziwill, nicknamed “Pané Kohanku” (1734–1790). During its heyday, up to 10 bears were trained at the “academy”. Their training lasted about 6 years and was carried out in several stages. At first, young bear cubs were taught to “dance”, for which they were placed in a special cage, the metal bottom of which was heated.
Having taught them to stand on their hind legs and shift from one paw to the other to the sounds of a tambourine and horn, they moved on to the next stage of training: they taught them to fight, bow, etc.
In the spring, the guides, together with the scientific bears, went to work at fairs in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Russia, Hungary, and Germany. In the fall we returned back to Smorgon. Until the 30s of the 20th century, on the territory of Belarus, wandering gypsies with a bear were called “Smargonski vuchytsel z vuchnem.” The fact of the existence of the “Smorgon Academy” formed the basis of the city coat of arms. It is an image on a silver field of a Spanish shield standing on a red lattice on the hind legs of a black bear, in the front paws of which is the Radziwill coat of arms “Trumpets”. Today in the city center you can see a monument to dancing bears...
Famous bagels
Another story is connected with... steering wheels. Smorgon is traditionally considered the birthplace of bagels. This fact was first mentioned by William Pokhlebkin in his cookbooks: “...The homeland of bagels is the city of Smorgon in Belarus, where narrow flagella were first made from choux (boiled) dough and baked from them into scalded dough products.” It is assumed that the bagels were initially used as a “ration” for the students of the Bear Academy and their guides.
In the 19th century, Smorgon bagels became widely known in Belarus and abroad. Adam Kirkor in his work “Picturesque Russia” wrote: “In Smorgon, Oshmyany povet, Vilna province, almost the entire bourgeois population is busy baking small bagels, or pretzels, which are very famous under the name Smorgon boiled eggs. Every passerby will definitely buy several bundles of these bagels; in addition, they are delivered to Vilna and other cities.” Today is the recipe for this delicacy - alas! – lost.
Sacred monuments
Despite its rich past in historical events, Smorgon nevertheless has virtually no major architectural landmarks preserved. The exception is the defensive church in the name of St. Michael, built in the Renaissance style. The walls of the structure are very powerful - from 1.8 to 3 meters in thickness. In 1866 the church turned into a church, in 1921 - again into a church. In 1947, it shared the fate of many sacred buildings and was closed, after which it was used as a store, exhibition hall and museum. In 1990 it was handed over to believers.
This is what the temple looked like during the First World War
Under the temple itself there is a dungeon, which is the tomb of the Zenovich family. The tomb has not yet been fully explored, but the legends that there are underground passages from it to Vilnius (Vilnius) and Krevo have not been confirmed. In 2003, to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the first mention of Smorgon in historical chronicles, the Church of St. Michael was renovated.
Monument to Bogushevich
In September 2009, the grand opening of a monument to the founder of new Belarusian literature, Frantishk Bogushevich (1840–1900), took place in the Smorgon city park. The ceremony was timed to coincide with the XVI Day of Belarusian Literature. The monument is a 3.6 m high bronze statue of the poet, which rests on a block of light gray granite and a meter-long light gray granite pedestal. There is a bronze plaque on it with Bogushevich’s call to the people: “Don’t give up on our Belarusian language, lest they die.”
Smorgon - beautiful city, located on the banks of the Oksna and Gervyatka rivers, 110 kilometers from Minsk, very close to the Lithuanian border. Excursions to Smorgon are included in many tours for those who choose to holiday in Belarus.
It is quite difficult to say exactly where the name of the city came from. Historians propose a version of the merger of two words “morgue” (a unit of area measurement in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania) and “goni” (arable land) into the expression “with morgue goni” - that is, a land plot the size of a morgue, which peasants received from the prince-owners land. According to another version, in these places there lived people who drove tar -smar, called them “smarogons”, which gave the name to the settlement.
The city was first mentioned in the 15th century as the town of Zenovich, who founded their residence here. Later, the estate and land became the property of the Radziwill princes, to whom Smorgon owes much of the bright pages of its history.
The famous “Smorgon Bear Academy” was founded in the city. She gained wide fame under Karol Radziwill “Pan Kohanku”, at that time 10 bears were trained at the academy. For this reason, wandering gypsies with a bear were often called “Smorgon teacher and student.” It is no coincidence that the city’s coat of arms depicts a black bear standing on its hind legs with the Radziwill coat of arms “Pipes” in its paws.
Due to its convenient location, Smorgon was often used by conquerors as a headquarters or headquarters. Moscow also stayed here Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, and the Swedish king Charles 12, and Napoleon, and Kutuzov.
During the liberation uprising of 1830-1831, Smorgon became one of the centers of the struggle. Here rebel regiments were formed under the leadership of the owner of Smorgon, Count Przezdetsky. However, for participation in the uprising, the land was taken away from the count and transferred to the state.
During the First World War, the city was destroyed, its restoration took years.
The visiting card of the city is the Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Smorgon. Built in the 16th century as a Calvinist gathering by the city owner Christoph Zenovich, the temple after some time was given to Catholics, in 1866 to Orthodox, then again to Catholics. During Soviet times, there was a store and a museum in the temple. In 1990, the church was given to believers. Legends say that under the temple there is a tomb of the Zenovich family and a system underground passages, leading to Vilna and Kreva.
Surprisingly, Smorgon is the birthplace of bagels. It is believed that bagels were originally intended for training bears, but over time they spread throughout Belarus and beyond.
In addition to the traditional monument to Lenin, you can see the monument to F. Bogushevich, the famous Belarusian writer. The monument was erected for the Day of Writing. Very unusual monument 1928, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Poland's independence, Smorgon was able to reach the present day. It will also be interesting to look at the monument erected for the 500th anniversary of the city, on which there is an image of the coat of arms.
A visit to Smorgon will be remembered for a long time by a tourist who prefers excursions around Belarus - many stories and legends, sights and old monuments will not leave anyone indifferent.
Take a photo with the bear, eat ice cream and be silent at the war memorial. We tell you why Smorgon was called “ dead city"and why you should come there at least once.
1. Visit a Renaissance monument, a rarity for Belarus
Monuments of the Renaissance in Belarus can be counted on one hand. And the Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Smorgon is the most famous among them.
After the Reformation came to the Belarusian lands in the 16th century, practically no new churches were built: most often, older Catholic churches were remodeled for Protestant gatherings. But the Church of St. Michael in Smorgon is an exception. It was originally built precisely as a Calvin gathering (Calvinism was the most widespread reformation movement in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania). The church's donor, Kristof Zenovich, a prominent statesman of his time, was also a Calvinist.
But the temple did not serve Protestants for long. In the middle of the 17th century, the Catholic Church finally regained its lost positions and the gathering in Smorgon became a church. The temple is still Catholic today - it belongs to the monastic order of the Salesians. And only the discreet interior decor reminds of its Protestant past.
2. Find out the military history of the “dead city”
During World War I, the city desperately defended itself from the German army. Due to the fierce battles that took place here in 1915, Smorgon is often compared to Stalingrad. It was also hellish here: among the soldiers of those years there was even a saying: “Whoever has not been near Smorgon has never seen war.” After an 810-day defense, the city was deserted. Newspapers of the time dubbed it the “dead city.”
Here, on the Eastern Front of the First World War, future writers Mikhail Zoshchenko and Valentin Kataev fought. And in Zalesye, near Smorgon, the youngest daughter of Leo Tolstoy, Alexandra Tolstaya, nursed the wounded.
The history of the “dead city” is immortalized in the Memorial Complex to the Heroes and Victims of the First World War, opened here in 2014.
3. Take a photo with a bear at the “bear academy”
“Bear Academy” is compactly located in a city park Yes, yes, you heard right. There was such an educational institution in Smorgon in the 17th - 19th centuries. “Bearish” in this case is not an allegory; bears “studied” at the academy. The most real ones. Bears in Smorgon were trained for various fun. Four-legged students could perform the most complex tricks - bowing, dancing, marching, looking in the mirror.
The academy in Smorgon reached its greatest prosperity in the 18th century, under Karol Stanislav Radziwill Pan Kokhanku. The same thing that I went sledding in Nesvizh in the summer. On roads made of salt. He was also a merry fellow and a jokester. The students of the Smorgon “academy” were known far beyond the boundaries of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Trained Smorgon bears could be found at fairs in Prussia, Schleswig, Bavaria and Alsace.
True, Greenpeace would not approve of the training and teaching methods at the institution. But Academician Pavlov might have appreciated it. On the site of the current district hospital, deep pits with brushwood were dug, on which cages with copper bottoms stood. When brushwood was set on fire in the pits, the bottom heated up, and the bears began to dance from the heat. At this time, the trainers were banging on the tambourine. After several months of “training,” the bears were released from their cages. After such training, the animals always began to shift from paw to paw as soon as they heard the sound of a tambourine.
You get a great photo if you try to climb right into the paws of a cast iron bear. This requires some skill, but it's worth it. On the picture: Alfred Mikus
Today, of course, bears are not trained in Smorgon: the educational institution finally ceased to exist back in 1870. But the academy was sung in stone relatively recently – in 2013.
4. Try Smorgon ice cream
The Bear Academy in Smorgon no longer exists, but the bear's glory remains. In addition to the sculpture in the park, there is an installation with a bear in the local history museum; the bear appears on the city’s coat of arms and... on the packaging of local ice cream.
Photo: Evgenia Chaikina But if the Smorgon ice cream had been packed even in a gray, nondescript container, it would probably have been no less popular. It is so tasty and natural. The good old Soviet GOST guarantees the absence of chemical additives and a rush of nostalgia for those born before the 1990s.
Ice cream can be bought in almost any grocery store in Smorgon and several other nearby towns. This divine delicacy cannot be found in Minsk and other regions. So eat up for good measure. Or take a pack or two with you in your cooler bag.
Today Smorgon is famous for its ice cream, but in the 17th-19th centuries bagels were the culinary specialty of the city. By the way, these delicacies were originally intended for bears with a sweet tooth. And they were not rings, but sticks. And only over time was the recipe adapted for people. The bagels “rounded up” and they began to add poppy seeds, honey and Cahors to the dough. In the sources you can find different name Smorgon delicacies: abvaranki, smargonki, and (our favorite name) - abarzhanki.
5. Take a walk through the rock garden
Stone faces in Smorgon are not about the hospitality of the Smorgon people, no. We are talking about a stone slab with bas-reliefs in the form of women's faces.
This and other interesting sculptures appeared in central park city not so long ago, during the plein air of young sculptors. The artists worked outdoors for a month to master such a complex natural material as stone. The result is impressive. And even though some of the sculptures are abstract and conventional, the result of creative impulses fits unusually organically into the urban environment.
The central park offers an excellent view of the Transfiguration Church Here, in the central park, there is a monument to Frantisek Bogushevich, a poet, one of the founders of new Belarusian literature. If you have time, visit the Bogushevich Estate in Kushlyany - here the poet spent last years life. It has been restored and perfectly conveys the atmosphere of the late 19th century. And in the Smorgon region there is the village of Krevo, with the ruins of an ancient castle. It was here in 1385 that Vytautas and Jagiello signed the Union of Krevo. The same one that served as the beginning of the unification of Belarusian lands with Poland.
You can get acquainted with Smorgon, as well as look into Oginsky’s estate in Zalesye and see 5 unique churches of the Grodno region as part of the excursion route “Ostrovets Around the World” by contacting one of the travel companies in Belarus.
The editors of the site thanks the National Tourism Agency for the opportunity to get acquainted with the monuments of Smorgon.
The city of Smorgon, Grodno region, is by no means a bearish corner on the map of Belarus. Lives in the district center more than 37 thousand people. But the history of the city is closely connected with bears...
Glory to the Smorgon Academy
In the 17th-18th centuries, the famous “bear academy”, a school for training bears, operated in Smorgon. Clubfoot students from Smorgon amused people not only at fairs of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, but also in Europe. They founded the bear school of the Radziwills, who owned the city. And the cubs were brought from the surrounding forests.
There is a version that successful bears were fed bagels, which were baked in the city for two centuries. Moreover, Smorgon is called the birthplace of bagels.
The bear training school was closed in the 1870s, but managed to bring fame to Smorgon. The “Smorgon Academy” was glorified in the poem of the same name by the Belarusian classic Rygor Borodulin, and in 2014 the townspeople erected a sculptural composition in honor of the bear school.
The black bear also occupies a central place on the coat of arms of Smorgon, established in 2004. The bear stands on its hind legs and holds the Radziwill coat of arms in its paws.
About the origin of the city's name
There are many interpretations of the toponym “Smorgon”. According to one of them, the name of the city comes from the combination “with morgue goni.” In the distant past, “morgues” measured land areas (1 morgue - 0.7 hectares), and arable plots were called “gonya”. There is information that the Zenovichs, who owned the town, allocated no more than 1 morgue to the villagers. Hence the combination.
According to another version, among the first settlers there were those who, after clearing the site, uprooted stumps and drove turpentine from them - “smar”. These were called “smarogons”.
7 milestones in the history of Smorgon
This Western Belarusian city, located on the Oksna and Gervyatka rivers, has a rich and eventful history, but it has not always spared it from wars and devastation. Thus, during World War I, it was near Smorgon that Russian troops used a gas attack for the first time in history. In 1921, Smorgon had only 154 inhabitants.
1503 – first mention (about the construction of the Church of St. Nicholas the Archangel by Zenovich).
1590 – a paper mill was founded in Smorgon.
1762-1790 – Smorgon was owned by Karol Stanislav Radziwill (Pane Kohanku), who founded the “bear academy”.
1812 (December 5) - Napoleon transfers control of the army to Murat in Smorgon and leaves for Paris. The French are retreating. Within a couple of days, Kutuzov’s headquarters was located here.
1972 - 1976 - optical machine-tool factories, milk powder and a flax plant were put into operation in Smorgon.
2003 – Smorgon celebrated its 500th anniversary.
Land of Oginsky and Bogushevich
The Smorgon land has become the homeland and haven for many wonderful people. Thus, near Smorgon (the village of Zalesye), the composer and diplomat Michal Kleofas Oginsky, who wrote the famous polonaise “Farewell to the Motherland,” lived in his family nest. Oginski Manor (“Northern Athens”) – a must-see tourist routes according to Smorgon.
And in Kushlyany, not far from the regional center, there is the estate of Frantishka Bogushevich, the founder of Belarusian literature. In 2009, a monument to the writer was erected in Smorgon - the only one in Belarus.
Smorgon – hometown for the famous Belarusian poet and prose writer Vladimir Neklyaev.
To experience and understand this city, you must definitely touch the walls of the defensive church of St. Nicholas the Archangel, visit the rock garden and the Winter Garden greenhouse, taste the local bagels and don’t forget about the bears...
