The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - the Cathedral of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church. Located in the central part of the city of Smolensk on Cathedral Hill. Erected in memory of the heroic defense of the city of Smolensk in 1609-1611 on the site 's eponymous cathedral of the XII century .
The original cathedral was built in 1101 by order of Vladimir Monomakh and was the first monumental architecture in the territory of Smolensk. Chronicle reports that the cross is laid Vladimir summer church in Smolensk , the holy Mother of God kamyanu episkupyu .
In 1611, after nearly two years of defense of Smolensk from the Polish army , the last battle with the defenders retreated to the Assumption Cathedral and detonated explosives stockpiles , stored there, along with him and the attackers. The Poles have trebled in place of the cathedral church.After the liberation of Smolensk was again started construction in 1677 under the supervision of architect Alexey Korolkova and completed by architect AI Schedel in 1732-1740 , respectively. Fully cathedral was completed in 1772. In the cathedral until 1941, kept the prototype of the Smolensk Mother of God , but after the occupation by German troops of the image disappeared without a trace .In the cathedral are the relics of Mercury Smolensky.
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