General information
Smarhon is in the center of the Smarhonsky district of the Grodno region located on the river Oksna and its inflow river Gervyatka. It is located 110 km to the northwest of Minsk and 260 km to the northeast from Grodno. Railway station connecting Molodechno to Vilnius is located in Smarhon as well as the highway junctions going to Molodechno, Vileyka, Vilnius, Svir and Krevo.
The highest point of the area is the Milidavskaya Mountain (320 m). Minerals here are represented by peat, sand-gravel material, construction sand, clays and loams.
History of Smarhon
The town was first mentioned in the 15th century as a place owned by Zenovich, who resided here. Later the estate and the land became the property of the Radziwill family, and Smarhon owes many of its historical events to the Radziwill’s. The famous ‘Smarhonskaya medvezh’ya akademiya’ was later founded in the city. The academy gained widespread fame under king Radziwill ‘Pan Kochanku’ ownership, when 10 bears were trained at the academy. For this reason, Gypsies wandering around country with bears were often called ‘Smarhon teacher with the pupil’. It is no accident the city’s coat of arms depicts a rampant black bear with the emblem of the Radziwill ‘Truby’ in the paws.
Due to its convenient location Smarhon conquerors often used the city as a headquarters base. During various points in time, Moscow’s Tsar Alexey Mikhailovich, Swedish King Karl 12th, Napoleon, and Kutuzov all stayed in Smarhon. During the liberation uprising in 1830-1831 Smarhon was at the center of the struggle. The rebel regiments have been formed under the leadership of Smarhon owner count Pshezdetski. However, due to the formation of the rebel regiment the land was confiscated from the count and passed into possession of the state. During the First World War the city was destroyed and its restoration dragged on for years.
Smarhon reference information
| Belarusian (latin) | Smargon |
| Belarusian(cyrillic) | Смаргонь |
| Russian (latin) | Smarhon |
| Russian (cyryllic) | Сморгонь |
| Founded | October 2, 1503 |
| Population | 37, 212 |
| Region | Grodno region |
| Area (sq.km) | |
| Phone code | +375 1592 |
| Time zone | UTC+3 |
| Postal code | 231000, 231041-231045 |
| License plate | 4 |
| Link | Smarhon.gov.by |
Sightseeing in Smarhon
Hallmark of the city is the church of St. Michael the Archangel. Constructed in the 16th century as a Calvinist building by the city’s owner Christophe Zenovich, the church after some time was given to the Catholics and then in 1866 it was given to Orthodox until it was finally back in the possession of the Catholics. In Soviet times, the church was a shop and a museum. In 1990, the church was given to the churchmen. There is a legend stating that the church has the tomb of the Zenovich family with underground system of tunnels leading to Vilna and Crewe.
Smarhon is also the birthplace of bagels. It is believed that originally bagels were intended for trained bears, but eventually they spread all over the country and abroad.
Besides the traditional Lenin monument there is also the monument in honour of F. Bogushevich, the famous Belarusian writer, erected on the Day of Writers (Den Pismennika).
A very unusual monument from 1928 commemorating the 10th anniversary of independence from Poland is still in existence today. It is also interesting to look at the monument erected for the 500th anniversary of the city with the coat of arms on it.
Accommodation in Smarhon
There are hotels, a number of farmsteads, and a sanatorium called ‘Lesnaya Polyana’ available for accommodation in the region.
Economy
The dynamic development of economy of the region provides an industrial complex, with more than 70 industrial enterprises. The dominant industries are machine building and metalworking. Meat and dairy cattle, pigs, poultry and fisheries are also well developed in the region.