Muzey Voyennoy Istorii "Bashnya Gromovaya"
About This Museum
You'd never guess it, but this formidable tower was once nearly demolished to make way for a tram line. Saved by a public outcry, the Gromovaya Tower now stands as one of the most complete surviving sections of Smolensk's mighty 16th-century fortress wall. Inside, the heavy stone vaults and narrow staircases feel every bit their age, leading you past displays of pikes, muskets, and polished cannonballs that tell the city's turbulent martial story. Climb all the way to the top, and you're rewarded with a breathtaking panorama where old Smolensk meets the new.
Collection Highlights
Look for the detailed diorama showing how the massive fortress was originally built, and don't miss the surprisingly intricate collection of flintlock pistols and officer's sabers from the Napoleonic era.
Visitor Information
It's tucked right along the main fortress wall on Ulitsa Oktyabr'skoy Revolyutsii—you can't miss its distinct shape. The climb up the ancient stairs is steep but absolutely worth it for that view.
Architecture & Building
A classic example of late Russian military architecture under Boris Godunov: a massive, circular red-brick tower with deep arrow-slit windows, thick walls, and a distinctive conical roof crowning its battlements.
Contact & Location
Address: 214000, Ленинский район, городской округ Смоленск, Смоленская область, Центральный федеральный округ, Россия
Phone: +7 481 238-41-73
