Roslavlsky District () is an administrativeResolution #261 and municipalLaw #133-z district (

raion A raion (also spelt rayon) is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet states. The term is used for both a type of subnational entity and a division of a city. The word is from the French (meaning 'honeycomb, department'), and is c ...

), one of the twenty-five in

Smolensk Oblast Smolensk Oblast (), informally also called Smolenshchina (), is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative centre is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of Smolensk. As of the 2021 Russ ...

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

. It is located in the south of the

oblast An oblast ( or ) is a type of administrative division in Bulgaria and several post-Soviet states, including Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. Historically, it was used in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. The term ''oblast'' is often translated i ...

and borders with Yelninsky District in the north, Spas-Demensky District, of

Kaluga Oblast Kaluga Oblast () is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of Kaluga. The Russian Census (2021), 2021 Russian Census found a population o ...

, in the northeast, Kuybyshevsky District, also of Kaluga Oblast, in the east, Rognedinsky District of

Bryansk Oblast Bryansk Oblast (), also known as Bryanshchina (, ), is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Bryansk. As of the 2021 Census, its population was 1,169,161. Geography Bryansk Oblast lies in weste ...

in the southeast,

Dubrovsky District Dubrovsky District () is an administrativeLaw #13-Z and municipalLaw #3-Z district (raion), one of the administrative divisions of Bryansk Oblast, twenty-seven in Bryansk Oblast, Russia. It is located in the north of the oblast. The area of the dis ...

, also of Bryansk Oblast, in the south,

Yershichsky District Yershichsky District () is an administrativeResolution #261 and municipalLaw #86-z district (raion), one of the twenty-five in Smolensk Oblast, Russia. It is located in the south of the oblast and borders with Roslavlsky District in the north, Du ...

in the southwest, Shumyachsky District in the west, and with Pochinkovsky District in the northwest. The territory of the town of Desnogorsk is enclosed from all sides by Roslavlsky District. The area of the district is . Its

administrative center An administrative centre is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune, is located. In countries with French as the administrative language, such as Belgiu ...

is the

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

Roslavl Roslavl (, ) is a town and the administrative center of Roslavlsky District in Smolensk Oblast, Russia. It is a road and rail junction and a market town. Population: History Roslavl was founded as Rostislavl in the 1130s or 1140s. The name is ...

. Population: 76,100 ( 2010 Census); The population of Roslavl accounts for 72.1% of the district's total population.

Geography

The district is located on the Smolensk Upland. The whole area of the district belongs to the

drainage basin A drainage basin is an area of land in which all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...

of the

Dnieper The Dnieper or Dnepr ( ), also called Dnipro ( ), is one of the major transboundary rivers of Europe, rising in the Valdai Hills near Smolensk, Russia, before flowing through Belarus and Ukraine to the Black Sea. Approximately long, with ...

. The

Desna River The Desna ( Russian and ) is a river in Russia and Ukraine, a major left-tributary of the Dnieper. Its name in means "right hand". It has a length of , and its drainage basin covers .Desnogorsk Reservoir is shared between the city of Desnogorsk, Roslavlsky, Pochinkovsky, and Yelninsky Districts. The rivers in the southwestern part of the district drain into the Ostyor River and the Iput River, tributaries of the

Sozh River The Sozh (, ; ; ) is a river flowing in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. It is a left bank tributary of the Dnieper. The Sozh passes through Gomel, the second largest city in Belarus. The river is crossed by the Sozh Floating Bridge at Karma, Kar ...

. The Ostyor itself has its source in the district.

History

Roslavl was founded as Rostislavl in the 1130s or 1140s. The name is likely due to Prince Rostislav of Smolensk, who was the founder of the fortress. At the time of foundation, it belonged to the

Principality of Smolensk The Principality of Smolensk (eventually Grand Principality of Smolensk) was a Ruthenian lordship from the 11th to the 16th century. Until 1127, when it passed to Rostislav Mstislavich, the principality was part of the land of Kiev. The princip ...

. The area belonged intermittently to the Principality of Smolensk and the

Grand Duchy of Lithuania The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a sovereign state in northeastern Europe that existed from the 13th century, succeeding the Kingdom of Lithuania, to the late 18th century, when the territory was suppressed during the 1795 Partitions of Poland, ...

. In 1376, Roslavl was transferred to Lithuania and became the center of a principality. In 1515, it was conquered by the

Grand Duchy of Moscow The Grand Principality of Moscow, or Muscovy, known as the Principality of Moscow until 1389, was a late medieval Russian monarchy. Its capital was the city of Moscow. Originally established as a minor principality in the 13th century, the gra ...

, but in 1618 transferred to Poland. In 1667, according to the

Truce of Andrusovo The Truce of Andrusovo (, , also sometimes known as Treaty of Andrusovo) established a thirteen-and-a-half year truce, signed on between the Tsardom of Russia and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, which had fought the Russo-Polish War sin ...

, Roslavl was transferred back to Russia. During all this period, it was a fortress at the border, and the fortifications were extensively used. The last time they were in use in 1706, during the

Great Northern War In the Great Northern War (1700–1721) a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern Europe, Northern, Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the ant ...

. In the course of the administrative reform carried out in 1708 by

Peter the Great Peter I (, ; – ), better known as Peter the Great, was the Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia, Tsar of all Russia from 1682 and the first Emperor of Russia, Emperor of all Russia from 1721 until his death in 1725. He reigned j ...

, the area was included into

Smolensk Governorate Smolensk Governorate () was an administrative-territorial unit ('' guberniya'') of the Tsardom of Russia, the Russian Empire, and the Russian SFSR. It existed, with interruptions, between 1708 and 1929. Smolensk Governorate, together with seven o ...

and remained there until 1929, with the exception of the brief periods between 1713 and 1726, when it belonged to Riga Governorate, and between 1775 and 1796, when Smolensk Governorate was transformed into

Smolensk Viceroyalty Smolensk is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow. First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest cities in Russia. It ...

. It belonged to

Roslavlsky Uyezd Roslavlsky Uyezd () was one of the subdivisions of the Smolensk Governorate of the Russian Empire. This uyezd was situated in the southern part of the governorate. Its administrative centre was Roslavl. Demographics At the time of the Russian Empi ...

, with the center in Roslavl. On 12 July 1929, governorates and uyezds were abolished, and Roslavlsky District with the administrative center in Roslavl was established. The district belonged to

Roslavl Okrug Roslavl (, ) is a town and the administrative center of Roslavlsky District in Smolensk Oblast, Russia. It is a road and rail junction and a market town. Population: History Roslavl was founded as Rostislavl in the 1130s or 1140s. The name i ...

Western Oblast Western Oblast () was an administrative-territorial unit (''oblast'') of the Russian SFSR from 1929 to 1937. Its seat was in the city of Smolensk. The oblast was located in the west of European Russia, and its territory is currently divided b ...

, which had its administrative center in Roslavl. On August 1, 1930 the okrugs were abolished, and the districts were subordinated directly to the oblast. On 27 September 1937 Western Oblast was abolished and split between

Oryol Oryol ( rus, Орёл, , ɐˈrʲɵl, a=ru-Орёл.ogg, links=y, ), also transliterated as Orel or Oriol, is a Classification of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Oryol Oblast, Russia, situated on the Oka Rive ...

and Smolensk Oblasts. Roslavlsky District was transferred to Smolensk Oblast. Between 1941 and 1943, during WWII, the district was occupied by German troops. On 12 July 1929, Stodolishchensky District with the administrative center in the selo of Stodolishche was established on the areas which previously belonged to Roslavlsky and Yelninsky Uyezds of Smolensk Governorate. It belonged to Roslavl Okrug of Western Oblast. In 1937, the raion was transferred to Smolensk Oblast. In 1961 it was abolished and split between Pochinkovsky and Roslavlsky District. On 12 July 1929, Yekimovichsky District with the administrative center in the selo of Yekimovichi was established as well on the areas which previously belonged to Roslavlsky and Yelninsky Uyezds of Smolensk Governorate, as well as Mosalsky Uyezd of

Kaluga Governorate Kaluga Governorate () was an administrative-territorial unit ('' guberniya'') of the Russian Empire and the Russian SFSR, which existed in 1796–1929. Its capital was Kaluga. Administrative division Kaluga Governorate consisted of the following ...

. It belonged to Roslavl Okrug of Western Oblast. In 1937, the raion was transferred to Smolensk Oblast. In 1961 it was abolished and merged into Roslavlsky District. Another district established on 12 July 1929 was Pavlinovsky District with the administrative center in the settlement at Pavlinovo railway station. It belonged to

Sukhinichi Okrug Sukhinichi () is a town and the administrative center of Sukhinichsky District in Kaluga Oblast, Russia, a large railway junction on the Moscow – Kyiv line, situated on the Bryn River southwest of Kaluga, the administrative center of th ...

of Western Oblast. In 1932, the raion was abolished and split between Dorogobuzhsky, Spas-Demensky, Yekimovichsky, and Yalninsky Districts.

Economy

Industry

There are enterprises producing parts for trucks, electrical equipment, and ceramics, as well as food, all of them in Roslavl.

Agriculture

The main agricultural specializations of the district are cattle breeding with meat and milk production, as well as growing of crops and potatoes, and fish farming.

Transportation

A railway connecting

Smolensk Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow. First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest cities in Russia. It has been a regional capital for most of ...

and

Bryansk Bryansk (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Bryansk Oblast, Russia, situated on the Desna (river), Desna River, southwest of Moscow. It has a population of 379,152 at the 2021 census. Bryans ...

crosses the district from north to south. Roslavl I is the principal station within the district. In Roslavl, a railway to Kirov ( Fayansovaya railway station), branches off east, however, this line has no passenger traffic. Another railway line, from Roslavl across the border with Belarus to

Krychaw Krychaw or Krichev (, ; , , ) is a town in Mogilev Region, Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Krychaw District. It is situated on the Sozh River. In 2009, its population was 27,202. As of 2024, it has a population of 23,264. ...

, is defunct, since traffic across the border has been halted. The Russian route A130, formerly A101, connecting Moscow with the border of Belarus and continuing to

Babruysk Babruysk (, ) or Bobruysk (, ; , ) is a city in Mogilev Region, Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Babruysk District, though it is administratively separated from the district. It is situated on the Berezina, Berezina River. Bab ...

, crosses the district from northeast to southwest and passes through Roslavl. Another road, R120 (formerly A141), which connects Smolensk with Bryansk and

, crosses the district from the northwest to southeast, also passing through Roslavl. There is a road between Roslavl and

Yelnya Yelnya () is the name of several inhabited localities in Russia. ;Urban localities * Yelnya, Yelninsky District, Smolensk Oblast, a town in Yelninsky District of Smolensk Oblast; administratively incorporated as Yelninskoye Urban Settlement ;Ru ...

, as well as local roads with bus traffic originating from Roslavl. Rivers in the district are not navigable.

Culture and recreation

There is a local museum in Roslavl, exhibiting archeological, ethnographic, and art collections.

References

Notes

Sources

* * {{Use mdy dates, date=January 2013 Districts of Smolensk Oblast States and territories established in 1929