Pochinok lies on the right bank of the Khmara River. The Pochinkovsky Historical and Local History Museum, an early stone house and several memorial sites offer different ways to explore the town’s history. A municipal walking tour combines a visit to the museum with a look at other local sites.
District history at the museum
The Pochinkovsky Historical and Local History Museum opened on June 21, 2000, on the occasion of the 90th birthday of local poet Alexander Tvardovsky. Its exhibitions cover the district’s history from ancient times to the present and introduce notable people from the region. A broad historical perspective is thus presented alongside individual regional biographies.
The museum guide lists six halls: an exhibition hall and themed rooms devoted to “District History,” “Russian Daily Life,” “The Postwar Period,” “Pioneers from Smolensk” and “Famous Countrymen.” According to the guide, the last of these halls features documents and personal belongings of the Tvardovsky family. The themes bring together district history, everyday life and the postwar period, as well as notable regional figures.
Walking tour and memorial sites
The municipal tour for people with reduced mobility begins at the museum and includes a visit to its rooms. It is expected to last about two hours. The program also includes an exterior viewing of the house of merchant S. Ya. Epstein. The house is considered Pochinok’s first two-story stone building. The renovated town park is also part of the tour; residents laid it out before the Second World War.
Other memorial sites highlight different aspects of history. A bust of A. T. Tvardovsky was erected in 2010 to mark the writer’s 100th birthday; it was sculpted by A. N. Kovalchuk. Also in 2010, on the eve of the liberation of Smolensk Oblast from the Nazi occupiers, the “Avenue of Heroes” was opened. The stone Church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Mother of God in Pochinok was built in 1999. Together, these sites offer different perspectives: literary commemoration, remembrance of the liberation and the history of sacred architecture.
More topics in Smolensk Oblast
For broader travel planning, Smolensk Oblast offers its own nature and cultural attractions. Smolenskoye Poozerye National Park was established on April 15, 1992, in Smolensk Oblast, in the territory of Demidovsky and Dukhovshchinsky districts, to protect unique natural complexes for recreation, education, science and culture. The “K istokam” trail starts in the village of Stary Dvor; a track for mobile apps such as Geotreker or MAPS.ME helps visitors walk it independently. Two viewing platforms on Lakes Svyatets and Sapsho were installed in 2023–2024.
One cultural attraction in Smolensk Oblast is the ethnographic village of “Stargrad.” A guided tour introduces visitors to the way of life of the ancient Slavs and displays everyday objects, weapons and clothing. Visits are possible only as part of a guided group. The extended program offers participants the chance to learn traditional women’s crafts in the “Babiy Kut” workshop and make their own souvenirs; at “Polevaya Kuznya,” they mint coins and make chain mail. These additional activities must be arranged in advance.
Discover more destinations: Roslavl, Bibirevo, Sheverdino, Svishchevo, Klushino, Luzhki, Sloykovo, Krotovo.
For the broader travel overview: Smolensk Oblast.
