Przhevalskoye

The village of Sloboda was first mentioned in 1724 in connection with the building of the church,^[13] although the place had been inhabited long before that. Archeologists found ceramic products of the 4th or 3rd millennium BCE.^[14] In the 4th-8th centuries, it was inhabited by the Krivichs.^[14] People also lived in these lands at later times. Along the rivers and lakes (including Lake Sapsho), there was the trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks, and not so far away there was the second big city of the Principality of Smolensk called Verzhavsk (Вержавск).^[15][16] In the 19th century, it was an outlying area with little economic activity.^[17] It was the reason why Nikolay Przhevalsky bought an estate here in 1881. In the middle of the 20th century, Przhevalskoye-Sloboda became famous during World War II for its partisan defenders.^[18] From September 1942 to September 1943, the front line ran through the village.^[19] Almost all buildings were burnt. The partisans' staff was located in the partly ruined church.

In the 19th century, Sloboda belonged to Porechsky Uyezd of Smolensk Governorate. In 1927, it was transferred to Yartsevsky Uyezd of the same governorate.^[20] On 12 July 1929, governorates and uyezds were abolished, and Slobodskoy District with the administrative center in Sloboda was established. The district belonged to Smolensk Okrug of Western Oblast. In 1930, the district was abolished and split between Demidovsky, Ilyinsky, Prechistensky, and Velizhsky Districts. In 1938, it was re-established. In 1960, Slobodskoy District was abolished and merged into Demidovsky District.^[21]

The settlement has been serving as a health resort since mineral waters were discovered in the 1970s, and a sanatorium (the largest in Smolensk Oblast was built in 1974.^[22]). Also in 1974, it was granted urban-type settlement status.

Przhevalskoye is also a part of Smolenskoye Poozerye National Park.

Przhevalskoye has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Dfb in the Köppen climate classification).

Transportation

A paved road connects Przhevalskoye with Demidov, where it has access to R133 highway to Smolensk, Nevel via Velizh, and a road to Rudnya.

• Lake Sapsho with its six islands and one "under-water island", as well as tumuli nearby
• Lake Mutnoye (sapropelic mud)
• Museum of Nikolay Przhevalsky, explorer of Central Asia
• The church of the Ascension

Notes

Sources

• Администрация Смоленской области. Постановление №261 от 30 апреля 2008 г. «Об утверждении реестра административно-территориальных единиц и территориальных единиц Смоленской области», в ред. Постановления №464 от 27 июня 2014 г. «О внесении изменений в реестр административно-территориальных единиц и территориальных единиц Смоленской области». Опубликован: База данных "Консультант-плюс". (Administration of Smolensk Oblast. Resolution #261 of April 30, 2008 On the Adoption of the Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Units and Territorial Units of Smolensk Oblast, as amended by the Resolution #464 of June 27, 2014 On Amending the Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Units and Territorial Units of Smolensk Oblast. ).
• Смоленская областная Дума. Закон №131-з от 28 декабря 2004 г. «О наделении статусом муниципального района муниципального образования "Демидовский район" Смоленской области, об установлении границ муниципальных образований, территории которых входят в его состав, и наделении их соответствующим статусом», в ред. Закона №74-з от 28 мая 2015 г. «О внесении изменений в областной Закон "О наделении статусом муниципального района муниципального образования "Демидовский район" Смоленской области, об установлении границ муниципальных образований, территории которых входят в его состав, и наделении их соответствующим статусом"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Вестник Смоленской областной Думы и Администрации Смоленской области", №14, часть II, стр. 6, 30 декабря 2004 г. (Smolensk Oblast Duma. Law #131-z of December 28, 2004 On Granting the Status of the Municipal District to the Municipal Formation of "Demidovsky District" of Smolensk Oblast, on Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations the Territories of Which It Comprises, and on Granting Them Appropriate Status, as amended by the Law #74-z of May 28, 2015 On Amending the Oblast Law "On Granting the Status of the Municipal District to the Municipal Formation of "Demidovsky District" of Smolensk Oblast, on Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations the Territories of Which It Comprises, and on Granting Them Appropriate Status". Effective as of the official publication date.).