Smolensk has become a symbol city of Russia

Judging by the results of the vote in the online project "City of Russia. National Vote - 2012” Smolensk received 32,117 votes – more than its nearest competitor - Pskov. According to the organizers, the victory in the contest will encourage the regional center to grow and develop dynamically, increase its recognition and popularity both in Russia and around the world.

"The City of Russia" - is an all-Russian project organized to support the national development and self-identification of generations, preservation of cultural and historical heritage of the Russian state. Competition among the administrative centers is aimed to establish and strengthen the national values, to revive interest in the history of the Russian cities.

81 administrative centers were competing for the national recognition. More than 7 million people took part in the voting. Besides Smolensk, which received around 286,000 votes, the list of the top ten cities also included Pskov, Irkutsk, Novgorod, Cheboksary, Ulan-Ude, Tyumen, Ufa, Vladivostok, Nalchik. The capital of Dagestan – Makhachkala - was the 10th in the rating of cultural, historical and architectural heritage sites of Russia.