Exhibitions of the Gromovaya and Makhovaya Towers

About exhibition

With a single ticket, visitors to the "Smolensk Fortress" museum can independently explore the "Formidable 17th Century" exhibition in the Gromovaya Tower and the "Streltsy World" exhibition in the Makhovaya Tower. The Gromovaya Tower, viewed in the context of Smolensk's military history as a key factor in the Russo-Polish wars of the 17th century, provides an expositional antithesis to the Makhovaya Tower, which tells the story of the life, everyday routines, and spiritual culture of the defenders of the Smolensk Fortress—the streltsy. By visiting both towers, museum guests can form a complete picture of how the city lived in the 17th century, when Russian statehood was preserved behind the walls of the Smolensk Fortress. The exhibitions feature authentic weapon details, household items from the 16th–17th centuries, and meticulously crafted reconstructions of weapons and historical military costumes of the Russian and Polish armies, as well as urban clothing of the period. Tickets can be purchased at either tower or on the museum's website. The single admission ticket is valid for two days.