Townapedia
Gagarin town - Central square
Gagarin town - Central square · A.Savin, CC BY-SA 3.0
Gagarin-DSC 0579
Gagarin-DSC 0579 · Burov.yl, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Gagarin-DSC 0574 · Burov.yl, CC BY-SA 4.0
Gagarin-DSC 0573
Gagarin-DSC 0573 · Burov.yl, CC BY-SA 4.0
Gagarin-DSC 0582
Gagarin-DSC 0582 · Burov.yl, CC BY-SA 4.0
Gagarin-DSC 0587
Gagarin-DSC 0587 · Burov.yl, CC BY-SA 4.0

Gagarin, Russia

Гагарин

Gagarin is a town of 28,879 people in Smolensk Oblast, Russia, founded in 1718.

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Population28,879 GeoNames
Local nameГагарин
Elevation194 m 636 ft
Founded1718
Time zoneEurope/Moscow
Land area14.5 km²

Why visit Gagarin

Townapedia lists 15 museums and landmarks, 6 parks and trails, 8 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.

Highlights include Гагаринский народный драматический театр and Объединенный мемориальный музей Ю.А.Гагарина.

About Gagarin

Gagarin (Russian: Гага́рин), known until 1968 as Gzhatsk (Гжатск), is a town and the administrative centre of Gagarinsky District of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Gzhat River, 240 kilometers (150 mi) northeast of Smolensk, the administrative centre of the oblast. Population: 31,721 (2010 census); 28,789 (2002 census); 28,867 (1989 Soviet census).

From the Wikipedia article Gagarin, Smolensk Oblast (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Things to do1

Museums and landmarks15

А. А. Леонову

Monument and historic site

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Воинам погибшим в локальных конфликтах

Monument and historic site

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Воинское захоронение

Monument and historic site

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Героям Советского Союза

Monument and historic site

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Дом космонавтов

Museum · 0.7 km

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Дом-музей родителей Ю.А. Гагарина

Museum · 0.7 km

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Мемориал ВОВ

Monument and historic site · 1.4 km

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Музей школьных лет Ю. А. Гагарина

Museum · 0.7 km

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Партизанскому отряду «Победа»

Monument and historic site · 0.7 km

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Петру I

Monument and historic site

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Ф. Ф. Солнцеву

Monument and historic site · 0.6 km

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3 more on the map.

Parks, trails and playgrounds6

Петровская аллея

Park · 0.6 km

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Сквер 60-летия полёта в космос

Park

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Сквер ветеранов

Park

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Сквер им. А. А. Леонова

Park

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ЦПКиО имени Солнцева

Park · 0.6 km

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Школьный стадион

Sports field and stadium · 0.6 km

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Restaurants and cafes8

Zahodi

Cafe · Cake, Coffee Shop, Tea

Mo-Su 08:00-22:00

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Изба Чайная

Cafe · Local, Russian · 0.8 km

Tu-Su 10:00-17:30

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Хинкальная "У Мартина"

Cafe · 1.3 km

Mo-Su 08:00-20:00

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Апетитка

Cafe · 0.7 km

45А улица Строителей

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Космическая сказка

Cafe

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Шале

Restaurant · 0.7 km

13А улица Гагарина

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Burger`s City

Fast food

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History

In 1718, a village on the territory of modern Gagarin was transformed by a decree of Peter the Great to a transshipment landing stage (called Gzhatsky landing stage). From the mid-18th century, Gzhatsk was a sloboda, and in 1776, by a decree by Catherine the Great, it was granted uyezd town status and a coat of arms showing "a barge loaded with bread ready for departure, on a field argent", meaning that the town was a good landing stage for grain.

The town was built at the crossing of the Moscow road (east-west) and the Smolensk road (north-south, paralleling the river). By the plan of 1773, it was laid out in triangular form. One part paralleled the Gzhat River, another—the road to Moscow, and the base of the triangle connected them.

On August 29, 1812, in the village of Tsaryovo-Zaymishche near Gzhatsk, Mikhail Kutuzov accepted command of the Russian army. On the day of Napoleon's invasion, the town was set on fire and burned for several days. It was near Gzhatsk where Denis Davydov's guerrilla group started to operate. Russian troops entered the town again on November 2, 1812. When the town was rebuilt in 1817, the former regular layout was basically kept.

On November 13 [O.S. October 31], 1917, Soviet power was proclaimed in Gzhatsk and its uyezd. A year later, there was a counterrevolutionary insurrection.

From the History section of Gagarin, Smolensk Oblast on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where to stay3

Churches and places of worship6

  • Церковь Иконы Божией Матери Казанская

    Church · Russian Orthodox

    56 улица Гагарина

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  • Собор Благовещения Пресвятой Богородицы

    Church · Russian Orthodox

    7 улица Герцена

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  • Церковь Вознесения Господня

    Church · Russian Orthodox · 1.4 km

    4А Железнодорожная улица

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  • Церковь Иконы Божией Матери Всех Скорбящих Радость

    Church · Russian Orthodox

    9А улица Герцена

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  • Церковь Иконы Божией Матери Тихвинская

    Church · Russian Orthodox

    9 улица Герцена

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  • Часовня Усекновения главы Иоанна Предтечи

    Church · Russian Orthodox · 1.4 km

    56 улица Ленина

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Shopping15

Gas and EV charging2

Schools, colleges and libraries6

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Healthcare14

Map of Gagarin

77 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Getting there and nearby towns

  • Музей первого полёта map
  • Uvarovka 38 km east, about 38 min by car
  • Arkhangel’skoye 39 km northeast, about 39 min by car
  • Dor 43 km northeast, about 43 min by car
  • Novodugino 45 km west, about 45 min by car
  • Tëmkino 49 km south, about 49 min by car
  • Vyaz’ma 58 km southwest, about 58 min by car
  • Shakhovskaya 62 km northeast, about 1 h by car
  • Mozhaysk 65 km east, about 1 h by car
  • Ruza 77 km east, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Volokolamsk 81 km northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

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Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built November 4, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.