Gagarin

Russia / Smolensk / Gzhatsk, Gzhatsk /
 city, district center

Gagarin (Russian: Гага́рин) is a town in Smolensk Oblast, Russia. It is situated on the Gzhat River, 240 km north-east of Smolensk. Population: 28,789 (2002 Census).

Founded in 1719 as Gzhatsk (Гжатск), town status since 1776. In 1968 the town was renamed after Yuri Gagarin, the first cosmonaut, who was born in the adjacent village of Klushino in 1934.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   55°32'52"N   34°59'23"E