At the end of the XII – the beginning of the XIII centuries there were more than 30 temples in the Smolensk region. Three temples of the XII century have remained in Smolensk up to now. The most ancient among them is the Church of St. Peter and Paul. It is situated on the right bank of the Dnieper not far from the modern bus station. The temple was built in the 50-s of the XII century. On the opposite bank of the river Dnieper there remained a stone temple, built in the 70-s of the XII century. It is the Church of the St. John the Theologian. The only monument of the Smolensk architectural school, remained up to now, is the Church of the Archangel Michael. It differs from others with the stage composition and the marked verticalism of proportions,that give the church gracefulness and solemnity. Being built between 1180 and 1197, the temple stroke the contemporaries with the exquisiteness of the forms and the richness of the inner decoration..