{
  "place_id": "smorhon#8026_11466",
  "wikidata": "Q958617",
  "country": "BY",
  "local_name": "Смаргонь",
  "names": {
    "en": {
      "main": "Smarhon",
      "why": "Established Belarusian-based English spelling, usually without a final soft-sign mark.",
      "alternatives": [
        {
          "name": "Smarhoń",
          "why": "Belarusian national 2007 geographical romanization, recommended by the UN in 2012; dated system, not unchanged domestic policy after 2023."
        },
        {
          "name": "Smarhon’",
          "why": "BGN/PCGN 1979-style form retaining a final soft-sign marker; the usual English form often omits the marker."
        },
        {
          "name": "Smorgon",
          "why": "Established Russian-based historical form, common in English military and Jewish historical sources."
        },
        {
          "name": "Smorgon’",
          "why": "Russian-based form with a final soft-sign marker."
        },
        {
          "name": "Smorgonie",
          "why": "Polish historical name used in English works referring to Polish sources."
        },
        {
          "name": "Смаргонь",
          "why": "Belarusian Cyrillic spelling."
        },
        {
          "name": "Сморгонь",
          "why": "Russian Cyrillic spelling."
        }
      ]
    },
    "fr": {
      "main": "Smarhon",
      "why": "Same as in English; attested French geographical form alongside historical Smorgon.",
      "alternatives": [
        {
          "name": "Smarhoń",
          "why": "Belarusian Latin form also reproduced in French geographical tables; same dated system as in English."
        },
        {
          "name": "Smorgon",
          "why": "Traditional Russian-based form in French military and historical writing."
        },
        {
          "name": "Smorgonie",
          "why": "Polish historical name retained in French references to Polish sources."
        }
      ]
    }
  },
  "about_en": "Smarhon is a town in Grodno Region in northwestern Belarus. It is remembered for a historical school of trained bears and for severe destruction during the First World War.",
  "about_fr": "",
  "certainty": "medium",
  "notes": "The final soft sign is represented differently by different systems; Smarhon and Smarhoń do not signify different towns.",
  "rank": 298,
  "slug": "smarhon"
}