Monastyrshchina is known since the end of the 13th century or the beginning of the 14th century, when a skete was founded here.
Between second half of the 14th century and the middle of the 17th century, the area belonged intermittently to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, to Poland, and to the Grand Duchy of Moscow. In the 18th century, Monastyrshchina belonged to Poland, and in 1772, as a result of the First Partition of Poland, it was transferred to Russia and included in the newly established Mogilev Governorate. It belonged to Mstislavsky Uyezd. In 1919, Mogilev Governorate was abolished, and Mstislavsky Uyezd was transferred to Smolensk Governorate. In 1925, Monastyrshchina Volost was established.[2]
On 12 July 1929, governorates and uyezds were abolished, and Monastyrshchinsky District with the administrative center in the selo of Monastyrshchina was established. The district belonged to Smolensk Okrug of Western Oblast. On August 1, 1930, the okrugs were abolished, and the districts were subordinated directly to the oblast. On 27 September 1937 Western Oblast was abolished and split between Oryol and Smolensk Oblasts. Monastyrshchinsky District was transferred to Smolensk Oblast. Between 1941 and 1943, during WWII, the district was occupied by German troops.[10] In January 1965, Monastyrshchina was granted urban-type settlement status.[2]
The closest railway station is in Pochinok, on the railway connecting Smolensk and Bryansk via Roslavl.
Monastyrshchina is connected by paved roads with Smolensk, Pochinok, and Khislavichi, and has access to the M1 highway, connecting Moscow with Belarus via Smolensk. A road of a poor quality connects Monastyrshchina with Mstsislaw across the border with Belarus.[2]
^Федеральная служба государственной статистики. Федеральное агентство по технологическому регулированию и метрологии. №ОК 033-2013 1 января 2014 г. «Общероссийский классификатор территорий муниципальных образований. Код 66 627 151 051». (Federal State Statistics Service. Federal Agency on Technological Regulation and Metrology. #OK 033-2013 January 1, 2014 Russian Classification of Territories of Municipal Formations. Code 66 627 151 051. ).
^"Об исчислении времени". Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации (in Russian). June 3, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
^Почта России. Информационно-вычислительный центр ОАСУ РПО. (Russian Post). Поиск объектов почтовой связи (Postal Objects Search) (in Russian)
Администрация Смоленской области. Постановление №261 от 30 апреля 2008 г. «Об утверждении реестра административно-территориальных единиц и территориальных единиц Смоленской области», в ред. Постановления №464 от 27 июня 2014 г. «О внесении изменений в реестр административно-территориальных единиц и территориальных единиц Смоленской области». Опубликован: База данных "Консультант-плюс". (Administration of Smolensk Oblast. Resolution #261 of April 30, 2008 On the Adoption of the Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Units and Territorial Units of Smolensk Oblast, as amended by the Resolution #464 of June 27, 2014 On Amending the Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Units and Territorial Units of Smolensk Oblast. ).
Смоленская областная Дума. Закон №89-з от 2 декабря 2004 г. «О наделении статусом муниципального района муниципального образования "Монастырщинский район" Смоленской области, об установлении границ муниципальных образований, территории которых входят в его состав, и наделении их соответствующим статусом», в ред. Закона №78-з от 28 мая 2015 г. «О преобразовании муниципальных образований Монастырщинского района Смоленской области, об установлении численности и срока полномочий депутатов представительных органов первого созыва вновь образованных муниципальных образований Монастырщинского района Смоленской области, а также порядка избрания, полномочий и срока полномочий первых глав вновь образованных муниципальных образований Монастырщинского района Смоленской области». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Вестник Смоленской областной Думы и Администрации Смоленской области", №12, часть II, стр. 390, 5 декабря 2004 г. (Smolensk Oblast Duma. Law #89-z of December 2, 2004 On Granting the Status of the Municipal District to the Municipal Formation of "Monastyrshchinsky District" of Smolensk Oblast, on Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations Whose Territories It Comprises, and on Granting Them Appropriate Status, as amended by the Law #78-z of May 28, 2015 On the Transformation of the Municipal Formations in Monastyrshchinsky District of Smolensk Oblast, on Setting the Number and Term Limits of the Deputies of the Representative Bodies of the First Convocation in the Newly Established Municipal Formations in Monastyrshchinsky District of Smolensk Oblast, as Well as the Election Procedures, Powers, and Term Limits of the First Heads of the Newly Established Municipal Formations in Monastyrshchinsky District of Smolensk Oblast. Effective as of the official publication date.).