In the north-west of the Russian Federation there is one of the most beautiful and favorite places for Russians - the Republic of Karelia, the capital of which is the city of Petrozavodsk, which is also the administrative center of the Prionezhsky district. April 6, 2015 Petrozavodsk was awarded the high title - City of Military Glory.
History of the formation of the city
The capital of Karelia owes its birth to Peter I, who in 1703 founded a beautiful city near the mouth of the Lososinka River, on the shores of Lake Onega. Prince Alexander Menshikov supervised a large construction project for the construction of a new settlement. The first city-forming enterprise is a state-owned plant belonging to the group of metallurgical enterprises in Russia - the so-called Olonets Mining Plants. Such enterprises formed the basis of the heavy industry of Karelia at that time.
So, on August 29, 1703, the Shuisky Arms Factory appeared, later renamed Petrovsky. Already at the end of 1703the plant gives the first trial production. And since the beginning of 1704, his blast furnaces have been operating at full capacity. Thus, the local arms factory becomes known throughout Russia. By order of Empress Catherine II, in 1772, a decree was signed on the construction of a cannon-casting plant, later renamed Alexandrovsky.
The company produced not only weapons equipment. The production of artistic casting and metal processing was established. Gradually, the Alexandrovsky plant is gaining weight in the entire Russian metallurgical sector. Over time, Petrozavodsk (Karelia) becomes the center of the Olonets region and receives the status of a city, and in 1784 it becomes a provincial city.
Modern Petrozavodsk
Today's capital of Karelia is a cozy and hospitable city that always arouses great interest among tourists and just curious travelers. Architectural and historical monuments are very carefully preserved by local residents, they represent the pride and centuries-old traditions of the city.
Memorial and commemorative plaques on historical buildings, in which prominent personalities of different times lived and worked, do not escape the inquisitive gaze of tourists on local streets and squares. And there are more than a hundred of them in the city.
Historical sights of Petrozavodsk
What makes the capital of Karelia so attractive? The sights of the city, and there are many of them, are always of interest to tourists not only from Russia, but also from all over the world. Round Square, Karelian Museum of Local Lore, Governor's Park, museumfine arts, the exhibition hall of the Kizhi Museum is just a small list of interesting tourist routes that Petrozavodsk, the capital of Karelia, is famous for.
Round Square
Undoubtedly, the historical center of modern Petrozavodsk is Lenin Square. It was in this place, after the signing of the decree of Catherine II on assigning the status of a city to Petrozavodsk, that the administrative center of the new city, formerly known as Round Square, was located. Anikita Sergeevich Yartsov… The beginning of the construction of a large city is associated with the name of this person.
A mining engineer by education, A. S. Yartsov supervised the construction of the future Aleksandrovsky plant. All further territorial development of the city called Petrozavodsk (Karelia) is associated with his name. A. S. Yartsov outlined the location of the Round Square, along the circumference of which he placed administrative buildings.
On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Alexander Plant, a monument to Peter I was erected in the middle of the Round Square, which stood until the 1917 Revolution. Now on the square of the same name there is a granite monument to V. I. Lenin.
Kirov Square
In the 30s, Russia and the Republic of Karelia did not stand aside from the historical events. The capital of the northern region of the country, along with everyone else, knew the "charms" of Stalin's repressions.
In 1936, after the death of S. M. Kirov, the sculptor Matvey Manizer erected a monument to him, and the square was renamed Kirov Square. Now this place can rightly be called the square of arts. ByDrama and musical theaters in the classical style were built in 1953-1955 according to the project of S. G. Brodsky. Eight columns and an arch above them make up the main part of the theatre. The arch features sculptures made by S. T. Konenkov. Various types of natural stone were used on these structures: granite, marble and others.
The National Theater was built in 1965 also according to the project of S. G. Brodsky. The master left his historical mark not only in Petrozavodsk, but also other cities of Karelia are decorated with his architectural structures. From the side of Kirov Square, you can see the hero of the Kalevala epic Ilmarinen, who created the magic windmill of fate.
The third theater on this square is a puppet theater. The bright building framing the square is a museum of fine arts, which the Republic of Karelia is proud of. The capital of the region has a museum, which contains one of the most ancient collections of icons of the 15th-18th centuries, including more than two thousand samples. The museum is proud of its collection of great Russian artists such as Polenov, Ivanov, Levitan and Kramskoy. Here you can also see the work of Karelian masters. In 1789, a men's gymnasium was located in this building.
Onega embankment
Onega embankment is a favorite place for city residents and guests to walk. On June 25, 1994, on the Day of the City of Petrozavodsk, it was opened.
There is a good tradition: almost all cities of Karelia have their sister cities. This brings friendly nations very close and is an examplepeace and good neighborliness. Constant friendly visits enrich people on a spiritual, cultural and historical level. Here it is - the Republic of Karelia. The capital of the northern region of Russia is no exception. Petrozavodsk in 1965-2011 established sister city relations with eighteen cities around the world.
Sculptural creations of these sister cities lined up along the Onega embankment. The American Duluth donated the steel structure “Fishermen”, the city accepted the “Tube panel” as a gift from German friends. In 1996, Petrozavodsk received the Wish Tree as a gift from the Swedish city of Umeå. This is a modern interpretation of the ancient legend of an ebony tree with golden wish-granting bells. In 1997, the composition "Wave of Friendship" from the Finnish city of Varkaus appeared on the Onega embankment. In addition, the embankment is decorated with sculptural compositions "Starry Sky" and "Mermaid and Woman".
Geographic map of Karelia
Leaving Petrozavodsk, tourists meet with unusually beautiful landscapes of Karelia. Primordial rivers and lakes, framed by rocky shores and dense forests that take your breath away.
Some regions of Karelia amaze with their variety of natural and landscape complexes. Many of them are of great tourist interest and attract more and more curious travelers.
Wooden miracle of Russia
Kizhi is one of 1369 islands in the northeastern part of Lake Onega. He is considered the eighthwonder of the world and poetically called the silver necklace of the North, the pearl of the north. Here, on a small island with a length of 5.5 kilometers, there are two amazing churches, between which there is a bell tower.
Their beauty is amazing. This tiny piece of land not only shows us examples of wonderful Russian northern architecture, but also gives us the opportunity to feel the closeness of our ancestors. The miracle of the island of Kizhi, the Transfiguration Church, is a contemporary of Peterhof and at the same time its complete opposite.
The entire ensemble of Kizhi was built over 170 years by more than one generation of the most skilled craftsmen and artisans, whose names remain unknown. Instead of the gilded fountains of Petrodvorets, the mirror-smooth surface of Lake Onega spreads here, reflecting the heavens in their endless variety. Instead of an extended facade, decorated with intricate stucco, there are black boards of a northern shrine. The domes of the Church of the Transfiguration, like kokoshniks of Russian beauties, are covered with scales of a silvery plowshare. Everyone who has visited these places of the northern region at least once will never forget them.
Kivach flat waterfall
The tourist map of Karelia leads to another amazing place - the Kivach waterfall. The reserve "Kivach" is called Karelia in miniature. This is one of the smallest nature reserves in Russia. Its territory is 11 thousand hectares. Here you can see everything that represents the flora, fauna and geology of this picturesque region.
The most striking detail of the local landscape is considered to be a waterfall,which travelers came to admire three hundred years ago. Kivach is located on the territory of the Kandapoga region. This is the north-west of Karelia, which is located 68 kilometers from the capital. The waterfall is called Kivach, and it gave the name to the entire reserve, founded at the beginning of the last century.
Scientists believe that the name of the waterfall comes from the Finnish "kiwi", which means "stone", or the Karelian "kivas" - "snow mountain". Indeed, the cascade, white with foam, looks like a snowy peak. Kivach is considered one of the largest flat waterfalls in Russia. Water falls from a height of eleven meters, forming several picturesque steps on the Suna River. It originates at the border with Finland and flows into Lake Onega, having passed a winding road for almost 300 kilometers.
Suna flows along a rocky bed through large and small lakes. In its channel there are more than fifty rapids and waterfalls, but it was Kivach that has always attracted travelers from time immemorial. One of the first memories of the waterfall dates back to the middle of the 16th century.
Kivach, a place of inspiration
However, the history of Kivach as a tourist center began in the 18th century, when the famous Russian poet Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin, who was appointed here as governor, visited here. The beauty of the waterfall inspired Derzhavin to compose a poem that glorified this corner of Karelian nature throughout Russia. In those years when Kivach had primordial natural power, the most influential people of the state made trips to Karelia.
I came to admire the amazing waterfalleven Emperor Alexander II. It is said that doctors prescribed him the sound of falling water. For the convenience of the sovereign, comfortable wooden gazebos and bridges were equipped along the banks of the Suna, which have not survived to this day. Even stones can tell modern tourists about travelers from different times.
Huge boulders keep the memory of those who were so impressed by the beauty of Karelia that they spared no effort or time to carve their name. Ancient inscriptions can be seen by walking along the right bank of the river, where a convenient hiking trail has been laid. But the most impressive view of the rocks and the waterfall itself opens directly from the water.
You can get to the foot of the cascade on a rubber rowing boat. The deep canyon of the waterfall is formed by ancient rocks of volcanic origin. This stone of rich slate color is called diabase. It is very hard, almost twice as strong as granite. Therefore, it is often used for paving streets. In the reserve, diabase rocks frame the waterfall and divide it into two streams. Many years ago, Kivach was much larger than it is now, its noise could be heard five kilometers away.
Welcome to Karelia
Hospitable Karelia opens its doors to everyone who wants to get in touch with the land of amazing beauty. The region that Russia is proud of is the Republic of Karelia.
