Petrozavodsk is the capital of Karelia. The city is located on the shores of the picturesque Onega Lake, which stretches along the shore for as much as 22 km. This settlement has a rich history and amazing architecture. The sights of Petrozavodsk attract hundreds of tourists every year.
Historical background
Until the end of the 16th century, on the site where the city was built, there was a small settlement of Onegaborg. Petrozavodsk was founded in 1703. By order of Peter I, a cannon-casting ironworks was built here, named after the emperor Petrovsky. It produced ship equipment, shells, cannons, cold and firearms. Later, a settlement called Petrovskaya Sloboda was organized around the enterprise.
When the Northern War was over, the plant was closed. True, already during the war with the Ottoman Empire, the Alexander Cannon Factory was built in the region. This company was considered one of the bestdefense factories of the country. In 1777, the settlement was named Petrozavodsk, and already in 1784 it was proclaimed a provincial city.
At the beginning of the 19th century, a steamship service was established between Petrozavodsk and St. Petersburg. In the XX century. from the city a railroad was built to the north to Murmansk. During the Patriotic War, Petrozavodsk suffered significantly as a result of the occupation by the Finns. On the territory of the settlement, 7 concentration camps were organized, where a huge number of civilians were imprisoned and shot. In 2007, the city was given the official name Petrozavodsk urban district.
Main attractions of Petrozavodsk
The city is decorated with the old Lenin Square (XVIII century). Before the revolution, it was called Round, and then - October 25 Square. It received its current name only in 1960. The ensemble is made in the style of early classicism and is considered the only surviving architectural monument of the 18th century in the city. In honor of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Alexander Plant, it was decided to erect a monument to Peter I on the square. Later, the monument was moved to the city embankment, and a granite monument to Lenin has adorned its old place since 1933.
What else to see in Petrozavodsk on the Round Square? Various administrative buildings rise near it: the governor's residence, former offices and two outbuildings.
Karelian Museum
In one of the buildings onThe square houses the Karelian Museum of Local Lore, which was founded back in 1871. Its expositions tell about the history and nature of the region, as well as about the culture of the multinational people of Karelia - Karelians, Russians and Vepsians. Here you can see unique archaeological finds: rock petroglyphs, which give an idea of the spiritual culture of primitive people, as well as various objects on the fauna and flora of this region. The museum presents the interior of one of the ceremonial halls of the governor's house in the mid-19th century.
The most interesting in the museum is the archaeological and geological collections, as well as the exposition of products from Karelian birch, printed and handwritten books of the 16th-19th centuries, folk costumes and headdresses of the 10th-20th centuries. The institution also stores old spinning wheels from Zaonezhye, Pudozhye, Pomorye, young and middle Karelia. There are also military products and artistic castings of the Alexander Plant, photographs of the 19th-20th centuries, portraits of merchants and governors of the Olonets province, household items, shoes and clothes of Finnish concentration camp prisoners, a collection of weapons, various folklore elements, etc.
Governor's Park
Not far from Lenin Square you can see other sights of Petrozavodsk. The Governor's Park is very popular. Near its entrance there is a collection of items related to the mining business in Karelia, and products that were produced at the Aleksandrovsky plant. In the central part of the park stands a monument to Gavrila Derzhavin. It should be noted that this famous poet was the firstOlonets governor. The height of the sculpture is 4.5 meters, and the latter is installed on a pedestal made of granite.
Kirov Square
Kirov Square is another amazing architectural monument that adorns Petrozavodsk. The sights of the city directly testify to the difficult history of this region. Before the revolution, this square was called Sobornaya, because there were several cathedrals around it. Later, all of them were destroyed by the Soviet authorities, and a monument to Kirov was erected on the square itself, in connection with which it got its modern name.
Museum of Fine Arts
In the northern part of the square are the buildings of the former male and female gymnasium, not far from them is the City Administration House. The building of the male gymnasium currently houses the Republican Museum of Fine Arts. This institution was opened in 1960 with the aim of preserving the artistic heritage of Karelia. The collection consists of exhibits from the local history museum, as well as various donated works of art from the Tretyakov Gallery, the Russian Museum, and the State Hermitage. Today, objects of folk art, many works of Karelian masters, examples of Western European art, ancient Russian painting, collections of iconography and works of Russian masters of the 18th-19th centuries are exhibited here.
Kizhi Museum
In the southern part of the square there is a two-story building that housed the mining school. Today it is occupied by the exhibition hall of the museum."Kizhi". By the way, all of Petrozavodsk is literally dotted with its branches, which are called visitor centers (a photo of the attraction is presented below).
The main sightseeing routes of the city pass between the visitor centers. Every day, the exposition areas of the museum-reserve on Kizhi Island, which is located on Lake Onega, are visited by many tourists. According to legend, all the buildings built here were made with an ax, without the use of any other tools. The House of Culture and the National Theater are also located on Kirov Square.
Old Quarter
Studying the unique sights of Petrozavodsk, it is worth looking into the old quarter. Walk along the streets of Kuibyshev, Malaya Slobodskaya, Neglinka and Fedosova. The first buildings erected during the development of the city (XIX century) have been preserved here. True, only Lazorev's house, Kuchersky's house, the building of the provincial hospital with a chapel and a blacksmith's workshop have survived to this day.
Religious monuments
In the Zarechny district of the city there is a temple of Alexander Nevsky. This building was erected in 1832 near the Alexander Plant. During the years of Soviet rule, it did not function and was opened only in 1993. At the same time, large-scale work began to restore the appearance of the temple, and in 2002 it was consecrated again. The building is made in the spirit of late classicism. Near the temple there is a belfry with 8 bells.
Where else to go in Petrozavodsk tosee religious shrines? In addition to the Alexander Cathedral in the capital of Karelia, the Ex altation of the Cross Cathedral of 1852 and the Catherine Church of 1878 have been preserved.
Onega embankment
Local residents and tourists are very fond of walking along the Onega embankment. It consists of two lines. The first one was built in 1994. Various original sculptures are installed along it, which were presented to the city by foreign sister cities. For example, the Germans presented the sculptural composition "Tube Panel", the Americans - the steel structure "Fishermen", the Finns - the sculpture "Wave of Love", and the Swedes - the composition "Wishing Tree". There is a monument to Peter the Great in a small square on the embankment. The second line runs along the city's historic buildings.
Petrozavodsk: attractions in winter
Lovers of outdoor activities are invited to visit the Gorka sports and entertainment center, where a large ski center is located. There are two ski slopes, which are 200 and 250 meters long. The mini-resort is equipped with lifts, lighting, snowboarding tracks and an ice rink. The Gorka Center is open from December to March. Those who prefer water sports can visit the Aquatika sports center, which offers a wide range of water activities.
The sights of Petrozavodsk and its environs amaze the imagination with their diversity. Visit this amazing region - and you will fall in love with this amazing andhospitable Karelia.
