Belozersk

Belozersk (Russian Белозерск, scientific transliteration Belozersk; until 1777 Beloye Lake ( Белоозеро ), German Weissensee) is a Russian city in Vologda Oblast, Northwestern Russia. It is the administrative seat of Rajons Belozersk and has 9616 inhabitants (as of October 14, 2010 ).

Geography

Belozersk is located 214 km northwest of Vologda and 118 kilometers north of Cherepovets between the southern shore of the White Sea and the Volga - Baltic Canal, about 20 km west of the outlet of the river Scheksna.

History

As a residence of the legendary Varangian Sineus Beloye Lake appeared already in a source from the year 862, which was recorded by the monk and chronicler Nestor of Kiev in his historical collection The history of the past years from 1112 to 1113, and thus is regarded as one of the oldest cities of Rus. At that time there was still the place on the opposite shore of the White Sea near the present village Kisnema. First, alternately in the possession of the principalities Veliky Novgorod and Rostov - Suzdal, Beloye Lake was from 1238 the seat of an autonomous dominion. In 1352 the city was first moved to a plague epidemic at the outlet of the river near the present village Scheksna Krochino and erected 1363/64 at its present location over again. In the 1370s, the formerly independent principality was then the Grand Duchy of Moscow incorporated, but remained at least seat of a principality own part.

During the Mongol storms, the small state resisted thanks to its sheltered location in the densely wooded landscape lakes of northern Russia successfully the attackers and was home to many refugees from the occupied regions in the south. In its heyday in the 15th and 16th centuries Beloye Lake became an important trading center where goods from Tver, Novgorod, the influential monasteries in the South and the distant settlements of the north were handled. Through the establishment of Arkhangelsk on the White Sea in 1586, the main trade route shifted further east to the rivers of the Northern Dvina and Sukhona, so that the city strongly forfeited important. In the 17th century Beloye Lake was severely destroyed by the Polish- Lithuanian troops.

In 1777, the town got its present name on the occasion of his elevation to the county seat. With the opening of Belozersky channel ( Белозерский ( обводной ) канал ) in 1846, which as a section of the Mariinsky Waterway ( водная Мариинская система ) joined the White Sea with Lake Onega, and thus the Volga region and the Sukhona with the Gulf of Finland, Belozersk gained renewed importance, especially in the field of forestry and timber rafting. After the Second World War, the Volga-Baltic channel succeeds the old canal system, so the route now passes no longer by the lake, but south of the city.

Demographics

Note: Census data

Economy

In addition to food production, the main industry in Belozersk the timber industry. Several sawmills and other wood processing companies are headquartered in the city.

Attractions

The Kremlin ( Кремль ) in the city center was in 1487 under Ivan III. created and still has a ( once 30 meters high ) mound, which was formerly surmounted by palisades and wooden watchtowers. Within the Remparts, the built in 1668 to the end of the 1670s Saviour's Transfiguration church ( Спасо - Преображенский собор ) has received with its baroque interior. The oldest stone building in town is the 1553/1554 to 1570 built by masters of Rostov Veliky Dormition Church ( Успенский собор ); to their equipment includes, among other things precious, created in the second half of the 13th century icon of Our Lady of Belozersk ( Икона Богоматери Белозерской ). Other important monuments are built in timber church of Prophet Elias ( Ильинская церковь, 1690-1696 ), the Church of the Merciful Redeemer ( Церковь Всемилостивого Спаса, 1716-1723 ), the Church of the Epiphany ( Богоявленская церковь, 18th century) and the Belozersky channel which runs between the city and the White sea and is separated from it by a causeway.

Events

Place annually in July at the same time the City Festival and the Festival of Arts " Beloye Lake " ( Фестиваль искусств " Белоозеро ") with the craft market, folklore performances and history plays at the Kremlin Wall instead.

Twin Cities

The sister city of Belozersk Skien in Norway. Because of its former importance as a trading partner with the cities of the North Belozersk was officially included in the covenant of the New Hanseatic League in 2001.