Kondopoga

Kondopoga (Russian Кондопога, Kondupohju Karelian, Finnish Kontupohja ) is a city in the Republic of Karelia (Russia) with 32,987 inhabitants (as of October 14, 2010 ).

Geography

The city is located about 50 km north of the capital, Petrozavodsk Republic between the Kondopogabucht of Lake Onega and the higher lake Nigosero. The lakes are connected to the city by a canal, to which since 1923 a small hydroelectric power plant is operated.

Kondopoga is the administrative center of the homonymous Rajons.

The city lies on the Murmansk railway opened in 1917, a now to October Railway RZD belonging railway from St. Petersburg to Murmansk ( kilometer 456).

History

A village Kondopoga was first mentioned in 1563 ( according to other sources 1495 ). In the mid-18th century, a marble deposits were near, the village Tiwdija discovered. This marble many of St. Petersburg's buildings were clad in a row.

An economic boom, it came with the construction of the Murmansk railway 1915-1917 and the construction of the hydropower plant and a paper mill 1923. 1938 was the place with simultaneous incorporation of several surrounding villages, the town charter.

During World War II Kondopoga was occupied on November 3, 1941 by Finnish troops and recaptured on June 28, 1944 by troops of the Karelian Front Red Army as part of the Svir - Petrozavodsk Operation.

Beginning of September 2006, there was in Kondopoga serious ethnic conflict between Russia and immigrated from the Caucasus area residents, mainly Chechens.

Demographics

Note: from 1939 census data

Culture and sights

The 42 meter high Assumption Church ( Успенская церковь / Uspenskaja Tserkov ) from 1774 is an important monument of North Russian wooden architecture.

Kondopoga has a local history museum.

The nearby waterfall Kivach in the eponymous nature reserve is one of the highest plains waterfalls (11 meters) of Russia. Not far from the city lies the health resort Marzialnyje Vody.

Personalities

• Evgenia Medvedeva - Arbusowa (* 1976 in Kondopoga ), cross-country skier
• Larissa Lasutina (* 1965 in Kondopoga ), three -time Olympic cross-country skiing

Economy

Most important companies in the city is the paper mill Kondopoga AG (formerly Kondogaer pulp and paper plant ) that produces up to one third of the Russian newspaper paper. There are also wood processing and building materials industry.