Medvezhyegorsk

Medvezhyegorsk (Russian Медвежьегорск, Karhumägi Karelian, Finnish Karhumäki ) is a city in the Republic of Karelia (Russia) with 15,533 inhabitants (as of October 14, 2010 ).

Geography

The city is located about 150 km north of the capital of Republic of Petrozavodsk at the north end of Lake Onega ( Powenezbucht ).

Medvezhyegorsk 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 ( Medweschja Gora station, kilometer 556 ). By Medvezhyegorsk the highway M18 Saint-Petersburg - Severomorsk runs.

About 20 kilometers east of the city, near the settlement of Povenets, the White Sea - Baltic Canal reached Lake Onega.

History

A Karelian village on site of the present town is known since the 16th century.

1916 was developed in connection with the construction of the Murmansk railway station a village, whose Russian name Medweschja Gora ( German Bear Mountain ) is a translation of the ancient Karelian place name.

1938, the place under the present name of the town right, not least as the administrative center ( 1931-1941 ) of the White Sea -Baltic camp in the system of Gulag prison camp.

During World War II Medvezhyegorsk was occupied on December 6, 1941 by Finnish troops and recaptured on June 23, 1944 by troops of the Karelian Front Red Army as part of the Svir - Petrozavodsk Operation.

Demographics

Note: Census data

Culture and sights

In Medvezhyegorsk a museum exists for the city's history.

In the field of Rajons Medvezhyegorsk the Kizhi Island is located in Lake Onega, the wooden church ensemble is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Economy

The city is the center of the timber industry and the wood processing industry; next construction industry, textile and food industries.

Medvezhyegorsk is for spa ( mineral springs Tsaritsyn Kliuch and tri Iwana and health resort ).