General Information

Petrozavodsk

The capital of the Republic, the City of Petrozavodsk, has the status of “historical” city of Karelia. Petrozavodsk emerged due to Emperor Peter the Great and impetuous historic events of early XVIII century, i. e. Russia’s struggle for the access to the Baltic Sea, switching the life of the whole country to “western traditions”, and boisterous development of industries in an agricultural state.

In 1703, same year as Russia got a new capital, Peter’s Works were founded on deserted banks of the Lososinka River with nothing more than a mill belonging to a farmer of Shuiskii settlement. At that point it became the largest ordnance factory in the country.It was mainly meant for smelting local lake and bog ores, casting cannons for the army and fledging navy, and production of guns and cold steel.By the way, some items made at the works (rapiers and broadswords) are exhibited in the Armory of Moscow Kremlin and Artillery Museum of St. Petersburg (cannons with trademark OLONEZ).

A settlement was built around the plant, which was called Petrovskaya Sloboda. Workmen, solders, and clerks of mining authorities inhabited the settlement. During its first century, the plant experienced periods of rises and comparative decline. After victorious Great Northern War, the plant so close to the theatre of military operations was no longer that necessary, and it was closed as plants of the Urals gave cheaper weapons. However, active and offensive Russian policy at its borders, both in the north (against Sweden) and in the south (Ottoman Empire), again required extension of arms production.

In 1773, they started the construction of Alexander cast-iron and cannon factory, and in just a year it yielded its first, and rather high-quality, products. There was a good reason why Field Marshall Suvorov himself praised them when coming to the plant with an inspection. By :the behest of Catherine II, in 1777 the settlement of Peter’s plant got the status of a town, and in 1781 it became capital of Olonets province (from 1784 — Olonets County). The first Governor of the area was Gavrila Derzhavin, a poet and a grandee. The first years of Petrozavodsk are still represented by the buildings of the historical center of the city, i. e. architectural ensembles of the Round (Lenina) and Sobornaya (Kirova) Squares. In 1785, Petrozavodsk had 327 wooden and 32 stone buildings, and 318 merchants lived in the city.

XIX left its traces on the buildings of Alexander plant (now Onego Tractor Plant), cathedrals of Alexander Nevskii and Krestovozdvizhensk as well as on traditional wooden buildings.

Together with Russia Petrozavodsk endured all historical turmoil of XX century, i. e. two World Wars, a Civil War, occupation of 1941–1944, and Stalin’s political repressions. Up till 1930 city development was rather chaotic and it was adjusted to the landscapes. During the Second World War, Petrozavodsk was devastated and it was totally rebuilt after the war. The modern appearance of the city is made of residential and administrative areas of 1950 s — 1980 s. The architecture of Karl Marx Avenue is being protected by the state as a pattern of after-war construction.

Today, Petrozavodsk covers 113 square kilometers and it is home to over a third of the population of the republic (266,4 thousand people as of 2005). The city yields almost half of the national income of Karelia by its machine building, power generation, woodworking, transport, food, and light industries. There are 2 universities in the city, 1 concert hall, 16 vocational schools, 49 schools, lyceums and gymnasiums (including one national gymnasium). The city also holds Karelian Research Center, 5 theatres, a philharmonic hall, National Library, archive, museums and art galleries.

The streets of the city are decorated with monuments to Peter I, Alexander Pushkin, Gavrila Derzhavin, and modern sculptures made by Karelian sculptors or presented by sister cities. Petrozavodsk is one of the greenest cities of Russia.

Petrozavodsk — city of festivals

International festivals are conducted in Petrozavodsk every year, and they are extremely popular with both inhabitants of the capital of the republic and guests.

Refreshed by the northern wind Boreas professional sculptors and amateurs create magnificent figures from snow and ice during the international winter festival “Hyperborea”. A skiing holiday of the city “Winter Fountains” has become an integral part of the festival.

Summer festival “White Night Accord” is also very popular. It includes competitions of sand sculptors and figures from balloons during the Day of the City.

In June, Petrozavodsk hosts the largest international open-air festival in Northwest Russia “Vozdukh” (Air). The organizers created the festival following the traditions of all-Russian and world music events, such as “Nashestvije” (Invasion), “ILOSAARIROCK”, “WOODSTOK”, what means lots of people, famous and young bands, fresh air and easy contacts.

City landmarks

Petrozavodsk stretches 25 km along the shores of Lake Onego. The center of the city is limited by Onezhskaya embankment and a railroad in the north and south, and by the Neglinka and the Lososinka rivers in the east and west. There are no central square or avenue in the city. Lenina Avenue starts at the railway station and leads to the embankment. Karl Marx Avenue links river station with Lenina Square (Round Square), from which one can get to the railway station via Lenina Avenue. Bus station is located to the west from the railway station behind the railroad.

State symbols

Flag of the Republic of Karelia

The state flag of the Republic of Karelia is a rectangular cloth with equal horizontal stripes: the upper stripe is red, middle one is light blue and the lower one is green. The ratio of the width to the length is 2:3.

The colors of the flag have long been esteemed by people of Karelia. Green and light blue are related to the environment around Karelians, i. e. woods, lakes and rapid rivers. Green stands for nature and vegetation, the main riches of the republic, and it symbolizes hope and belief in happiness. Light blue is the color lakes and rivers, and it means grandeur and beauty. Red is not only the color of strength and courage of people, but it is also a traditional color of Karelian embroidery, red upon the white. Those colors do not belong to any ethnic or social group of the population of the republic; moreover, they unite and consolidate all people.

Coat of arms of Karelia

The coat of arms of Karelia is a shield of rounded shape edged by a golden stripe. The field of the shield is divided into three equal parts: the upper is red, the middle is light blue, and the lower is green. The field holds a black profile of a bear walking on its hind legs to the right. Since ancient times has bear been revered and even worshipped by Finnish and Ugric peoples of the European North.It is a character of folklore of Karelians that has been passed from generation to generation in songs, legends and fairytales. Image of a bear can also be found on the emblem of Novgorod area, part of which Karelia used to be back in history.

There is an octagonal star at the top of the shield. That symbol is very frequent on Karelian and Vepsian national embroidery. The star symbolizes eternity and a lodestar, a source of life, prosperity, happiness, abundance and richness, and a symbol of sublime aspirations and ideals of people. Octagonal star is also a symbol a protection, i. e.it is a periapt.

The shield is carried by chargers in the shape of conventionalized trees, golden spruce and pine gradually mingling with the main contour of the shield. Pine and spruce are exceptionally significant for Karelia. Even a proverb says that the republic “stands on wooden legs”. Pine tree stands cover approximately 60 percent of forests of the republic, and spruce has the share of about 30 percent.Besides, images of spruce and pine frequent in Karelian embroidery, what is the echo of ancient ideas related to worshipping trees and plants.

Flag of Petrozavodsk

The flag of Petrozavodsk is used on solemn occasions.

The design of the flag was developed by Petrozavodsk artist Nikolai Trishkov and it was approved on March 1, 2001 by the City Council. The banner of the city is a white rectangular cloth with the coat of arms of the city in the upper left corner. At the bottom of the cloth there is a light blue wavy stripe.

Coat of arms of Petrozavodsk

The coat of arms of Petrozavodsk was approved by the decision of Petrozavodsk City Council of People’s Representatives (V session of XXI convocation) on 19.04.1991.

The coat of arms consists of a shield divided into two equal parts. The upper part bears an inward-facing hand on golden background protruding from the right, from an azure cloud, and holding a sky-blue oval shield.Below the hand there are four black cannonballs bound by crisscrossed black chains. The lower part of Petrozavodsk coat of arms is divided by 3 green and 2 golden stripes and holds and image of 3 iron hammers “symbolizing abundance of ores and plenty of plants in this region”.

It is allowed to produce one-color and small versions of the coat of arms of Petrozavodsk.

The coat of arms of Petrozavodsk is depicted on forms of resolutions and letters by Petrozavodsk City Council, Commissions of Petrozavodsk City Council, on decrees, orders and letters of the Head of Local Self-Government, on the forms of Petrozavodsk City Administration, on IDs of the representatives of Petrozavodsk City Council and municipal servants of Petrozavodsk, as well as on other documents provided by the Local Self-Government.

Other cases of official use of the coat of arms of Petrozavodsk are established by the decisions of Petrozavodsk City Council.

Procedures for the use of the forms with the coat of arms are established by the decisions of Petrozavodsk City Council.

The coat of arms of Petrozavodsk is property of the city. Procedures of the use of official symbols of the city for advertising and commercial purposes are established by the decisions of Petrozavodsk City Council.