Karelia is a surprisingly beautiful region, which has long been a coveted pilgrimage destination for many tourists from all over the world. They are attracted not only by magnificent landscapes and crystal lakes, but also by architecture, as well as the sights of cities that are unique and homely. Let's talk about them.
Major Cities of Karelia: List
In total, there are 13 cities in Karelia with a relatively low population density. The head of the list is the capital of the region - Petrozavodsk, which is spread on the shores of Lake Onega and occupies 135 square meters. km
The history of Petrozavodsk begins long before 1777, when a small village became a city. The heyday came from the time of Peter the Great, according to whose decree an arms factory was erected on the banks of Onega. Picturesque lakes within the city, an abundance of museums, including the famous island of Kizhi, art galleries make the city amazing and unique. Here the most alluring tourist routes begin.
The population of the Karelian capital is 277.1 thousand people
The second largest (31.2 thousand people) is the rather young city of Kondopoga (1938), located not far from the capital. Mention of the first settlements in these places dates back to the XV century, and from the 40s of the twentieth century marble deposits were discovered here. Unusual belfries - Dutch carillon bells - give the city a special touch.
Cities of Karelia
The list will be continued by Kostomuksha - a city with a population of 29.5 thousand people, formed in 1983 on the site of an old village of the same name. Kostomuksha is located on the shores of Lake Kostomuksha, and the city-forming enterprise is Karelsky Okatysh GOK.
Another city that emerged in 1943 and forms the Segezha urban settlement is Segezha with a population of 27.5 thousand people. Its location is Lake Vygozero, 267 km from Petrozavodsk.
Small but wonderful cities of Karelia are beautiful and attractive, the list of which is presented below:
• Sortalava, included in the list of historical cities of Russia, was founded in 1632. Population - 18.7 thousand people. Sortalava is the second tourist center after the capital of the republic. This is the starting point of water routes to the famous Valaam.
• Medvezhyegorsk - a city with a population of 14.5 thousand people, located 152 km from Petrozavodsk, was formed as a settlement of builders of the railway to the bays of the Barents Sea. The city is recognized in 1938.
• Ancient Kem, located on the Kemi River and founded in 1785, and the former one was the parish of Martha Boretskaya, who was donated in 1450 to the Solovetsky Monastery. Today the population of the town is 11.8 thousand people.
Small cities
The smallest formations include the following cities of Karelia (list):
• Pitkäranta (1940) - a settlement with 10.7 thousand inhabitants;
• Belomorsk (1938) - 10.1 thousand people;
• Suojärvi (1940) - 9.1 thousand people;
• Pudozh (1785) - 9.2 thousand people;
• Olonets (1649) - 8.2 thousand people;
• Lahdenpohja (1945) - 7.5 thousand people.
The cities of Karelia, the list of which we have presented, are unique and amazing. All of them - both ancient and recent ones - leave a wonderful mark in the soul and make you return to Karelia again and again.