The history of Petrozavodsk is interesting and eventful. In less than 300 years of its existence, it went through three stages of development: a factory settlement, a provincial city, the capital of the republic. Each time the city changed not only its status, but its face and architectural appearance changed.
What did Karelia live before?
Life on the shores of Lake Onega, where the Lososinka River flows into it, flowed in its normal course. The men of the Shuisky graveyard conquered the land from the forest for arable land, harvested a poor, northern crop, and by spring, when the grain reserves were running out, they were grinding wood bark together with the living. They hunted and caught fish that spawned up the strong, bustling river Lososinka.
They knew metallurgical craft in these places, deposits of raw materials were explored by their ancestors. Very distant ancestors, as evidenced by archaeological excavations. Not far from Petrozavodsk, the remains of a workshop of the second millennium BC were found. And in the XVII century, the first private metallurgical plants began their work in Zaonezhie. In the 80s, local industrialists exported 10 thousand pounds of iron for sale abroad.
During the years of the Northern War, which was led by Peter I for the departure of Russian ships in the Barents Sea, Karelia was in the vicinity of military operations, starting from the year 1700 (for 20 years). Small factories did not have time to provide troops with guns and cores. Assessing the possibilities of the region, Peter I decided to create a center for the metallurgical industry and shipbuilding in the northern region.
Construction of the Petrovsky Plant
The history of the emergence of Petrozavodsk begins from this moment. First, there was Shuisky churchyard, in which builders lived, and then workers of the state arms factory. They put it at the confluence of the Lososinki River in Lake Onega. The foundation was laid in 1703. Alexander Menshikov, loyal to the tsar and quick in business, was appointed the manager, the Moscow master Yakov Vlasov erected the plant. Following were several other enterprises.
The Shuysky plant, which was being built at a very fast pace, was well guarded. The territory was surrounded by a shaft on which guns were installed. The guns consisted of a special factory garrison, which could repel the enemy in the event of an attack.
The enterprise under construction was called Shuisky. When the first blast furnaces were launched in early 1704, it was renamed Petrovskoe. A marina was built to ship manufactured cannons and cores. The plant very quickly began operating at full capacity, becoming the largest metallurgical and arms factory in Russia.
Factory Village Development
The history of the development of Petrozavodsk continued. In the first 10 years of operation of the enterprise, Petrovskaya Sloboda becomes the most densely populated village in the Olonets district. Up to 800 people were leaving at the same time, but labor was constantly needed. Peasants and gunsmiths assigned to the plant lived in the village, who were sent on a business trip from Tula and the Urals to establish the production process. The population was gradually increasing.
It is known that in 1717 there were about three thousand permanent residents, and up to 700 peasants ascribed (“shift workers”). There were 150 houses for workers and specialists, townspeople and merchants: sovereigns - 150, their own - more than 450. In addition, the buildings necessary for household and office needs, retail shops, courtyards, warehouses were erected.
In 1716, a school was opened in the Petrovskaya Sloboda to prepare lower-class children for work in factories. A bit later a general educational institution appeared.
Peter I visited these places four times. A two-story palace was erected for his stay. For walks on the upper roof area built an open balcony. This was the only decoration on the building. They dug a pond nearby and planted a garden. The emperor personally planted trees there. Peter and Paul Cathedral was built at the same time.
The year 1721 was marked by the victory of the Russian army, the borders of the state expanded at the expense of Swedish land, the need for so many weapons was no longer needed. The factory initially produced pipes for fountains, nails and tin, but in 1734 it was completely closed. Life in the Petrovsky settlement froze.
Construction of the Alexander plant
In 1768, the Russo-Turkish war began, and the history of the founding of Petrozavodsk received a new impetus. By decree of Empress Catherine the Great, the cannon-foundry was laid in May 1773, and a year later the first gun was released. The new plant was named Alexandrovsky in honor of Alexander Nevsky.
In addition to guns and shells, the company specialized in the production of art casting and metal processing. He was also entrusted with the production of trade weights with the application of secret stamps, in order to avoid falsification.
Settlement development
The change in the settlement took place so quickly that the fact was obvious: he would not remain a settlement for long. The head of the Olonets factories A. Yartsov personally began work on a project for the development and improvement of the center of the future city. The Circular Square he drew adorns Petrozavodsk today. History claims that the status of a county town was given in 1777, immediately after the plant reached full capacity, and in 1784 it was appointed the center of the Olonets province.
The life of the provincial city
The center of Petrozavodsk was rebuilt in accordance with the prepared project. The provincial administration building appeared. All buildings of that time are made in the classical style. The surviving buildings look solid and beautiful, in good harmony with the surrounding landscape.
In 1873, a monument was erected on the Round Square to the founder Peter I. The author of the work, I.N. Schroeder, made a full-length statue of the emperor, pointing towards the factory he created. In Soviet times, the monument to Peter was transferred to the museum of local lore, and in its place a granite sculpture of V.I. Lenin was put.
Landscaping of the city was carried out periodically, mainly before the arrival of senior officials. Stone mansions were built in the center, on the outskirts there were wooden buildings. All the beauty was concentrated on Cathedral Square, where the Svyatoduhovskiy Cathedral, Ascension Church, and descent to the embankment are located.
Soviet Petrozavodsk
Almost the entire population of the industrial city before the revolution worked in metallurgical and weapons factories. The working class was organized and prepared by the strike struggle for revolutionary events. Therefore, the cells of the RSDLP were immediately activated. After some struggle, the city supported the Soviet regime.
In the pre-war years, the history of Petrozavodsk was the same as the history of the whole country. Educational institutions were built, theaters and monuments opened, and five-year plans were implemented.
Years of occupation
Immediately after the declaration of war, the mobilization of the male population began. Factories were transferred to the production of military products. Women and children were evacuated inland.
In early October 1941, the Finnish army entered the city. In the history of Petrozavodsk, the capital of Karelia, there were such black pages. In 1941, military command and control bodies began to operate here. The first Finnish concentration camp was formed here. Ten more appeared later. The city received a new name - Jaanislinn, by 1943 almost all the streets were renamed.
In August 1944, Petrozavodsk was liberated, the Finnish army retreated with heavy losses. But what did they leave behind? A pile of ruins. Everything that was possible was taken to Finland: equipment of factories, objects of art, cultural and historical values. And on the shore of Lake Onega there remained rows of barbed wire. Local residents died here.
