Mark Pimenov, a prominent public figure, philanthropist, and one of the most significant representatives of the business world in pre-revolutionary Karelia, was born

On October 23, 1799 (November 3 according to the new style), in the village of Shoksha in the Petrozavodsk district (now Prionezhsky district of the Republic of Karelia), a merchant of the first guild and a prominent figure in the history of Karelian region, Mark Pimenov was born. He was the founder of a dynasty of merchants and city heads of Petrozavodsk, as well as a benefactor.

Mark was born into a family of Veps peasantry, his parents were Pimen Mitrofanovich and Matryona Tarasovna. After working as a clerk for his uncle, merchant Pavel Varapaykin, he inherited his business upon his death. After relocating to St. Petersburg, Pimenov became a merchant of the first class and a commercial advisor. In 1841, he completed the construction of the famous Anichkov Bridge in a short period of time, along with an artel of Vepsi craftsmen. He also fulfilled the contract for building the Swan Bridge and erecting defensive structures in Kronstadt.

In 1843, M. Pimenov returned to Petrozavodsk, where he served as mayor from 1853 to 1854. During his time in office, he became known for his extensive charitable activities, which he funded with more than a quarter million rubles in silver.

In April 1849, construction of the Pimenovsky Orphanage (later renamed the Nikolaevsky Orphanage in honor of Emperor Nicholas I), the first in Olonets Province, was completed in the Cathedral Square of Petrozavodsk. The Pimenov family continued to operate the orphanage until 1918, during which time more than a thousand children were cared for and educated.

In Petrozavodsk, M. Pimenov built an almshouse for elderly residents, a separate building for the mentally ill, and a church named after the Holy Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus on the grounds of the city hospital, all at his own expense. One of his last charitable acts was the construction of a bridge over the Lososinka River in 1854, in the central part of Petrozavodsk (architect V. Tukhtarov). According to his contemporaries, this building was a true ornament of the city and is now known as the Mark Pimenov Bridge.

The patron also donated funds for the construction of several churches, including the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the village of Shoksha, the Transfiguration Church at the Annunciation John-Yashezersk Monastery, and the Holy Cross Church in Petrozavodsk.

In 1844-1846, M. Pimenov constructed a classical-style house for his family, which became the largest private residence in the city during the 19th century. From 1902 to 1918, the building served as the Olonets Diocesan Women's College. After that, it housed the classrooms of the Onega Military Flotilla until 1920. Later, various educational institutions were located in the building, including the Karelo-Finnish Pedagogical College named after E. Gulling, the party school of the Central Committee of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of the Karelian-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic, and the department of the Petrozavodsk Maternity Hospital. The building remains standing to this day and is now recognized as a historical and cultural landmark in Karelia. In 2015, a commemorative plaque was unveiled, bearing the inscription The House of Merchant Mark Pimenov (1799-1865), Native of Vepsia, Philanthropist and Builder of the Anichkov Bridge and Forts in Kronstadt, made from the renowned Shokshino red quartzite that the merchant supplied for construction projects in St. Petersburg.

In 1849, M. Pimenov, for his generous charitable activities, was awarded the title of Hereditary Honorary Citizen of the City of Petrozavodsk for the first time in its history. He was also honored with the Orders of St. Anna, III degree, and St. Stanislaus, II degree, as well as the Gold Medal "For Diligence", three times.

On April 20th (May 2nd), 1865, M. Pimenov passed away in Petrozavodsk. An obituary was published in the Olonets Provincial Statements which described him as "one of the most worthy citizens, immaculately honest and active in commercial and industrial affairs, and a benefactor to the poor of the Olonets region throughout his life." His burial at Zaretsky Cemetery has been preserved until today, located next to the Holy Cross Church which was built with the great assistance of M.P. Pimenov's charity.

In the native village of Shoksha, a traditional local history conference for young historians, Small Pimenov Readings, is being held at a secondary school. The conference is organized on the basis of the village's rich history and culture.

In 2018, a state award of the Republic of Karelia, the Mark Pimenov Medal, was established in honor of outstanding charitable contributions. The medal is named after M  Pimenov, who was a prominent figure in the region's history.

His nephew, Efim Pimenov, was a chairman of the Olonets Provincial Zemstvo Council from 1867 to 1873 and mayor of Petrozavodsk in 1870 and 1871. His great-nephew, Georgy Pimenov, served as mayor of Petrozavodsk from 1901 to 1910 and again from 1913 to 1918. Another member of the Pimenov family, Kosma Pimenov, also served as mayor in 1891 and 1892.

Лит.: Ватагина М. В. Ресурсный потенциал Карелии и его значение в формировании архитектурного облика Санкт-Петербурга (на примере карельской династии Пименовых: предпринимателей, благотворителей, общественных деятелей на рубеже XIX–XX веков) // Геокультурное пространство Карелии: традиции, современность, перспективы : материалы международной конференции (научно-деловой программы XVII Международного этнофестиваля «Земля Калевалы – 2023»), 10 апреля 2023 г. СПб., 2023. Т. 17. С. 90–94; Ициксон Е. Е. Дом Пименовых в Петрозаводске – памятник истории и архитектуры // Вепсский край: история и её творцы: материалы второй (30 октября 2014 г.) и третьей (29 сентября 2016 г.) межрегиональных краеведческих конференций «Лонинские чтения», с. Шёлтозеро. Петрозаводск, 2021. С. 66–76; Кораблёв Н. А. Городские головы Петрозаводска, 1778–1918 гг.: биографический справочник. Петрозаводск, 2008 (из содерж.: Пименов Марк Пименович. С. 32–35); Кораблёв Н. А. Пименов Марк Пименович // Карелия: энциклопедия. В 3 т. Т. 2. К–П. Петрозаводск, 2009. С. 386; Кораблёв Н. А. Купец Марк Пименов – предприниматель и благотворитель // Православие в вепсском крае: материалы межрегиональной научно-практической конференции, посвящённой 450-летию основания Благовещенского Ионо-Яшезерского мужского монастыря (г. Петрозаводск, 26 сентября 2012 года). Петрозаводск, 2013. С. 92–104; Кораблёв Н. А. Пименовы: династия предпринимателей, благотворителей, общественных деятелей. Петрозаводск, 2016; Некролог // Олонецкие губернские ведомости. 1865. 24 апреля (№ 15). С. 9; Новый мост чрез реку Лососинку // Олонецкие губернские ведомости. 1853. 17 сентября (№ 36). С. 5–6; [О благодетельном поступке М. П. Пименова, освободившего крестьян Рыборецкой волости Петрозаводского уезда от уплаты денежного взыскания] // Олонецкие губернские ведомости. 1863. 16 марта (№ 11). С. 1; Об изъявлении признательности // Олонецкие губернские ведомости. 1853. 26 декабря (№ 49). С. 1; Петрозаводск: 300 лет истории: документы и материалы. В 3 кн. Кн. 2. 1803–1903 // Архивное управление Республики Карелия, Национальный архив Республики Карелия. Петрозаводск, 2001 (из содерж.: Именной указатель (Пименов М.). С. 393); Пименовские чтения – 2007: материалы городской научно-практической конференции (26 апреля 2007 г.) / [редколлегия: Н. А. Кораблев, Е. П. Тарасова, В. С. Иванов]. Петрозаводск, 2007; 1849, апрель // Петрозаводск: хроника трёх столетий, 1703–2003. Петрозаводск, 2002. С. 79–80.

Based on the materials of Presidential Library:

Republic of Karelia: Pages of History: [digital collection]

The article was prepared by the National Library of Republic of Karelia