Historical trip to Petrozavodsk with the Presidential Library

The Presidential Library continues its cycle of online exhibitions, Discovering Russia with the Presidential Library, dedicated to the history of cities in our country. This time, the focus was on the capital of Karelia, the city of Petrozavodsk.

Virtual trips can be taken on the institution's portal in the Online Projects section, based on historical documents from the electronic collection of the Presidential Library and its partners. Users can access ancient maps and plans, photos and engravings, academic articles and travel journals, reference books, and archival materials. Through this project, users can learn more about a particular city and its history.

In 2024, the 321st anniversary of the founding of Petrozavodsk will be celebrated. On August 29, 1703, it is believed that the Governor-General of Karelia, Ingria, and Estonia, Alexander Menshikov, laid the foundation stone for the blast furnace of the Shuisky (later Petrovsky) Metallurgical and Weapons Plant by the instructions of Peter I. The city grew around the factory settlement.

"Where was Petrozavodsk before? There was only a mill and a hut. But Peter the Great came and built a cast-iron factory, a church named after Peter and Paul, and planted a garden. He was the king! We read in the rare edition of 1872, Peter the Great in the Folk Legends of the Northern Territory. A photo of the church of St. Peter and St. Paul, taken by Sergei Prokudin-Gorsky in the early 20th century, as part of the Discovering Russia with the Presidential Library online project, dedicated to Petrozavodsk, is presetned to readers.

The project also includes photos of other places in Karelia taken by this pioneering Russian color photographer in 1915 and 1916, such as a view of modern-day Petrozavodsk from Golikovka Station, Lake Onega, the Alexandrovsky plant, Kivach Falls, and more.

By the way, Gavriil Derzhavin, the poet and statesman, can be considered the first famous visitor to Kivach Waterfall. In his ode "Waterfall", he praised the harsh beauty of the place, which was later translated into several European languages. Derzhavin served as the first governor of Olonets Province, where he was appointed in May 1784. This period of his public service is also discussed in rare publications available online.

Other materials from the Discovering Russia with the Presidential Library series, which is dedicated to the capital of Karelia, reveal interesting facts about Petrozavodsk. They discuss the construction of weapon factories and railways, the lives of the local people, their customs and culture, and visits by members of the Romanov family to the city.

Thanks to the portal of the Presidential Library, visitors can now explore Moscow, Murom, Kursk, Totma, Vologda, Veliky Ustyug, and Kostroma virtually. These cities are all part of the virtual tour Discovering Russia with the Presidential Library, which was held in a historic building on Senatskaya Street. The exposition, based on ancient maps, documents, and other historical evidence, introduces visitors to the history and attractions of these Russian cities. It provides a unique opportunity to explore the sights of Russia from the comfort of your own home.

Explore Russia with Presidential Library!