Petrozavodsk (Петрозаво́дск; Karelian, Vepsian and Finnish: Petroskoi) is the capital city of Karelia with a population just above 263,000.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
On September 11, 1703, Prince Menshikov founded Petrovskaya Sloboda ("Petrine Settlement") at the behest of Tsar Peter the Great, who needed a new iron foundry to manufacture cannons and anchors for the Baltic Fleet at the time of the Great Northern War (1700–1721). At first the foundry used the name Shuysky zavod (literally, "factory at the Shuya River"), but a decade later it became Petrovsky zavod ("Petrine factory"), after the reigning monarch. By 1717, Petrovskaya Sloboda had grown into the largest settlement in Karelia, with about 3,500 inhabitants, a timber fort, a covered market, and miniature palaces of the Tsar and Menshikov.
The town has a moderate size. Center is easily walkable. A taxi anywhere in town costs 100 руб or less. Buses run frequently along the major routes. The railway station is at the southern end of Leninsky Prospekt, which cuts through the center of town all the way to the embankment on Lake Onego. It is about a 30-minute walk from the station to the lake.
All the neoclassical architecture The lake, the shore, and things nearby Visit the main theatre. The architecture is gorgeous and the square along with a nearby park offer great walking opportunities There are three main museums in the city: the National Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Kizhi Petrozavodsk Museum. 1 National museum of Karelia, 1, Lenin Square (trolleybus: 1, 2, 6 (stop "hotel" Severnaya "and stop" Herzen street "); bus: 4, 5, 12, 14, 17, 20 - 22, 26, 29 (stop "hotel Severnaya" and stop "Herzen street")), ☏ +7-8142-55-96-20. Tu-Su: museum 10:00-18:00, ticket office till 17:30. Museum of Local Lore in Petrozavodsk.
1 Karelian National Theatre, pr. Karla Marksa, 19, ☏ +7 814 2782674. This theatre gives an authentic experience on the strong connections between Finnish and Karelian culture. Mushroom and berry picking. If you are visiting in the autumn, consider joining the locals as they head into the woods to pick delicious mushrooms and berries. Fishing. Find a friendly local guide and go fishing at one of thousands of nearby lakes with an overnight stay or without. 2 Kivach Waterfalls (Кивач). 10.7-m-high waterfall cascade. Martial Waters. This area houses several natural springs which are said to be very good for your health. There are also resorts nearby.
Dine out. Check out one of several local restaurants. Many trend foreign but some still serve local cuisine. Karelian dining often features fish cooked whole in its own soup.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
In Jul, Petrozavodsk typically sees ~23°C daytime highs and 4 rainy days.
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