Olonets (Russian: Оло́нец; Karelian: Aunus, Livvi: Anuksenlinnu; Finnish: Aunus, Aunuksenkaupunki or Aunuksenlinna) is a town and the administrative center of Olonetsky District of the Republic of Karelia, Russia, located on the Olonka River to the east of Lake Ladoga. Population: 9,056 (2010 Census);[2] 10,240 (2002 Census);[8] 11,888 (1989 Census).[9]

Olonets Олонец
Town[1]
Olonets, Shopping center on Uritskogo 2b
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Olonets
Olonets Location of Olonets Show map of Russia Olonets Olonets (Karelia) Show map of Karelia
Coordinates: 60°59′N 32°55′E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Republic of Karelia[1]
Administrative district	Olonetsky District[1]
First mentioned	1137
Town status since	1649
Elevation	20 m (70 ft)
Population  (2010 Census)[2]
• Total	9,056
• Estimate  (2018)[3]	8,091 (−10.7%)
Administrative status
• Capital of	Olonetsky District[1]
Municipal status
• Municipal district	Olonetsky Municipal District[4]
• Urban settlement	Olonetskoye Urban Settlement[4]
• Capital of	Olonetsky Municipal District[5], Olonetskoye Urban Settlement[4]
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK [6])
Postal code(s)[7]	186000
OKTMO ID	86630101001

History

Olonets is the oldest documented settlement in Karelia, mentioned by Novgorodian sources as early as 1137.^{[citation needed]} Its history is obscure until 1649, when a fortress was built there to protect the Grand Duchy of Moscow against the Swedes. The same year it was granted town privileges.^{[citation needed]} Until the Great Northern War, Olonets developed as a principal market for Russian trade with Sweden. To the south from the town, there sprawled a belt of fortified abbeys, of which the Alexander-Svirsky Monastery was the most important.

In the 18th century, Olonets' importance shifted from trade to ironworking industries. In 1773, it was made the seat of Olonets Governorate. Eleven years later, however, the seat was moved to Petrozavodsk and Olonets started to decline.

Modern Olonets is classified as a historical town of the Republic of Karelia and is the only town in the republic where Karelians are in majority (over 60% as of 2005^[update]).

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Olonets serves as the administrative center of Olonetsky District, under which it is directly subordinated.[1] As a municipal division, the town of Olonets, together with eight rural localities, is incorporated within Olonetsky Municipal District as Olonetskoye Urban Settlement.[4]

Notable people

• Walery Mroczkowski (1840-1889) was born in Olonets. He was an insurgent in the 1863 January Uprising. After prison, he was exiled and became a noted anarchist in Bakunin's close circle. Latterly, he worked as a photographer in France, using the pseudonym, "Fr: Valerien Ostroga".
• Witold Pilecki (1901–1948) was born in Olonets. He was an army officer and a member of Armia Krajowa who got himself arrested in order to infiltrate the Nazi operation in Auschwitz concentration camp. He escaped from the camp and was one of the first direct witnesses of the Final Solution which he reported to his Underground superiors. He took part in the Warsaw Uprising. After WWII he was tried and executed by the Polish communist regime in 1948. He was a decorated Polish National hero.[10]

International relations

Twin towns and sister cities

Olonets is twinned with:

• Hyrynsalmi, Finland
• Mikkeli, Finland
• Puolanka, Finland
• Ristijärvi, Finland

References

Notes

Sources

• Законодательное Собрание Республики Карелия. Закон №871-ЗРК от 29 апреля 2005 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Республики Карелия», в ред. Закона №1895-ЗРK от 2 июня 2015 г. «О внесении изменения статью 9 Закона Республики Карелия "Об административно-территориальном устройстве Республики Карелия"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: газета "Карелия", №48, 7 мая 2005 г. (Legislative Assembly of the Republic of Karelia. Law #871-ZRK of April 29, 2005 On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of the Republic of Karelia, as amended by the Law #1895-ZRK of June 2, 2015 On Amending Article 9 of the Law of the Republic of Karelia "On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of the Republic of Karelia". Effective as of the official publication date.).
• Законодательное Собрание Республики Карелия. Закон №813-ЗРК от 1 ноября 2004 г. «О городских, сельских поселениях в Республике Карелия», в ред. Закона №1694-ЗРK от 2 апреля 2013 г. «О преобразовании муниципальных образований "Нюхчинское сельское поселение" и "Сумпосадское сельское поселение" Беломорского муниципального района и внесении изменений в некоторые законодательные акты Республики Карелия». Вступил в силу по истечении десяти дней со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: газета "Карелия", №124, 126, 129, 132, 135, 136, 139, 4 ноября — 9 декабря 2004 г. (Legislative Assembly of the Republic of Karelia. Law #813-ZRK of November 1, 2004 On the Urban, Rural Settlements in the Republic of Karelia, as amended by the Law #1694-ZRK of April 2, 2013 On the Transformation of the Municipal Formations of "Nyukhchinskoye Rural Settlement" and "Sumposadskoye Rural Settlement" of Belomorsky Municipal District of the Republic of Karelia and on Amending Various Legislative Acts of the Republic of Karelia. Effective as of the day which is ten days after the day of the official publication.).
• Законодательное Собрание Республики Карелия. Закон №825-ЗРК от 1 декабря 2004 г. «О муниципальных районах в Республике Карелия», в ред. Закона №1694-ЗРK от 2 апреля 2013 г. «О преобразовании муниципальных образований "Нюхчинское сельское поселение" и "Сумпосадское сельское поселение" Беломорского муниципального района и внесении изменений в некоторые законодательные акты Республики Карелия». Вступил в силу по истечении десяти дней со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: газета "Карелия", №141, 16 декабря 2004 г. (Legislative Assembly of the Republic of Karelia. Law #825-ZRK of December 1, 2004 On the Municipal Districts in the Republic of Karelia, as amended by the Law #1694-ZRK of April 2, 2013 On the Transformation of the Municipal Formations of "Nyukhchinskoye Rural Settlement" and "Sumposadskoye Rural Settlement" of Belomorsky Municipal District of the Republic of Karelia and on Amending Various Legislative Acts of the Republic of Karelia. Effective as of the day which is ten days after the day of the official publication.).

На других языках

[ru] Олонец