About Petrozavodsk
Petrozavodsk, the capital of the Republic of Karelia, is located northwest of Russia and situated on the shore of Lake Onega, also known as the land of lakes and forests. The city was founded in 1703 by Russian Tsar Peter the Great, and the population consists mainly of Russians and Finns who settled in this city, which is about 300 kilometers from Finland. This multiconfessional city offers an open mindset and comfortable living conditions for people of different backgrounds.
Winters in the city are long and cold, while summers are short and warm. The economy of Petrozavodsk mainly depends on timber working, stone dressing, construction, metal, and printing industries. The city is an attractive touristic destination with historical monuments and greenery areas while it is small enough to wander from Vokzal Square to Lake Onega, the second largest lake in Europe. Among the symbols of Petrozavodsk are the Lenin Square and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, which was built in 1832 and has brilliant neoclassical architecture.
While you walk in the streets of Petrozavodsk you will feel like you are in an open-air museum with its historical landmarks and it is likely you will come across festivals. Among these festivals are the Hyperborea festival of ice sculptures that transferred into an international contest over the years, the Vozdukh live music festival, and the landscape festival "Harmony of White Nights" which add vitality to Petrozavodsk. The Kizhi Island, which its church is protected by UNESCO, Ruskeala Mountain Park, Valaam Islands, and Kivach Falls are thrilling with the magnificent views of nature in the rural part of Petrozavodsk where you can do river and mountain sports.
Petrozavodsk has an airport, an international highway route, and an efficient rail system of urban transportation. Petrozavodsk Airport, which has regular flights to Moscow and St. Petersburg, is located 12 kilometers northeast of the city.
