Arkhangelsk city overview
Arkhangelsk city (also spelled Arhangelsk) is an administrative center and capital city of Arkhangelsk oblast of Russia. Arkhangelsk city is situated in the mouth of Severnaya (North) Dvina river about 40 km from the White Sea.
There are two airports in Arkhangelsk city (Talagi Airport and Vaskovo Airport). Arkhangelsk city is an important seaport, one of the timber and fishing centers of Russia.
The population of Arkhangelsk city is about 349,000 (2008). Land area - 294 sq. km.
Arkhangelsk phone code - +7-8182. Postal codes - 163000-163071.
Arkhangelsk city history
Archangel Michael Monastery was built in North Dvina river estuary by Novgorod state people in the 12th century. That time the most important trade center of the region was Kholmogory settlement situated in the place where Dvina and Pinega rivers meet. The region was conquered by Moscow state Tsar Ivan III in 1478.
Moscow Tsar Ivan the Terrible ordered to found new settlement called Novokholmogory (New Kholmogory) in 1584. Later the settlement was renamed after located nearby Archangel Michael Monastery. At that time it was the only Russian seaport useful for trading with Europe.
State shipyard was built in Arkhangelsk town by the order of Peter the Great in 1693. The main problem was that Arkhangelsk port was under ice cover for about five months every year. That’s why Peter the Great organized a military campaign against Sweden army in Baltic Sea area.
The campaign was successful and as the result Saint Petersburg city was founded in 1704. In 1918-1920 Arkhangelsk city was one of the centers of White Army (anti-Bolshevik forces) during Russian civil war.
Arkhangelsk city played an important role during both World Wars. It was the destination port of various Allied aid for Russian Empire (World War I) and USSR (World War II). Arkhangelsk and Murmansk cities were the destinations of so called Arctic Convoys during World War II.
Arkhangelsk city economics and features
Arkhangelsk is a large scientific and industrial center of north-western part of Russia. Such industries as wood working, timber-chemical, pulp and paper, fish processing, microbiological and machine-building are concentrated in the city.
Timber, paper, carton as well as fish are still the basic trade of Arkhangelsk with other regions of Russia and western states. Arkhangelsk is one of the biggest transportation junctures in north-east of Russia. A number of railways and highways meet here, there is a large sea and river ports as well as 2 airports Vaskovo and Talaga.
Arkhangelsk is an important center of automobile freight. It is a final spot of the highway M8, it’s the only road which connects the city with the center of Russia.
Arkhangelsk is the cultural and historical capital of northern region, a birthplace of northern culture, traditions and history.
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