Arkhangelsk Explained

En Name:Arkhangelsk
Ru Name:Архангельск
Coordinates:64.5333°N 72°W
Map Label Position:right
Image Coa:Coat of Arms of Arkhangelsk.svg
Pushpin Map:Russia Arkhangelsk Oblast#Russia#Europe
Holiday:Last Sunday of June
Holiday Ref:[1]
Federal Subject:Arkhangelsk Oblast
Adm City Jur:city of oblast significance of Arkhangelsk
Adm Ctr Of1:Arkhangelsk Oblast
Adm Ctr Of2:city of oblast significance of Arkhangelsk
Inhabloc Cat:City
Urban Okrug Jur:Arkhangelsk Urban Okrug
Mun Admctr Of1:Arkhangelsk Urban Okrug
Mun Admctr Of2:Primorsky Municipal District
Leader Title:Head
Leader Title Ref:[2]
Leader Name:Dmitry Morev
Representative Body:City Duma
Area Km2:294.42
Area Km2 Ref:[3]
Pop 2010Census:348783
Pop 2010Census Rank:50th
Pop Density:1185
Pop Density As Of:2012
Pop Latest:350,985
Pop Latest Date:2013
Pop Latest Ref:[4]
Established Date:1584
Established Title:Novo-Kholmogory
Established Date Ref:[5]
Current Cat Date:1584
Postal Codes:163000-163071
Postal Codes Ref:[6]
Dialing Codes:8182
Dialing Codes Ref:[7]
Website:http://www.arhcity.ru

Arkhangelsk (;[8] Russian: Арха́нгельск, pronounced as /ru/), occasionally referred to in English as Archangel and Archangelsk, is a city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina near its mouth into the White Sea. The city spreads for over along the banks of the river and numerous islands of its delta. Arkhangelsk was the chief seaport of medieval and early modern Russia until 1703, when it was replaced by the newly founded Saint Petersburg.

A 1133km (704miles) railway runs from Arkhangelsk to Moscow via Vologda and Yaroslavl, and air travel is served by the Talagi Airport and the smaller Vaskovo Airport. As of the 2021 Census, the city's population was 301,199.[9]

Coat of arms

The arms of the city display the Archangel Michael in the act of defeating the Devil. Legend states that this victory took place near where the city stands, hence its name, and that Michael still stands watch over the city to prevent the Devil's return.[10]

History

Early history

Vikings knew the area around Arkhangelsk as Bjarmaland.[11] Ohthere of Hålogaland told circa 890 of his travels in an area by a river and the White Sea with many buildings. This was probably the place later known as Arkhangelsk. According to Snorri Sturluson, Vikings led by Thorir Hund raided this area in 1027.

In 1989, an unusually impressive silver treasure was found by local farm workers by the mouth of Dvina, right next to present-day Arkhangelsk.[12]

Most of the findings comprised a total of of silver, largely in the form of coins. Jewelry and pieces of jewelry come from Russia or neighboring areas. The majority of the coins were German, but the hoard also included a smaller number of Kufan, English, Bohemian, Hungarian, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian coins. It is hard to place this find historically until further research is completed. There are at least two possible interpretations. It may be a treasure belonging to the society outlined by the Norse source material. Generally such finds, whether from Scandinavia, the Baltic area, or Russia, are closely tied to well-established agricultural societies with considerable trade activity.

Alternatively, like the Russian scientists who published the find in 1992, one may see it as evidence of a stronger case of Russian colonization than previously thought.

Novgorodian arrival

In the 12th century, the Novgorodians established a monastery dedicated to Archangel Michael in the estuary of the Northern Dvina. The main trade center of the area at that time was Kholmogory, located 75km (47miles) southeast of Arkhangelsk, up the Dvina River, about 10km (10miles) downstream from where the Pinega River flows into the Dvina. Written sources indicate that Kholmogory existed early in the 12th century, but there is no archeological material of this period. It is not known whether the origin of this settlement was Russian, or if it goes back to pre-Russian times. In the center of the small town (or Gorodok) that is there today is a large mound of building remains and river sand, but it has not been archeologically excavated.

Norwegian–Russian conflict

The area of Arkhangelsk came to be important in the rivalry between Norwegian and Russian interests in the northern areas. From Novgorod, the spectrum of Russian interest was extended far north to the Kola Peninsula in the 12th century. However, here Norway enforced taxes and rights to the fur trade. A compromise agreement entered in 1251 which was soon broken.

In 1411, Yakov Stepanovich from Novgorod went to attack northern Norway. This was the beginning of a series of clashes. In 1419, Norwegian ships with five hundred soldiers entered the White Sea. The "Murmaners", as the Norwegians were called (cf. Murmansk), plundered many Russian settlements along the coast, among them the Archangel Michael Monastery.[13]

Novgorod managed to drive the Norwegians back. However, in 1478 the area was taken over by Ivan III and passed to the Grand Duchy of Moscow with the rest of the Novgorod Republic.

Trade with England, Scotland, and the Netherlands

Three English ships the Bona Esperanza, Edward Bonaventure, and Bona Confidentia set out to find the Northeast passage to China in 1553; two disappeared, and one, the Edward Bonaventure ended up in the White Sea at Nyonoksa, eventually coming across the area of Arkhangelsk at the mouth of the Dvina River where the St. Nicolas Monastery stood. Subsequently, the English gave the name St. Nicolas Bay to the sea now known as the White Sea. Ivan the Terrible found out about this, and brokered a trade agreement with the ship's captain, Richard Chancellor.

Trade privileges were granted to English merchants in 1555, leading to the founding of the Company of Merchant Adventurers, which began sending ships annually into the estuary of the Northern Dvina. Dutch merchants also started bringing their ships into the White Sea from the 1560s.[14] Scottish and English merchants also traded in the 16th century; however, by the 17th century it was mainly the Dutch that sailed to the White Sea area.

Founding and further development

In 1584, Ivan ordered the founding of New Kholmogory (which would later be renamed after the nearby Archangel Michael Monastery). At the time access to the Baltic Sea was still mostly controlled by Sweden, so while Arkhangelsk was icebound in winter, it remained Moscow's almost sole link to the sea-trade. Local inhabitants, called Pomors, were the first to explore trade routes to Northern Siberia as far as the trans-Urals city of Mangazeya and beyond. In December 1613, during the Time of Troubles, Arkhangelsk was besieged by Polish-Lithuanian marauders commanded by Stanislaw Jasinski (Lisowczyks), who failed to capture the fortified town. In 1619, and again in 1637, fires broke out, and the entire city burned down.

In 1693, Peter the Great ordered the creation of a state shipyard in Arkhangelsk. A year later the ships Svyatoye Prorochestvo (Holy Prophecy), Apostol Pavel (Apostle Paul), and the yacht Svyatoy Pyotr (Saint Peter) were sailing in the White Sea. However, he also realized that Arkhangelsk would always be limited as a port due to the five months of ice cover, and after a successful campaign against Swedish armies in the Baltic area, he founded Saint Petersburg in May 1703. Nonetheless, Arkhangelsk continued to be an important naval base and maritime centre in the Russian north.[15]

In 1722, Peter the Great decreed that Arkhangelsk should no longer accept goods that amounted to more than was sufficient for the town (for so-called domestic consumption). It was due to the Tsar's will to shift all international marine trade to Saint Petersburg. This factor greatly contributed to the deterioration of Arkhangelsk that continued up to 1762 when this decree was cancelled.

Arkhangelsk declined in the 18th century as the Baltic trade became ever more important. Its economy revived at the end of the 19th century when a railway to Moscow was completed and timber became a major export. The city resisted Bolshevik rule from 1918 to 1920 and was a stronghold of the anti-Bolshevik White Army. The White Army was supported by an Allied intervention in which British, French, Italian, and American troops helped to defend against the Bolsheviks. The Allied forces, led by British Lieutenant General Frederick Poole, suffered numerous set-backs and eventually withdrew from Russia. Without Allied support, the poorly disciplined White Army quickly collapsed and the Bolsheviks entered Arkhangelsk on February 21, 1920.[16] Arkhangelsk was also the scene of the Mudyug concentration camp.[17]

During both world wars, Arkhangelsk was a major port of entry for Allied aid. During World War II, the city became known in West Europe as one of the two main destinations (along with Murmansk) of the Arctic convoys bringing supplies in to assist the Soviet Union. During Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, Arkhangelsk was one of two cities (the other being Astrakhan) selected to mark the envisioned eastern limit of German control. This military operation was to be halted at this A-A line, but never reached it, as the German armies failed to capture either of these two cities and also failed to capture Moscow.

Arkhangelsk was also the site of Arkhangelsk ITL, or the Arkhangelsk Labour Camp, in the 1930s and 1940s.

Today, Arkhangelsk remains a major seaport, now open year-round due to improvements in icebreakers. The city is primarily a center for the timber and fishing industries.

On 16 March 2004, 58 people were killed in an explosion at an apartment building in the city.

Administrative and municipal status

Arkhangelsk is the administrative center of the oblast[18] and, within the framework of administrative divisions, it also serves as the administrative center of Primorsky District, even though it is not a part of it. As an administrative division, it is, together with five rural localities, incorporated separately as the city of oblast significance of Arkhangelsk—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts.[18] As a municipal division, the city of oblast significance of Arkhangelsk is incorporated as Arkhangelsk Urban Okrug.[19]

City divisions

For administrative purposes, the city is divided into nine territorial okrugs:[20]

Economy and infrastructure

Transportation

Arkhangelsk is the final destination of Northern Railway. In addition, the city is host to two airports, Vaskovo Airport and Talagi Airport where they host the 2nd Arkhangelsk United Aviation Division and Smartavia Airline,[21] respectively.M8 highway provides a direct link to Moscow, Yaroslavl and Severodvinsk, the administrative center of the oblast.Local public transit is provided by buses and minibuses called marshrutkas. Until 2004 there were also streetcars (trams), and until 2008, trolleybuses.

Education

Arkhangelsk was home to Pomorsky State University and Arkhangelsk State Technical University which merged with several other institutions of higher learning in 2010 to form the Northern (Arctic) Federal University.

Arkhangelsk is home to the Northern State Medical University, Makarov state Maritime Academy, and a branch of the All-Russian Distance Institute of Finance and Economics.

Culture

Mikhail Lomonosov came from a Pomor village near Kholmogory.[22] A monument to him was installed to a design by Ivan Martos in 1829. A monument to Peter the Great was designed by Mark Antokolsky in 1872 and installed in 1914.[23]

After its historic churches were destroyed during Joseph Stalin's rule, the city's main extant landmarks are the fort-like Merchant Yards (1668–1684) and the New Dvina Fortress (1701–1705).[24] The Assumption Church on the Dvina embankment (1742–1744) was rebuilt in 2004.

In 2008, it was decided that the city's cathedral, dedicated to the Archangel Michael, which had been destroyed under the Soviets, would be rebuilt. The foundation stone was laid in November 2008 by the regional Bishop Tikhon.[25] The cathedral, situated near the city's main bus station and river port, is expected to be completed and consecrated in 2019.[26]

Another remarkable structure is the Arkhangelsk TV Mast, a 151m (495feet) tall guyed mast for FM-/TV-broadcasting built in 1964. This tubular steel mast has six crossbars equipped with gangways, which run in two levels from the central mast structure out to each of the three guys. On these crossbars there are also several antennas installed.[27]

An unusual example of local "vernacular architecture" was the so-called Sutyagin House. This thirteen-story, 44m (144feet) tall[28] residence of the local entrepreneur Nikolay Petrovich Sutyagin was reported to be the world's, or at least Russia's, tallest wooden house. Constructed by Sutyagin and his family over fifteen years (starting in 1992), without plans or a building permit, the structure deteriorated while Sutyagin spent a few years in prison on racketeering charges. In 2008, it was condemned by local authorities as a fire hazard, and the courts ordered it to be demolished by 1 February 2009.[29] [30] On 26 December 2008, the tower was pulled down,[31] [32] and the remainder of the building was dismantled manually by early February 2009.[33] [34] The cultural life of Arkhangelsk includes:

An airstrip in Arkhangelsk was the fictional setting for a level in the 1997 hit videogame Goldeneye 007.[35]

Literature

The Russian North, and, in particular, the area of Arkhangelsk, is notable for its folklore. Until the mid-20th century, fairy tales and bylinas were still performed on the daily basis by performers who became professionals. Starting from the 1890s, folkloric expeditions have been organized to the White Sea area and later to other areas of the Arkhangelsk Governorate in order to write down the tales and the bylinas, especially in Pomor dialects.

In the 1920s, mostly due to the efforts of Anna Astakhova, these expeditions became systematic. By the 1960s, the performing art was basically extinct. These folkloric motives and fairy tales inspired the literary works of Stepan Pisakhov and Boris Shergin, who were both natives of Arkhangelsk.

Geography

Climate

Arkhangelsk experiences a subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dfc), with long (November–March), very cold winters and short (June–August), mildly warm summers. More extreme climates at this high latitude - such as Fairbanks, Alaska or Oymyakon, Sakha Republic - have much colder winters than Arkhangelsk, indicating that there is still significant moderation from the Atlantic Ocean.

Snowfall during winter is heavy, while summers are very rainy. Precipitation is very reliable year round.

Demographics

According to the 2021 Census, Arkhangelsk has a population of 301,199 people, which makes it the 68th largest city in Russia.

In the 2010 Census, the following ethnic groups were listed:

!Ethnicity!Population!Percentage
Russians330,65694.19%
Ukrainians4,4041.25%
Belarusians1,5810.45%
Others5,3121.52%

Sports

Bandy is the biggest sport in the city and is considered a national sport in Russia.[36] Vodnik, the local team, nine times became the Russian champion (1996–2000 and 2002–2005). Their home arena has the capacity of 10000.[37] Arkhangelsk hosted the Bandy World Championship in 1999 and 2003.[38] The 2011–2012 season Russian Bandy League final was played here on March 25, 2012.[39] [40] The 2016 Youth-17 Bandy World Championship was played in Arkhangelsk between 28 and 31 January.[41]

Notable people

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Russia. Arkhangelsk is twinned with:[42]

Former twin towns:

References

Sources

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: www.arhcity.ru. Мэрия Архангельска. ru. May 31, 2012.
  2. Web site: http://www.arhcity.ru/?page=3/1. ru:Информация о мэре города. Мэрия Архангельска. ru. May 31, 2012.
  3. Web site: http://www.arhcity.ru/?page=1/1. ru:Паспорт города. Мэрия Архангельска. ru. May 31, 2012.
  4. Web site: Численность населения Российской Федерации по муниципальным образованиям на 1 января 2013 года. — М.: Федеральная служба государственной статистики Росстат, 2013. — 528 с. (Табл. 33. Численность населения городских округов, муниципальных районов, городских и сельских поселений, городских населенных пунктов, сельских населенных пунктов) . February 8, 2014 . December 21, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211221091718/http://www.gks.ru/free_doc/doc_2013/bul_dr/mun_obr2013.rar . dead .
  5. Book: Энциклопедия Города России. 2003. Большая Российская Энциклопедия. Moscow. 5-7107-7399-9. 25.
  6. Web site: List of postal codes. https://web.archive.org/web/20061212001823/http://info.russianpost.ru/database/ops.html. dead. December 12, 2006. Russian Post. ru. July 23, 2011.
  7. Web site: http://mobile.beeline.ru/media/Abonents/Geography/For_guests/City%20codes%20%28rus%29.pdf . ru:Коды областных центров . Beeline . ru . August 26, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111123142255/http://mobile.beeline.ru/media/Abonents/Geography/For_guests/City%20codes%20%28rus%29.pdf . November 23, 2011 . mdy .
  8. Book: Wells, John C.. 2008. Longman Pronunciation Dictionary. 3rd. Longman. 978-1-4058-8118-0.
  9. Web site: Оценка численности постоянного населения по субъектам Российской Федерации. Federal State Statistics Service. 1 September 2022.
  10. Web site: Archangel: Heraldic Argument in Russia. The Baronage Press. August 1, 2015. September 23, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150923182350/http://www.baronage.co.uk/2003b/russia-1.html. dead.
  11. Web site: Mythical Lands of Russia, Part 2: Bjarmia . April 9, 2023 . Russia-InfoCentre (russia-ic.com).
  12. Web site: THE ARKHANGELSK HOARD. https://web.archive.org/web/20170421014718/http://www.sarks.fi/fa/PDF/FA9_3.pdf . 2017-04-21 . live. Nosov. E.N. 1992. sarks.fi.
  13. Web site: http://www.kolamap.ru/library/1919_zhilinskiy/2_1.htm. ru:Крайний север Европейской России. Жилинский. К. А.. 1919. Кольские карты. ru. 24 January 2013.
  14. Web site: Ван Салинген . Симон (Van Salingen, Seemon) . Сообщение о Земле Лопий: Русские в Лапландии в XVI веке. . Message about Lapland: Russian in Lapland in the 16th century. . ru . kolamap.ru website . 1591 . February 18, 2021 . A Dutch letter about Russian interests in Lapland from 1562 to 1583. It includes Vardo's fortress Vardegus, the Pechenga Monastery, Malmus (aka Kola, Russia), and the St. Nicolas Monastery near the mouth of the Dvina River at what is now Arkhangelsk. Flemish pirates robbed the Edward Bonaventure in 1554 as Edward Bonaventure was returning from Nyonoksa, Russia..
  15. Hill . Alexander . 2007 . Russian and Soviet Naval Power and the Arctic from the XVI Century to the Beginning of the Great Patriotic War. The Journal of Slavic Military Studies . 20 . 3 . 359–392 . 10.1080/13518040701532958 . 145005700 .
  16. News: Detroit's Polar Bears and their confusing war . July 12, 2007 . The Detroit News . dead . https://archive.today/20120709074435/http://info.detnews.com/history/story/index.cfm?id=178&category=life . July 9, 2012 .
  17. News: Ash . Lucy . 2017-10-18 . 'Death Island': Britain's 'concentration camp' in Russia . 2024-07-17 . .
  18. Oblast Law #65-5-OZ
  19. Oblast Law #258-vneoch.-OZ
  20. Архангельский городской Совет народных депутатов. Решение. 88. 15 ноября 1991 г.. Об образовании территориальных городских округов. Arkhangelsk City Council of People's Deputies. Decision. 88. November 15, 1991. On Establishing the City Territorial Okrugs.
  21. Web site: Contact Us . https://web.archive.org/web/20100611174611/http://www.nordavia.ru/eng/contact/ . June 11, 2010 . . June 29, 2010 . Archived at the Wayback Machine.
  22. Encyclopedia: Mikhail Lomonosov Biography & Facts . 2023-02-21 . Encyclopædia Britannica.
  23. Encyclopedia: Saint Petersburg encyclopaedia . Peter the Great, Monuments to. 2023-02-21 .
  24. https://web.archive.org/web/20060304131516/http://www.fortification.ru/list/novodvinsk/
  25. Web site: Archangelsk invests in new cathedral. Barents Observer. 25 November 2008. 20 January 2015.
  26. Web site: Archangel Mikhail Cathedral. Lonely Planet. 28 January 2019.
  27. https://web.archive.org/web/20080228181015/http://www.rtrs.ru/data/bashi_arhangelsk.jpg image
  28. According to other sources, twelve stories, 38m (125feet)
  29. http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=914 Sutyagin House, Arkhangelsk, Russia: Standing tall
  30. Web site: Hope. Ponomaryova. ru:Гангстер-хаус: Самый высокий деревянный дом в России объявлен вне закона. http://www.rg.ru/2008/06/26/gangster.html. Rossiyskaya Gazeta. Moscow, Russia. ru. Gangster house: Russia's tallest wooden house is now outlawed. June 26, 2008. August 15, 2009.
  31. Web site: ru:В Архангельске провалилась первая попытка снести самое высокое деревянное здание в мире. http://realty.newsru.com/article/26Dec2008/wooden. NEWSru.com Realty (Недвижимость). Moscow, Russia. ru. Arkhangelsk The first attempt to demolish the tallest wooden building in the world failed in Arkhangelsk. December 26, 2008. August 15, 2009.
  32. Web site: mihai055. ru:Сутягин, снос дома. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa_Ahn29Myw. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211109/pa_Ahn29Myw. 2021-11-09 . live. YouTube. ru. Demolition of Sutyagin's house. Flash video. December 26, 2008. August 15, 2009.
  33. Web site: ru:В Архангельске разрушено самое высокое деревянное здание в мире. http://realty.newsru.com/article/06Feb2009/sutyagin. NEWSru.com Realty (Недвижимость). Moscow, Russia. ru. The tallest wooden building in the world has been destroyed in Arkhangelsk. February 6, 2009. August 15, 2009.
  34. Web site: ru:От самого высокого деревянного строения в мире осталась груда мусора. Only a heap of debris is left from the world's tallest wooden building. http://www.1tv.ru/newsvideo/137558. Channel One Russia. Web-службой Первого канала. Moscow, Russia. ru. flash video and text. February 6, 2009. December 29, 2009.
  35. Web site: GoldenEye 007 N64 - Facility - 00 Agent. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211109/_iiILn_fKX0. 2021-11-09 . live. YouTube. 12 November 2019.
  36. Web site: Russian bandy players blessed for victory at world championship in Kazan . January 21, 2011 . Tatar-Inform . August 31, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120424230703/http://eng.tatar-inform.ru/news/2011/01/21/33986/ . April 24, 2012 .
  37. Web site: http://www.rusbandy.ru/stadium/10/. ru:Стадион "Труд", Архангельск. Федерация хоккея с мячом России. ru. 1 December 2012.
  38. Video from a home game against Baykal-Energiya from Irkutsk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uAVZxVEoe0
  39. Web site: Официальный сайт хоккейного клуба "Кузбасс" (Кемерово) — www.kuzbassbandyclub.ru . Kuzbassbandyclub.ru . 2011-11-27 . 2012-08-15.
  40. http://www.bandynet.ru/node/29139 Video from the final of the Russian Championships in 2012
  41. Web site: Состав юношеской сборной России (U-17) на ЧМ-2016. Russian Bandy Federation. ru. 20 January 2016.
  42. Web site: Города-побратимы Архангельска. m.arhcity.ru. Arkhangelsk. ru. 2020-02-04.
  43. Web site: Słupsk zakończył współpracę z rosyjskim Archangielskiem i białoruskim Grodnem . pl . March 2, 2022 . 9 March 2022.
  44. Web site: 2022-03-01 . Oulun kaupunki lähettää tänään kirjeet Venäjän Arkangeliin ja Kronstadtiin, joissa ilmoitetaan ystävyyskaupunkitoiminnan keskeyttämisestä . 2023-08-25 . Yle Uutiset . fi.
  45. Web site: 2022-04-04 . Kiruna säger upp vänortsavtal med Arkhangelsk . 2023-08-25 . kiruna.se . sv.