Arkhangelsk - what part of Russia? Brief description of the city. The term "Russian North".

Arkhangelsk - what part of Russia? In the article you will find the answer to this question. In addition, it will deal with history, major sights and interesting features of the city of Arkhangelsk.

Arkhangelsk - what part of Russia?

Let's unfold the map of our huge country. If you take a virtual walk in the north of the European part of Russia, you can see that there are very few towns and villages there. The reason for this is extremely unfavorable natural conditions. Almost all space is occupied by cold, severe, tundra plains with swamps, peat bogs and lifeless rocks. The largest inhabited locality in this region is the city of Arkhangelsk. What part of Russia is this? Let's try to answer the question.

In the physico-geographical plan, this territory is called Pomorie. In the narrowest sense - this is the southern coast of the White Sea. In a broader sense, the Pomorze region passes through the north of the European part of Russia, from Karelia to the Urals.

In historical and cultural terms, the city of Arkhangelsk and its environs are referred to the Russian North. True, this region does not have any clear geographical boundaries.

If we consider this issue from the point of view of the official administrative and territorial structure of the country, then Arkhangelsk and the entire Arkhangelsk region belong to the North-West Federal District of the Russian Federation.

Russian North: borders, history and architecture of the region

The Russian North occupies vast expanses in the north of the European part of the country. From the west it is bounded by the Sheksna river basin, from the east by Pinega and Vychegda. In the north the region is washed by the waters of the White and Barents seas. In the south, the border of the Russian North is conditionally carried through Vologda. The modern Arkhangelsk region occupies a large part of this historical and cultural region.

In view of its geographical location, the Russian North is a harsh, sparsely populated and cold land. However, it is not devoid of natural beauty and charm. A peculiar symbol of the Arctic is white nights - an unusual phenomenon observed in the summer months of the year (in June-July). These days, the sun is barely hiding behind the horizon, turning the dark time into nothing but twilight. This phenomenon was perfectly described by Alexander Pushkin in one of his poems: "One dawn to change another hastens, giving the night half an hour."

The climatic conditions of the Russian North are unsuitable for traditional agriculture. However, nature endowed this region with other riches, in particular, fish and furs. From the earliest times, powerful, energetic and, to some extent, adventurous individuals flocked here, who were not frightened by local difficulties and dangers. So formed a unique and proud ethnos, not experienced the burdens of serfdom - Pomors.

No less unique is the architecture of the Russian North. Throughout the 16th-17th centuries, the Old Believers actively moved here, basing their communities in the region. Unique examples of their sacred architecture were preserved in Solvychegodsk, Kotlas, Veliky Ustyug. The natural and architectural originality of this region was admired by the famous Russian artist Nikolai Roerich.

Arkhangelsk on the map of Russia

About a thousand kilometers north of Moscow is the city of Arkhangelsk. Where the river Severnaya Dvina, clusters breaking into dozens of branches, carries its cold waters to the White Sea. The city of military valor, bridges and shipwrights is called today by all of Russia.

Arkhangelsk owes its appearance on the map of Russia to Ivan the Terrible. It was he who in 1584 ordered the construction of a city near the delta of the Northern Dvina. Today it has about 350 thousand people. It is not small for a city located at 64 degrees north latitude!

Modern Arkhangelsk is the most important transport center of the Russian North and its unofficial capital. The basis of its economy is the enterprises of the fish, timber processing industry, as well as mechanical engineering.

This city of travelers is often called dull, gray and dull. But no one refuses to him in a unique northern color. Is there anything interesting in Arkhangelsk?

Interesting places in Arkhangelsk

Two attractions of the city can be seen on the front side of a Russian banknote with a face value of 500 rubles. This is a monument to Peter the Great and the building of the Sea-River Station.

In Arkhangelsk deserves attention a layer of urban wooden architecture of the first half of the twentieth century. Quite a lot of interesting and beautiful stone buildings. Among the latter it is worth highlighting the Holy Trinity Church, the Spade House (a fine example of European modernity), the building of the Olginskaya Women's Gymnasium and others.

Arkhangelsk is also interesting with its monuments. The urban environment is also adorned with serious monuments, and joking sculptures, and very touching works (for example, monuments to the "Seal of the Savior" and "Solovetsky Yungam").

The main attraction of the Russian North

In 250 kilometers to the north-west of Arkhangelsk are Solovki - an archipelago of six islands, covered with forests, lakes and marshes. The main attraction of this archipelago and the entire Russian North is the Solovetsky Monastery.

Back in 1429 on Solovki was installed the first worship cross. A little later two monks - Herman and Zosima - founded an Orthodox monastery here. At the very beginning, it was only a few plain-looking buildings made of wood. But by the middle of the XVI century the Solovetsky Monastery has become the spiritual center of the entire Russian North.

For more than two centuries the monastery played the role of prisons, in which opponents of the tsarist regime were languishing, and then Stalin's enemies. Many outstanding personalities passed through it: for example, the co-defendants of the rebel Stepan Razin, the last ataman of Zaporozhskaya Sich, Peter Kalnyshevsky.

Today Solovetsky Monastery hosts travelers and tourists. By the way, you can also see this landmark on a 500-ruble note.

Conclusion

The city of Arkhangelsk - which part of Russia? Now you can accurately answer this question. The city is considered the capital of the Russian North - a unique, interesting and distinctive region. And Arkhangelsk itself surprises tourists with its picturesque seaside atmosphere.