Kotlas (russian: Ко́тлас) is a
town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an ori ...
in
Arkhangelsk Oblast
Arkhangelsk Oblast (russian: Арха́нгельская о́бласть, ''Arkhangelskaya oblast'') is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). It includes the Arctic Ocean, Arctic archipelagos of Franz Josef Land ...
,
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
, located at the
confluence
In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...
of the
Northern Dvina
, image = dvina.jpg
, image_size =
, image_caption = Northern Dvina starts as the confluence of Yug River (on left) and Sukhona River (on top) near Veliky Ustyug (photo 2001)
, source1 = Confluence of ...
and
Vychegda River
, image = VytchegdaRiver.jpg
, image_size =
, image_caption = The lower course of the Vychegda
, source1_location =
, mouth = Northern Dvina
, mouth_coordinates =
, progression =
, sub ...
s. Population:
Kotlas is the third largest town of Arkhangelsk Oblast in terms of population (after
Arkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk (, ; rus, Арха́нгельск, p=ɐrˈxanɡʲɪlʲsk), also known in English as Archangel and Archangelsk, is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies o ...
and
Severodvinsk
Severodvinsk ( rus, Северодвинск, p=sʲɪvʲɪrɐdˈvʲinsk) is a city in the north of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, located in the delta of the Northern Dvina, west of Arkhangelsk, the administrative center of the oblast. As of the 2 ...
) and an important transport hub.
History
The place was probably inhabited from ancient times, but was only granted official town status by the
Provisional Government
A provisional government, also called an interim government, an emergency government, or a transitional government, is an emergency governmental authority set up to manage a political transition generally in the cases of a newly formed state or f ...
of Russia on June 16, 1917, when it was a part of
Vologda Governorate
Vologda Governorate (russian: link=no, Вологодская губерния, ''Vologodskaya guberniya'', ''Government of Vologda'') was an administrative division (a '' guberniya'') of the Russian Empire and the Russian SFSR, which existed fr ...
. In 1918, the area was transferred to the newly formed
Northern Dvina Governorate
Northern Dvina Governorate (russian: Северо-Двинская губерния, ''Severo-Dvinskaya guberniya'') was a governorate ('' guberniya'') of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic from 1918 to 1929. Its seat was in the city ...
, and in 1924 the
uyezd
An uezd (also spelled uyezd; rus, уе́зд, p=ʊˈjest), or povit in a Ukrainian context ( uk, повіт), or Kreis in Baltic-German context, was a type of administrative subdivision of the Grand Duchy of Moscow, the Russian Empire, and the ea ...
s were abolished in favor of the new divisions, the districts (raions). Kotlassky District was established on June 25, 1924. In 1929, Northern Dvina Governorate was merged into
Northern Krai
Northern Krai (russian: Северный край, ''Severny Krai'') was a ''krai'' (a first-level administrative and municipal unit) of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic from 1929 to 1936. Its seat was in the city of Arkhangelsk. ...
, which in 1936 was transformed into
Northern Oblast. In 1937, Northern Oblast was split into Arkhangelsk Oblast and Vologda Oblast. Kotlassky District remained in Arkhangelsk Oblast ever since.
Gulag
During the 1930s, Kotlas became a place to which ''
kulaks
Kulak (; russian: кула́к, r=kulák, p=kʊˈlak, a=Ru-кулак.ogg; plural: кулаки́, ''kulakí'', 'fist' or 'tight-fisted'), also kurkul () or golchomag (, plural: ), was the term which was used to describe peasants who owned ov ...
'' were deported and made to work in the forestry industry. It was managed by the
Kotlaslag division of
Gulag
The Gulag, an acronym for , , "chief administration of the camps". The original name given to the system of camps controlled by the GPU was the Main Administration of Corrective Labor Camps (, )., name=, group= was the government agency in ...
. Later, it hosted
all possible categories of people repressed during the
Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secretar ...
era. A significant population of
Poles
Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, who share a common history, culture, the Polish language and are identified with the country of Poland in Ce ...
existed in the area, with whole Polish villages resettled here in 1920s and 1930s.
Labor camp
A labor camp (or labour camp, see spelling differences) or work camp is a detention facility where inmates are forced to engage in penal labor as a form of punishment. Labor camps have many common aspects with slavery and with prisons (especi ...
s existed within the territory of the city until 1953. Besides
logging
Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport. It may include skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks or skeleton cars.
Logging is the beginning of a supply chain ...
and the paper industry, inmates worked at plant, housing, bridge, and railroad construction. Most of camps were unguarded barrack settlements. In addition, Kotlas was a major transit point for deportees transferred further to the north and east, since it was a railroad terminus. There is a Kotlas branch of the ''
Sovest'' (''Conscience'') organization, which seeks to preserve the memory of those times and seek compensation for victims.
Pechora railway
The further development of Kotlas was due to the construction of the
Pechora Railway
Pechora (russian: Печо́ра; kv, Печӧра, ''Pećöra'') is a town in the Komi Republic, Russia, located on the Pechora River, west of and near the northern Ural Mountains. The area of the town is . Population:
History
Pechora was ...
. Already from 1899 Kotlas was connected by a railway line with Vyatka (currently
Kirov), which was heavily used for the cargo transport of goods to and from the
Northern Dvina
, image = dvina.jpg
, image_size =
, image_caption = Northern Dvina starts as the confluence of Yug River (on left) and Sukhona River (on top) near Veliky Ustyug (photo 2001)
, source1 = Confluence of ...
. In 1940, the construction of the railroad connecting
Konosha
Konosha (russian: Коноша) is an urban locality (an urban-type settlement) and the administrative center of Konoshsky District, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Konosha River, south of Arkhangelsk. It also serves as the administr ...
(on the railway stretch between Moscow and Arkhangelsk) to
Vorkuta
Vorkuta (russian: Воркута́; kv, Вӧркута, ''Vörkuta''; Nenets for "the abundance of bears", "bear corner") is a coal-mining town in the Komi Republic, Russia, situated just north of the Arctic Circle in the Pechora coal basin at ...
started. The railroad was needed to transport coal, timber, and later oil from the
Komi Republic
The Komi Republic (russian: Республика Коми; kv, Коми Республика), sometimes simply referred to as Komi, is a republic of Russia located in Eastern Europe. Its capital is the city of Syktyvkar. The population of the ...
. The headquarters of this railroad were opened in Kotlas. In the same year, Kotlas became a separate administrative unit. In December 1941, the road was completed, and from 1942, the regular service started. Kotlas thus became an important transport hub. The headquarters of the Pechora Railway were located in Kotlas until 1959, when the railway was merged into the
Northern Railway.
Administrative and municipal status
Within the
framework of administrative divisions, Kotlas serves as the
administrative center
An administrative center is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or ...
of
Kotlassky District
Kotlassky District (russian: Ко́тласский райо́н) is an administrative district (raion), one of the twenty-one in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia.Law #65-5-OZ As a municipal division, it is incorporated as Kotlassky Municipal District. ...
, even though it is not a part of it.
As an administrative division, it is, together with one
work settlement (
Vychegodsky
Vychegodsky (russian: Вычегодский) is an urban locality (a work settlement) under the administrative jurisdiction of the town of oblast significance of Kotlas in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It is located in the southeast of the oblas ...
) and two
rural localities, incorporated separately as the
town of oblast significance of Kotlas—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the
districts
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
.
[Oblast Law #65-5-OZ] As a
municipal division, the town of oblast significance of Kotlas is incorporated as Kotlas Urban Okrug.
[Oblast Law #258-vneoch.-OZ]
Within the framework of municipal divisions, Kotlas also serves as the administrative center of Cheryomushskoye Rural Settlement, even though it is not a part of it.
Economy
Kotlas is a center of timber industry and an important river port and a railroad center (situated on the railroad connecting central Russia with the
Komi Republic
The Komi Republic (russian: Республика Коми; kv, Коми Республика), sometimes simply referred to as Komi, is a republic of Russia located in Eastern Europe. Its capital is the city of Syktyvkar. The population of the ...
).
The Northern Dvina and the Vychegda Rivers are navigable; there is regular passenger navigation on the Vychegda. Roads connect Kotlas with
Veliky Ustyug
Veliky Ustyug (russian: Вели́кий У́стюг) is a town in Vologda Oblast, Russia, located in the northeast of the oblast at the confluence of the Sukhona and Yug Rivers. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 31,665.
Veliky U ...
(and eventually
Vologda
Vologda ( rus, Вологда, p=ˈvoləɡdə) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Vologda Oblast, Russia, located on the river Vologda (river), Vologda within the watershed of the Northern Dvina. ...
and
Kostroma
Kostroma ( rus, Кострома́, p=kəstrɐˈma) is a historic city and the administrative center of Kostroma Oblast, Russia. A part of the Golden Ring of Russian cities, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Volga and Kostroma. Popu ...
) to the South,
Syktyvkar
Syktyvkar (, rus, Сыктывка́р, p=sɨktɨfˈkar; kv, Сыктывкар) is the capital city of the Komi Republic in Russia, as well as its largest city. It is also the capital of the Syktyvkar Urban Okrug. Until 1930, it was known as U ...
to the East, and
Krasnoborsk (eventually
Arkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk (, ; rus, Арха́нгельск, p=ɐrˈxanɡʲɪlʲsk), also known in English as Archangel and Archangelsk, is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies o ...
) to the North. There is regular passenger bus traffic originating in Kotlas.
Kotlas is an important railway hub, where the railway to Kirov branches off south-east from the main railway, connecting
Konosha
Konosha (russian: Коноша) is an urban locality (an urban-type settlement) and the administrative center of Konoshsky District, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Konosha River, south of Arkhangelsk. It also serves as the administr ...
and
Vorkuta
Vorkuta (russian: Воркута́; kv, Вӧркута, ''Vörkuta''; Nenets for "the abundance of bears", "bear corner") is a coal-mining town in the Komi Republic, Russia, situated just north of the Arctic Circle in the Pechora coal basin at ...
.
Kotlas is served by the
Kotlas Airport
Kotlas Airport (russian: Аэропорт Котлас) is a small airport in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia located 4 km southeast of Kotlas. It primarily services general aviation and small turboprop
A turboprop is a turbine engine that dr ...
and is home to the
Savatiya air base.
Culture and recreation
The Church of St. Stephan of Perm was built in 1788, and the adjacent bell-tower was built in 1825. Both are protected at the local level as architectural monuments, as is Narodny Dom, a wooden house built at the beginning of 20th century.
Climate
Kotlas has a
subarctic climate
The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of an ocean, ge ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''Dfc'').
Sports
Salyut
The ''Salyut'' programme (russian: Салют, , meaning "salute" or "fireworks") was the first space station programme, undertaken by the Soviet Union. It involved a series of four crewed scientific research space stations and two crewed ...
is the local
bandy
Bandy is a winter sport and ball sport played by two teams wearing ice skates on a large ice surface (either indoors or outdoors) while using sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal. The international governing body for bandy is ...
clu
Alexandr Tyukavin, a notable player voted as third best player of the Russian National Championship 2011–2012, was born in Kotlas. In 2014 he was awarded a prize from the
International Fair Play Committee
The International Fair Play Committee (french: Comité International pour le Fair Play), abbreviated as the CIFP, is a not for profit international non-governmental organisation which serves to foster sportsmanship in international competition. It ...
br>
Twin towns – sister cities
Kotlas is
Sister city, twinned with:
*
Tarnów
Tarnów () is a city in southeastern Poland with 105,922 inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of 269,000 inhabitants. The city is situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999. From 1975 to 1998, it was the capital of the Tarnów ...
, Poland
*
Waterville, Maine, United States
References
Notes
Sources
*
*
External links
Official website of Kotlas
*Kotlas Business Director
kotlas.jsprav.ru
{{Authority control
Cities and towns in Arkhangelsk Oblast
Geography of Gulag