Vyborgsky District (, ) is an administrative
[Oblast Law #32-oz] and municipal
[Law #17-oz] district (
raion
A raion (also spelt rayon) is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet states. The term is used for both a type of subnational entity and a division of a city. The word is from the French (meaning 'honeycomb, department'), and is c ...
), one of the
seventeen in
Leningrad Oblast
Leningrad Oblast (, ; ; ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). The oblast has an area of and a population of 2,000,997 (2021 Russian census, 2021 Census); up from 1,716,868 recorded in the 2010 Russian census ...
,
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
. It is located in the northwest of the
oblast
An oblast ( or ) is a type of administrative division in Bulgaria and several post-Soviet states, including Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. Historically, it was used in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. The term ''oblast'' is often translated i ...
on the
Karelian Isthmus
The Karelian Isthmus (; ; ) is the approximately stretch of land situated between the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga in northwestern Russia, to the north of the River Neva. Its northwestern boundary is a line from the Bay of Vyborg to the we ...
and borders with
Priozersky District
Priozersky District () is an administrativeOblast Law #32-oz and municipalLaw #50-oz district (raion), one of the administrative divisions of Leningrad Oblast, seventeen in Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It is located in the northwest of the oblast and ...
in the northeast,
Vsevolozhsky District
Vsevolozhsky District () is an administrativeOblast Law #32-oz and municipalLaw #17-oz district (raion), one of the administrative divisions of Leningrad Oblast, seventeen in Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It is located in the central northwestern par ...
in the east,
Kurortny District
Kurortny District () is a district of the federal city of St. Petersburg (since 1994), Russia, located on the Karelian Isthmus along the northern shore of the Gulf of Finland. As of the 2010 Census, its population: was 70,589; up from&n ...
of the
federal city
The term federal city is a title for certain cities in Germany, Switzerland, Russia, and several national capitals.
Germany
In Germany, the former West German capital Bonn has been designated with the title of federal city (''Bundesstadt''), ma ...
of
St. Petersburg in the south,
Kymenlaakso
Kymenlaakso (; ; "Kymi River, Kymi/Kymmene Valley") is a Regions of Finland, region in Finland. It borders the regions of Uusimaa, Päijät-Häme, Southern Savonia, South Savo and South Karelia and Russia (Leningrad Oblast). Its name means lit ...
and
South Karelia
South Karelia (or ''Southern Karelia'', ; ) is a Regions of Finland, region of Finland. It borders the regions of Kymenlaakso, Southern Savonia, South Savo and North Karelia, as well as Russia (Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast).
Hist ...
regions of
Finland
Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...
in the northwest, and
Lakhdenpokhsky District of the
Republic of Karelia
The Republic of Karelia, or simply Karelia or Karjala (; ) is a Republics of Russia, republic of Russia situated in the Northwest Russia, northwest of the country. The republic is a part of the Northwestern Federal District, and covers an area of ...
in the north. From the southwest, the district is limited by the
Gulf of Finland
The Gulf of Finland (; ; ; ) is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland to the north and Estonia to the south, to Saint Petersburg—the second largest city of Russia—to the east, where the river Neva drains into it. ...
. The area of the district is .
Its
administrative center
An administrative centre is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune, is located.
In countries with French as the administrative language, such as Belgiu ...
is the
town
A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city.
The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
of
Vyborg
Vyborg (; , ; , ; , ) is a town and the administrative center of Vyborgsky District in Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It lies on the Karelian Isthmus near the head of Vyborg Bay, northwest of St. Petersburg, east of the Finnish capital H ...
.
Population (excluding the administrative center): 113,748 (
2002 Census);
Geography
The district occupies the southwestern part of the
Karelian Isthmus
The Karelian Isthmus (; ; ) is the approximately stretch of land situated between the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga in northwestern Russia, to the north of the River Neva. Its northwestern boundary is a line from the Bay of Vyborg to the we ...
. The landscape is hilly and forested, with many rock formations. The northern part of the district lies in the
basin of the
Vuoksi River
The Vuoksi (, historically: "Uzerva"; ; ; ) is a river running through the northernmost part of the Karelian Isthmus from Lake Saimaa in southeastern Finland to Lake Ladoga in northwestern Russia. The river enters Lake Ladoga in three branches ...
, which drains into
Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga is a freshwater lake located in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast in northwestern Russia, in the vicinity of Saint Petersburg.
It is the largest lake located entirely in Europe, the second largest lake in Russia after Lake ...
. The Vuoksi itself crosses the district from northwest to southeast. Other rivers in the district, the largest of which are the
Gryaznovka and the
Sestra, drain directly into the
Gulf of Finland
The Gulf of Finland (; ; ; ) is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland to the north and Estonia to the south, to Saint Petersburg—the second largest city of Russia—to the east, where the river Neva drains into it. ...
. There are many lakes in the district, especially in the basin of the Vuoksi.
Lake Glubokoye is the largest one.
History
The western part of the Karelian Isthmus, inhabited by
Karelians
Karelians (; ; ; ) are a Baltic Finnic ethnic group who are indigenous to the historical region of Karelia, which is today split between Finland and Russia. Karelians living in Russian Karelia are considered a distinct ethnic group closely ...
and
Finns
Finns or Finnish people (, ) are a Baltic Finns, Baltic Finnic ethnic group native to Finland. Finns are traditionally divided into smaller regional groups that span several countries adjacent to Finland, both those who are native to these cou ...
, historically lay between Russia and Sweden (later Russia and Finland) and changed hands on a regular basis. Vyborg was founded in 1293 as a Swedish fortress for protection from the
Novgorod Republic
The Novgorod Republic () was a medieval state that existed from the 12th to 15th centuries in northern Russia, stretching from the Gulf of Finland in the west to the northern Ural Mountains in the east. Its capital was the city of Novgorod. The ...
. In 1323, the
Treaty of Nöteborg
The Treaty of Nöteborg, also known as the Treaty of Orehovsk (; ; ), is a conventional name for the peace treaty signed at Shlisselburg Fortress, Oreshek (; ) on 12 August 1323. It was the first agreement between Sweden and the Novgorod Republic ...
established the border between Novgorod and Sweden along the Sestra River. This border corresponds to the current southern limits of Vyborgsky District. In 1403, Vyborg was chartered. The Novgorod Republic besieged Vyborg in 1411, and the
Grand Duchy of Moscow
The Grand Principality of Moscow, or Muscovy, known as the Principality of Moscow until 1389, was a late medieval Russian monarchy. Its capital was the city of Moscow. Originally established as a minor principality in the 13th century, the gra ...
, which by then annexed Novgorod, besieged it in 1495, but on both occasions the fortress was not conquered. According to the
Treaty of Stolbovo
The Treaty of Stolbovo (; ) was a peace treaty that ended the Ingrian War (), which had been fought between the Swedish Empire and the Russian Tsardom between 1610 and 1617.
History
After nearly two months of negotiations, representatives from ...
, the whole Karelian Isthmus was ceded to Sweden and the border moved southeast. In 1710, during the
Great Northern War
In the Great Northern War (1700–1721) a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern Europe, Northern, Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the ant ...
, the troops of Tsar
Peter the Great
Peter I (, ;
– ), better known as Peter the Great, was the Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia, Tsar of all Russia from 1682 and the first Emperor of Russia, Emperor of all Russia from 1721 until his death in 1725. He reigned j ...
conquered Vyborg, and eventually the whole area was annexed to Russia. This was confirmed by the
Treaty of Nystad
The Treaty of Nystad, or the Treaty of Uusikaupunki, was the last peace treaty of the Great Northern War of 1700–1721. It was concluded between the Tsardom of Russia and the Swedish Empire on in the then Swedish town of Nystad (, in th ...
in 1721.
In the course of the
administrative reform carried out in 1708 by Peter the Great, the area was included into Ingermanland Governorate (known since 1710 as
Saint Petersburg Governorate
Saint Petersburg Governorate was a province (''guberniya'') of the Russian Empire, with its capital in Saint Petersburg. The governorate was composed of of area and 2,112,033 inhabitants. It was bordered by Governorate of Estonia, Estonian and G ...
). In 1719, it became a part of
Vyborg Province, and in 1744,
Vyborg Governorate
Vyborg Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit (''guberniya'') of the Russian Empire. It was established in 1744 in newly ceded territories from Swedish Empire, Sweden following the Treaty of Åbo and parts of Saint Petersburg Govern ...
with the seat in Vyborg was established. In 1783, it was transformed into
Vyborg Viceroyalty, then in 1801 back into Vyborg Governorate. In 1801, Vyborg Governorate was renamed Finland Governorate, and in 1812, it was renamed back and included into the
Grand Duchy of Finland
The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed from 1809 to 1917 as an Autonomous region, autonomous state within the Russian Empire.
Originating in the 16th century as a titular grand duchy held by the Monarc ...
, which had previously been ceded to Russia by Sweden. After 1812, it was known as the
Viipuri Province
Viipuri Province was a Historical provinces of Finland, historical province of Finland from 1812 to 1945.
History
The predecessor of the province was Vyborg Governorate, which was established in 1744 from territories ceded by the Swedish Empi ...
. On July 17, 1919, the Viipuri Province became a part of independent
Finland
Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...
. The border between Finland and Soviet Union was drawn along the
Sestra River.
After the
Winter War
The Winter War was a war between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet invasion of Finland on 30 November 1939, three months after the outbreak of World War II, and ended three and a half months later with the Moscow Peac ...
, Finland ceded this territory to the
Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
by the terms of the
Moscow Peace Treaty
The Moscow Peace Treaty was signed by Finland and the Soviet Union on 12 March 1940, and the ratifications were exchanged on 21 March. It marked the end of the 105-day Winter War, upon which Finland ceded border areas to the Soviet Union. The ...
. The territory was recaptured by Finns between 1941 and 1944 during the
Continuation War
The Continuation War, also known as the Second Soviet–Finnish War, was a conflict fought by Finland and Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union during World War II. It began with a Finnish declaration of war on 25 June 1941 and ended on 19 ...
but was again ceded to the Soviets after the
Moscow Armistice
The Moscow Armistice was signed between Finland on one side and the Soviet Union and United Kingdom on the other side on 19 September 1944, ending the Continuation War. The Armistice restored the Moscow Peace Treaty of 1940, with a number of modi ...
. The secession was formalized after signing of the
Paris Peace Treaty in 1947. Viipuri Province was divided, with the larger part ceded to Soviet Union and the smaller part remaining in Finland. The population was resettled to Finland and replaced by migrants from Central Russia.
Vyborgsky District with the
administrative center
An administrative centre is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune, is located.
In countries with French as the administrative language, such as Belgiu ...
in Vyborg was established in March 1940 as a part of the
Karelian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (Karelian ASSR). On March 31, 1940, the Karelian ASSR was transformed into the
Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic
The Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic (Karelo-Finnish SSR), also called Soviet Karelia or simply known as Karelia, was a republic of the Soviet Union. It existed from 31 March 1940 until it was made part of the Russian SFSR on 16 July 1956 ...
.
On November 24, 1944, Vyborgsky District was transferred from Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic to Leningrad Oblast.
Another district established in March 1940 was
Yaskinsky District with the administrative center in the
work settlement of
Yaski (Jääski). It was a part of the Karelian ASSR, and of the Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic after March 31, 1940.
On November 24, 1944, Yaskinsky District was transferred from Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic to Leningrad Oblast. On October 1, 1948, the district was renamed Lesogorsky, and on January 13, 1949, all localities whose names originated in Finnish were renamed using Russian names. In particular, Yaski was renamed Lesogorsky and Enso was renamed
Svetogorsk
Svetogorsk (, ) is an industrial town in Vyborgsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the Karelian Isthmus, on the Vuoksi River. It is located from the border with Finland, from the Finnish town of Imatra, and from St. Pe ...
. On December 9, 1960, Lesogorsky District was abolished and merged into Vyborgsky District.
On May 16, 1940,
Kannelyarvsky District with the administrative center in the ''
selo'' of
Kennelyarvi (Kanneljärvi) was established as well. It was a part of Leningrad Oblast. On August 22, 1945, the administrative center of the district was moved from Kennelyarvi to the ''selo'' of
Rayvola (Raivola) and the district was renamed Rayvolovsky. On October 1, 1948, the district was renamed Roshchinsky, and on January 12, 1949, all localities whose names originated in Finnish were renamed using Russian names. In particular, Rayvola was renamed
Roshchino. On July 31, 1959, Roshchino was granted
urban-type settlement
Urban-type settlement, abbreviated: ; , abbreviated: ; ; ; ; . is an official designation for lesser urbanized settlements, used in several Central and Eastern Europe, Central and Eastern European countries. The term was primarily used in the So ...
status. On February 1, 1963, Roshchinsky District was abolished and merged into Vyborgsky District.
On May 16, 1940,
Rautovsky District with the administrative center in the
suburban settlement
A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...
of
Rautu was also established. It was a part of Leningrad Oblast. On October 1, 1948, the district was renamed Sosnovsky and on January 13, 1949, all localities whose names originated in Finnish were renamed using Russian names. In particular, Rautu was renamed
Sosnovo. On December 9, 1960, Sosnovsky District was abolished and split between Roshchinsky and Priozersky Districts.
Another district established on May 16, 1940 was
Koyvistovsky District with the administrative center in the town of
Koyvisto (Koivisto). It was a part of Leningrad Oblast. On October 1, 1948, the district was renamed Primorsky and on January 13, 1949, all localities whose names originated in Finnish were renamed using Russian names. In particular, Koyvisto was renamed
Primorsk. On April 3, 1954, Primorsky District was abolished and merged into Roshchinsky District.
Restricted access
A wide stretch of land in the district to the west of the
Vyborg–Khiytola railway, as well as the islands and shores of the
Vyborg Bay
Vyborg Bay (; ; ) is a deep inlet running northeastward near the eastern end of Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea. The city of Vyborg is located near the head of the gulf.
The Monrepos Park is considered a jewel of the bay and a major dra ...
, belong to the strictly guarded
zone of the border control. In 1993-2006, the zone was formally wide, and was further expanded in 2006. Visiting the zone is forbidden without a permit issued by the
Federal Security Service
The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation �СБ, ФСБ России (FSB) is the principal security agency of Russia and the main successor agency to the Soviet Union's KGB; its immediate predecessor was the Federal Counterin ...
.
Economy
Industry
The economy of the district is dominated by timber industry, including several paper mills. Additionally, construction and food industries are present, as well as a shipyard in Vyborg.
Agriculture
The main agricultural specializations in the district are cattle breeding with meat and milk production, poultry breeding with egg production, and fish farming.
Transportation
A number of railways pass through the district. The main line between St. Petersburg and
Helsinki
Helsinki () is the Capital city, capital and most populous List of cities and towns in Finland, city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About people live in the municipali ...
, the
Riihimäki – Saint Petersburg Railway, runs through Vyborg. Another line connecting St. Petersburg and Vyborg follows the coastline of the Gulf of Finland, passing
Primorsk. Vyborg is connected to
Khiytola via
Kamennogorsk. This is the old
Vyborg–Joensuu railroad. In Kamennogorsk, a railway branches up north to
Svetogorsk
Svetogorsk (, ) is an industrial town in Vyborgsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the Karelian Isthmus, on the Vuoksi River. It is located from the border with Finland, from the Finnish town of Imatra, and from St. Pe ...
; its stretch beyond Svetogorsk to the state border is disused. All these railways are served by suburban trains originating from the
Finland Station
St Petersburg–Finlyandsky (), also known as Finland Station () , is a railway station in St. Petersburg, Russia, handling transport to westerly destinations including Helsinki and Vyborg.
The station is most famous for having been the lo ...
of St. Petersburg and from Vyborg. In addition, there are daily connections between St. Petersburg and Helsinki.
The
M10 highway which connects Moscow and St. Petersburg with Finland crosses the district and passes Vyborg, where it sharply turns to the west and proceeds to the state border. The road network in the district was mostly constructed when Vyborg region was a part of Finland before 1940 and is sufficiently dense and reliable. In particular, several roads connect Vyborg with St. Petersburg and one of these roads follows the coastline. Other roads connect Kamennogorsk with Vyborg and
Melnikovo, as well as the coastal areas with
Sosnovo and Melnikovo.
The
Saimaa Canal
The Saimaa Canal (; ; ) is a transportation canal that connects lake Saimaa with the Gulf of Finland near Vyborg, Russia. The canal was built from 1845 to 1856 and opened on 7 September 1856 (Old Style: 26 August 1856).
It was overhauled and wi ...
was built in the mid-19th century to provide passenger and cargo navigation between
Lake Saimaa
Saimaa ( , ; ) is a lake located in the Finnish Lakeland area in southeastern Finland. With a surface area of approximately , it is the largest lake in Finland, and the fourth-largest natural freshwater lake in Europe.
The name Saimaa likely co ...
and the Gulf of Finland. After having been reconstructed several times the canal is still in use today. The Russian part of the canal, which begins in the town of Vyborg, lies in Vyborgsky District.
Vyborg, Primorsk, and
Vysotsk
Vysotsk (; ; ) is a coastal types of inhabited localities in Russia, town and a seaport in Vyborgsky District, Leningrad Oblast, Vyborgsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the Karelian Isthmus, on the eastern shore of the Vyborg Bay ...
are major sea port terminals.
There are three border control points for vehicles, one on the railroad, and two more in the port terminals on the territory of the district.
The
Baltic Pipeline System
The Baltic Pipeline System (BPS) is a Russian oil transport system operated by the oil pipeline company Transneft. The BPS transports oil from the Timan-Pechora region, West Siberia and Urals-Volga regions to Primorsk oil terminal at the easte ...
crosses the district. In Primorsk, oil is pumped to the
oil tanker
An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a ship designed for the bulk cargo, bulk transport of petroleum, oil or its products. There are two basic types of oil tankers: crude tankers and product tankers. Crude tankers move large quant ...
s.
Culture and recreation
The district contains 130 cultural heritage monuments of federal significance (116 of which are in Vyborg) and additionally 146 objects classified as cultural and historical heritage of local significance (83 in Vyborg). The federally protected monuments include the
Vyborg Castle
Vyborg Castle (; ; ) is a fortress in Vyborg, Russia. It was built by the Swedes during the Middle Ages around which the town of Vyborg evolved. The castle became the stronghold of the Swedish realm in the Karelian region. Throughout the centuri ...
, the
Mon Repos park, one of the best preserved English landscape parks in Russia, the building of the
Viipuri Library designed by
Alvar Aalto
Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto (; 3 February 1898 – 11 May 1976) was a Finnish architect and designer. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware, as well as sculptures and paintings. He never regarded himself as an artist, see ...
, and many old buildings in the center of Vyborg, including the
St. Hyacinth Church. In general, Vyborg has one of the best preserved medieval centers among all towns in Russia.
References
Notes
Sources
*
*
{{Use mdy dates, date=August 2012
Districts of Leningrad Oblast
Karelian Isthmus
States and territories established in 1940