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{{Short description|Town in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia}}
{{Other places|Kargopol (inhabited locality)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2011}}

{{Infobox Russian inhabited locality
|en_name=Kargopol
|ru_name=Каргополь
|image_skyline= Вид на Каргополь с Онеги.jpg
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|coordinates = {{coord|61|30|N|38|56|E|display=inline,title}}
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|mun_district_jur=Kargopolsky Municipal District
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'''Kargopol''' ({{langx|ru|Ка́ргополь}}) is a [[types of inhabited localities in Russia|town]] and the [[administrative center]] of [[Kargopolsky District]] in [[Arkhangelsk Oblast]], [[Russia]], located on both sides of the [[Onega River]], several miles north of [[Lake Lacha]], in the southwestern corner of the [[oblast]]. Population: {{ru-census|p2021=10,025|p2010=10,214|p2002=11,192|p1989=12,495}}

==History==
It is not clear when Kargopol was founded, but, when first chronicled in 1146, it was a trade station of the [[Novgorod Republic]] and one of the most northerly permanent Russian settlements.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Owens |first1=Kenneth N. |title=Empire Maker: Aleksandr Baranov and Russian Colonial Expansion into Alaska and Northern California |date=1 July 2015 |publisher=University of Washington Press |isbn=978-0-295-80583-2 |page=11 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Empire_Maker/Xb_XCgAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref> Although documentation for its early history is scarce, it is believed that Kargopol was the most significant trade center of [[Bjarmaland]] throughout the 13th and 14th centuries. In 1447, it was the place where [[Dmitry Shemyaka]] found refuge from [[Vasily II of Moscow|Vasily&nbsp;II]]'s ire.

Situated on the ancient route between [[Moscow]] and [[Arkhangelsk]] (then the only Russian seaport), Kargopol became one of the most prosperous cities of Russia, especially after the [[Muscovy Company]] started to operate in the mid-16th century. During the [[Time of Troubles]] it withstood a siege by Polish and Lithuanian brigands. The peasant rebel [[Ivan Bolotnikov]] was executed in Kargopol in 1608.

After Russia regained access to the [[Baltic Sea]] and [[Saint Petersburg|St.&nbsp;Petersburg]] was founded, Kargopol gradually faded to obscurity. However, the people of Kargopol were still active in the exploration of Asian Russia. [[Alexander Andreyevich Baranov|Alexander Baranov]], the first governor of [[Russian America]] ([[Alaska]]), was born in this town.

==Administrative and municipal status==
Within the [[subdivisions of Russia#Administrative divisions|framework of administrative divisions]], Kargopol serves as the [[administrative center]] of [[Kargopolsky District]].<ref name="OKATO">{{OKATO reference|11 218}}</ref> As an administrative division, it is incorporated within Kargopolsky District as the '''[[town of district significance]] of Kargopol'''.<ref name="OKATO" /> As a [[subdivisions of Russia#Municipal divisions|municipal division]], the town of district significance of Kargopol, together with the [[village#Russia|village]] of [[Zazhigino, Arkhangelsk Oblast|Zazhigino]] in [[Pavlovsky Selsoviet, Kargopolsky District, Arkhangelsk Oblast|Pavlovsky Selsoviet]] of Kargopolsky District, are incorporated within Kargopolsky Municipal District as '''Kargopolskoye Urban Settlement'''.<ref name="ArkhangelskO_mun">Law #258-vneoch.-OZ</ref>

==Economy==
===Industry===
Timber industry serves as the basis of the industry of Kargopolsky District. The [[linum]] production factory, which used to exist in Kargopol until the 1970s, is defunct.<ref name="nefedova">{{cite journal|last=Нефёдова|first=Татьяна|year=2004|script-title=ru:Каргопольский район: Прошлое, настоящее и будущее русского Севера|journal=Отечественные Записки|volume=4|issue=18|url=http://www.strana-oz.ru/?numid=19&article=922|access-date=June 12, 2011|language=ru}}</ref>

===Transportation===
Kargopol is connected by a paved road with [[Nyandoma]] and further east the principal highway in the region, [[M8 highway (Russia)|M8]] connecting Moscow and Arkhangelsk.
There is a road to the north, which connects to M8 via [[Plesetsk]] and [[Brin-Navolok]]. This is the historic trading route which connected Kargopol with Arkhangelsk before the railroad was built and long stretches of this road are still unpaved. The stretch between Kargopol and Plesetsk was paved in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ador.ru/news/2011/09/22/288.shtml|script-title=ru:Запущена "Дорога в космос"|date=22 September 2011|publisher=«Дорожное агентство «Архангельскавтодор»|language=ru|access-date=September 25, 2011}}</ref> Another unpaved road in the western direction crosses the border with the [[Republic of Karelia]] and heads to [[Pudozh]].

There is no railroad in Kargopol, even though at the time of construction of the railway between Vologda and Arkhangelsk—a decision taken by Tsar [[Alexander III of Russia|Alexander III]] in June 1894—it was the biggest town in the region, and the railway was constructed through unpopulated areas. There is an urban legend stating that Kargopol merchants were unhappy with the prospective of the railway construction in Kargopol, thinking it would deteriorate the trade, and therefore requested the railway to be built in detour. As a matter of fact, the local governance body, the Kargopol Duma, in September 1894 twice discussed the issue, came to the conclusion that the railroad construction indeed would deteriorate the trade, but that if it does not pass Kargopol, the damage would be much stronger. Therefore, on both occasions, the Duma sent a petition requesting that the railway would be rerouted via Kargopol. This did not occur since the construction had already started in August 1894, and since the detour would have been too big, as Kargopol is not on a straight line connecting Vologda with Arkhangelsk.<ref>{{cite book|last=Студенцова|first=Е. О.|title=Уездные города России / Влияние Вологодско-Архангельской железной дороги на экономическое развитие г. Каргополя в конце XIX—начале ХХ в.|url=http://kenozerje.by.ru/kargopol-rw.html|year=2009|location=Kargopol|language=ru}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

The Onega is only navigable between Kargopol and Lake Lacha, since there are rapids downstream of Kargopol.

There is an [[Kargopol Airport|airport in Kargopol]], but since at least the early 1990s it has only been used for transporting cargo.

==Geography==
The town is located on both sides of the Onega River, several miles north of Lake Lacha, in the southwestern corner of the oblast.

===Climate===
{{Weather box
|location=Kargopol
|metric first=yes
|single line=yes
|Jan high C=-9
|Feb high C=-7
|Mar high C=-1
|Apr high C=5
|May high C=13
|Jun high C=18
|Jul high C = 20
|Aug high C = 17
|Sep high C = 11
|Oct high C = 3
|Nov high C = -2
|Dec high C = -6
|year high C = 5
|Jan mean C = -12
|Feb mean C = -10
|Mar mean C = -4
|Apr mean C = 1
|May mean C = 8
|Jun mean C = 13
|Jul mean C = 16
|Aug mean C = 13
|Sep mean C = 8
|Oct mean C = 1
|Nov mean C = -4
|Dec mean C = -9
|year mean C = 2
|Jan low C = -16
|Feb low C = -13
|Mar low C = -8
|Apr low C = 2
|May low C = 4
|Jun low C = 9
|Jul low C = 12
|Aug low C = 9
|Sep low C = 5
|Oct low C = -1
|Nov low C = -6
|Dec low C = -12
|year low C = -1
|Jan precipitation days = 28
|Feb precipitation days = 23
|Mar precipitation days = 22
|Apr precipitation days = 18
|May precipitation days = 17
|Jun precipitation days = 17
|Jul precipitation days = 16
|Aug precipitation days = 18
|Sep precipitation days = 18
|Oct precipitation days = 23
|Nov precipitation days = 27
|Dec precipitation days = 29
|year precipitation days = 256
|source 1 = Weatherbase<ref name="Weatherbase">{{cite web
  |url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=054822&refer=&cityname=Kargopol%27-Russia
  |title=Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Kargopol'
  |access-date=June 30, 2011}}</ref>
|date=June 2011
}}

==Culture and recreation==
[[File:Соборная площадь 1.jpg|thumb|The 17th-century churches of Kargopol are decorated with unique stone carving]] [[File:Kargopol 1900th.jpg|thumb|Kargopol in the early 20th century]]

Today, Kargopol is a sleepy historical town adjoining the [[Kenozersky National Park]]. It is best known in Russia for [[Kargopol toys]] (''Kargopolskiye igrushki''), which are small, simple clay figures painted in traditional style.<ref>{{cite book|last=Дурасов|first=Г. П.|title=Каргопольская глиняная игрушка|year=1986|publisher=Художник РСФСР|location=Leningrad}}</ref>

During its golden age in the 17th century, Kargopol became home to a highly localized brand of medieval [[Russian architecture]]. Quite a few wooden and white stone churches survive in the town and its vicinity. The earliest of these buildings is the black-domed Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ, built of [[Dolomite (rock)|dolomite]] by [[Novgorod Republic|Novgorodians]] and consecrated in 1562. The interior features a curious iron hand sticking from the drum. A hallmark of Kargopol churches is delicate stone carving.

The Kargopol stone churches are classified as historical and architectural heritage and include:{{RKN_base}}
*[[Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ (Kargopol)|Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ]] (1552–1562) with the bell-tower (1766–1767)
*[[Resurrection Church (Kargopol)|Resurrection Church]] (end of the 17th century)
*[[Church of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist (Kargopol)|Church of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist]] (1740–1751)
*[[Holy Trinity Church (Kargopol)|Holy Trinity Church]] (1790–1802)
*[[Presentation Church (Kargopol)|Presentation Church]] (1803)
*an ensemble of three churches: the [[Annunciation Church (Kargopol)|Annunciation Church]] (1692), the [[Saint Nicholas Church (Kargopol)|Saint Nicholas Church]] (1741), and the [[Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos (Kargopol)|Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos]] (1678–1680)

Kargopol is classified as a historical town by the Ministry of Culture of Russian Federation, which implies certain restrictions on construction in the historical center.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rg.ru/2010/09/29/istor-posel-dok.html|title=Приказ Министерства культуры Российской Федерации, Министерства регионального развития Российской Федерации от 29 июля 2010 г. N 418/339 г. Москва "Об утверждении перечня исторических поселений"|date=September 29, 2010|publisher=Российская газета|language=ru|access-date=October 24, 2011}}</ref>

The only state museum in the town is the Kargopol State Museum of History, Art, and Architecture, founded in 1919.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://karmuseum.ru/|script-title=ru:Каргопольский государственный историко-архитектурный и художественный музей|publisher=Каргопольский государственный историко-архитектурный и художественный музей|language=ru|access-date=June 12, 2011}}</ref> This is a cloak organization, which not only holds ethnographic, art, and historic exhibits, but also protects some of the architectural monuments in Kargopol and surroundings. Fifteen buildings, including a number of churches, are museum property. There are also two private museums in Kargopol.

==References==
===Notes===
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
*{{RussiaAdmMunRef|ark|mun|list}}
*Brumfield, William. ''Kargopol: Architectural Heritage in Photographs'' (Moscow: Tri Kvadrata, 2007). {{ISBN|978-5-94607-083-6}} (in English and Russian)

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}
*[http://www.kargopolland.ru/ Official website of Kargopol] {{in lang|ru}}
*[https://kargopol.jsprav.ru/ Kargopol Business Directory ] {{in lang|ru}}
*Architectural heritage of Kargopol  http://www.pomorsu.ru/Brumfield/Gallery4/kargopol_e.html (in English and Russian)
*[http://rbth.ru/articles/2010/05/17/kargopol_star_of_the_north.html Kargopol: Star of the Russian North]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{Arkhangelsk Oblast}}
{{Russian North}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Arkhangelsk Oblast]]
[[Category:Kargopolsky Uyezd]]