View source for Olonets

{{Short description|Town in the Republic of Karelia, Russia}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2012}}

{{Infobox Russian inhabited locality
|en_name= Olonets
|ru_name= Олонец
|other_name=Anuksenlinnu
|other_lang=Livvi-Karelian
|image_skyline=Олонец, слияние рек сверху.jpg
|image_caption=Aerial view of Olonets
|coordinates={{coord|60|59|N|32|55|E|display=inline,title}}
|map_label_position=top
|image_flag=
|flag_caption=
|image_coa=Coat of Arms of Olonets.svg
|coa_caption=
|anthem=
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<!----ADMINISTRATIVE STATUS---->
|federal_subject=[[Republic of Karelia]]
|federal_subject_ref=<ref name="Ref62" />
|adm_district_jur=[[Olonetsky District]]
|adm_district_jur_ref=<ref name="Ref62" />
|adm_ctr_of=Olonetsky District
|adm_ctr_of_ref=<ref name="Ref62" />
|inhabloc_cat=Town
|inhabloc_cat_ref=<ref name="Ref62" />
|mun_district_jur=Olonetsky Municipal District
|mun_district_jur_ref=<ref name="Ref736" />
|urban_settlement_jur=Olonetskoye Urban Settlement
|urban_settlement_jur_ref=<ref name="Ref736" />
|mun_admctr_of1=Olonetsky Municipal District
|mun_admctr_of1_ref=<ref name="Ref738">Law #825-ZRK</ref>
|mun_admctr_of2=Olonetskoye Urban Settlement
|mun_admctr_of2_ref=<ref name="Ref736" />
|leader_title=
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<!----STATISTICS---->
|area_of_what=
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|pop_2010census=9056
|pop_2010census_ref=<ref name="2010Census">{{ru-pop-ref|2010Census}}</ref>
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<!----HISTORY---->
|established_date=1137
|established_title=First mentioned
|established_date_ref=
|current_cat_date=1649
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<!----MISCELLANEA---->
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}}

'''Olonets''' ({{langx|ru|link=no|Оло́нец}}; {{langx|krl|Aunus}}, {{langx|olo|Anuksenlinnu}}; {{langx|fi|Aunus, Aunuksenkaupunki or Aunuksenlinna}}) is a [[types of inhabited localities in Russia|town]] and the [[administrative center]] of [[Olonetsky District]] of the [[Republic of Karelia]], Russia, located on the [[Olonka River]] to the east of [[Lake Ladoga]].

== Geography ==
Olonets is located at the confluence of the [[Olonka]] and Megrega rivers, on the Olonets Plain, {{convert|140|km|abbr=on}} southwest of [[Petrozavodsk]], {{convert|269|km|abbr=on}} northeast of [[Saint Petersburg|St. Petersburg]] along the {{Jct|R|21|country=RUS}} highway ([[R21 highway (Russia)|«Kola» highway]]).

== History ==
Olonets is the oldest documented settlement in [[Karelia]], mentioned by [[Novgorod Republic|Novgorodian]] sources as early as 1137.{{citation needed|date=July 2013}} Its history is obscure until 1649, when a fortress was built there to protect the [[Grand Duchy of Moscow]] against the Swedes. The same year it was granted [[town privileges]].{{citation needed|date=July 2013}} Until the [[Great Northern War]], Olonets developed as a principal market for Russian trade with Sweden. To the south from the town, there sprawled a belt of fortified abbeys, of which the [[Alexander-Svirsky Monastery]] was the most important.

In the 18th century Olonets' importance shifted from trade to ironworking industries. In 1773 it was made the seat of [[Olonets Governorate]]. Eleven years later, however, the seat was moved to [[Petrozavodsk]] and Olonets started to decline.

The remains of over one hundred victims of the [[Great Terror]] were found when the church of the Icon of the Mother of God was returned to the Orthodox Church in the 1990s and in 2008 a monument was erected by locals in their memory.<ref>https://en.mapofmemory.org/10-18</ref>

Modern Olonets is classified as a historical town of the Republic of Karelia and is the only town in the republic where [[Karelians]] are in majority (over 60% {{As of|2005|lc=y}}).

==Administrative and municipal status==
Within the [[subdivisions of Russia#Administrative divisions|framework of administrative divisions]], Olonets serves as the [[administrative center]] of [[Olonetsky District]], under which it is directly subordinated.<ref name="Ref62">Law #871-RZK</ref> As a [[subdivisions of Russia#Municipal divisions|municipal division]], the [[types of inhabited localities in Russia|town]] of Olonets, together with eight rural localities, is incorporated within Olonetsky Municipal District as '''Olonetskoye Urban Settlement'''.<ref name="Ref736">Law #813-RZK</ref>

== Education ==
Olonetskaya district station of young naturalists. It was opened on December 17, 1971.<ref name="library.karelia.ru">[http://library.karelia.ru/kalendar2021/html/tabl12.html Календарь знаменательных дат Карелии — декабрь 2021 года]</ref>

Music, sports and art schools of the city.

Center for Additional Education. It was opened in 1951 as the House of Creativity of children and youth, later – the House of Children's Creativity.<ref name="library.karelia.ru"/>

2 secondary schools, six buildings of local preschool institutions.

Olonets branch of Sortavala College (previously the branch was an independent educational institution under the names: PU-2 (in the period from 1962 to 2014), Olonets Technical School – from 2014 to February 2019 before reorganization).

== Attractions ==
The city has preserved the layout of the XVIII century.

* Mass graves of Soviet soldiers at the civil cemetery of Olonets, who died during the Great Patriotic War.<ref>[http://monuments.karelia.ru/ob-ekty-kul-turnogo-nasledija/kniga-velikaja-otechestvennaja-vojna-v-karelii-pamjatniki-i-pamjatnye-mesta/stat-i-ob-ob-ektah-voenno-istoricheskogo-nasledija/oloneckij-rajon/bratskaja-mogila-sovetskih-voinov/ Братская могила советских воинов на ул. Комсомольской]</ref><ref>[http://monuments.karelia.ru/ob-ekty-kul-turnogo-nasledija/kniga-velikaja-otechestvennaja-vojna-v-karelii-pamjatniki-i-pamjatnye-mesta/stat-i-ob-ob-ektah-voenno-istoricheskogo-nasledija/oloneckij-rajon/bratskaja-mogila-sovetskih-voinov-2/ Братская могила советских воинов на гражданском кладбище]</ref> 449 Soviet soldiers were buried in mass graves.<ref name=":0">Великая Отечественная война в Карелии: памятники и памятные места. — Петрозаводск, 2015. — 334 с.: ил.</ref>
* The mass grave of Soviet soldiers and civilians shot by the [[North Russia intervention|Belofin invaders]] during the occupation of Olonets in [[1919]].<ref>[http://monuments.karelia.ru/ob-ekty-kul-turnogo-nasledija/kniga-velikaja-otechestvennaja-vojna-v-karelii-pamjatniki-i-pamjatnye-mesta/stat-i-ob-ob-ektah-voenno-istoricheskogo-nasledija/oloneckij-rajon/bratskaja-mogila-sovetskih-voinov-i-mirnyh-grazhdan/ Братская могила советских воинов и мирных граждан (1919 год)]</ref>
* Monument to Soviet military pilots – participants of the Svir-Petrozavodsk operation (1944).<ref>[http://monuments.karelia.ru/ob-ekty-kul-turnogo-nasledija/kniga-velikaja-otechestvennaja-vojna-v-karelii-pamjatniki-i-pamjatnye-mesta/stat-i-ob-ob-ektah-voenno-istoricheskogo-nasledija/oloneckij-rajon/pamjatnik-voennym-ljotchikam-uchastnikam-svirsko-petrozavodskoj-operacii/ Памятник военным лётчикам — участникам Свирско-Петрозаводской операции]</ref> The monument (the wing of a combat aircraft) was installed in 1974 on Karl Marx Street.<ref name=":0" />
* Monument to the heroes of the Olonets underground.<ref>[http://monuments.karelia.ru/ob-ekty-kul-turnogo-nasledija/kniga-velikaja-otechestvennaja-vojna-v-karelii-pamjatniki-i-pamjatnye-mesta/stat-i-ob-ob-ektah-voenno-istoricheskogo-nasledija/oloneckij-rajon/pamjatnik-gerojam-oloneckogo-podpol-ja/ Памятник героям олонецкого подполья]</ref>
* The monument to the Soviet soldiers-liberators<ref>[http://monuments.karelia.ru/ob-ekty-kul-turnogo-nasledija/kniga-velikaja-otechestvennaja-vojna-v-karelii-pamjatniki-i-pamjatnye-mesta/stat-i-ob-ob-ektah-voenno-istoricheskogo-nasledija/oloneckij-rajon/pamjatnik-sovetskim-voinam-osvoboditeljam/ Памятник советским воинам-освободителям]</ref> was installed on the street of Svir Divisions in 1969 ([[76 mm divisional gun M1942 (ZiS-3)|76-mm divisional cannon]]).<ref name=":0" />
* Merchant Kuttuev's house.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Новая жизнь дома купца Куттуева » Объекты историко-культурного наследия Карелии |url=https://monuments.karelia.ru/napravlenija-dejatel-nosti/populjarizacija/stat-i-ob-ob-ektah-kul-turnogo-nasledija/oloneckij-rajon/novaja-zhizn-doma-kupca-kuttueva/ |website=monuments.karelia.ru |language=ru}}</ref>
* Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God (1828).
* The Church of the Holy Cross of the Church of Ingria (see the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria|Church of Ingria]]).
* In the courtyard of one of the houses there are Soviet sculptures of a lion, a woman and a boy.

== City holidays and events ==

* Every year, since 1999, on the initiative of the then mayor of Olonets Vasily Anatolyevich Popov, the «Olonets Games of [[Ded Moroz]]» began to be held on the first day of winter.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Олонецкие Игры Дедов Морозов |url=http://olon-rayon.ru/node/880 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151004200215/http://olon-rayon.ru/node/880 |archive-date=2015-10-04 |language=ru}}</ref>

== Demographics ==

=== Population ===
{{Historical populations|1856|1200|1897|1200|1913|2000|1939|2668|1959|5009|1970|7756|1979|10404|1989|11888|1992|12100|1996|11800|1998|11600|2002|10240|2003|10200|2005|9800|2006|9600|2007|9500|2009|9217|2010|9056|2011|9100|2012|8818|2013|8645|2014|8402|2015|8249|2016|8162|2017|8130|2018|8091|2019|8070|2020|8026|2021|7663|2023|7631|footnote=Source: Census data}}Population: {{Ru-census|p2021=7,663|p2010=9,056|p2002=10,240|p1989=11,888}}

==== Ethnicity ====
Olonets is the only city on the territory of [[Republic of Karelia|Karelia]] where [[Karelians]] make up the majority of the population, in addition, the [[Olonetsky District|Olonets district]] is a place of compact residence of Karelian Livviks and the most populated Karelian district of the Republic of Karelia.

Besides Karelians, Olonets is home to such traditional Karelian peoples as [[Finns]], [[Russians]], as well as [[Belarusians]], [[Ukrainians]], [[Polish people|Poles]] and [[Lithuanians]]. In relation to the Belarusian and Ukrainian population, this is primarily due to the post-war resettlement from the destroyed villages of [[Belarus]] and [[Ukraine]], Karelia was a place of exile for Poles and Lithuanians.

There is a small community of [[Chechens]] in Olonets and Olonets district, which is not typical for this region and the republic as a whole. According to the [[2002 Russian census|2002 census]], 53 representatives of this nationality live here. In this regard, a number of [[ethnic conflict]]s have arisen in the area.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.vz.ru/columns/2010/12/12/454255.html |title=ВЗГЛЯД / Дмитрий Соколов-Митрич: Манежное правосудие |access-date=July 15, 2023 |archive-date=January 13, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110113140816/http://vz.ru/columns/2010/12/12/454255.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=748752&print=true ИД"Коммерсантъ"]</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
!Ethnicity
!Population
!Percentage
|-
|Karelians
|5827
|58%
|-
|Russians
|3720
|37%
|-
|Belarusians
|211
|2%
|-
|Ukrainians
|157
|1.5%
|-
|Finns
|126
|1.3%
|}

== Telecommunications ==

=== Cellular communication ===
Cellular communication services according to the [[LTE (telecommunication)|LTE]] standard are provided by the operators «[[MTS (network provider)|MTS]]», «[[MegaFon]]», «[[Tele2 Russia|Tele2]]», «[[Beeline (brand)|Beeline]]», «[[Rostelecom]]», and «[[Yota]]».

=== Wired telephone connection ===
The wired telephone connection in the city is provided by «[[Rostelecom]]» PJSC and «Svirtelekom» LLC.

=== Internet connection ===
High-speed wired Internet connection is provided by the operators «Svirtelekom», «Rostelecom».

=== Television ===
Digital terrestrial (DVB-T2 standard), satellite, cable TV broadcasting is available in the city.

== Notable people ==
* [[Walery Mroczkowski]] (1840–1889) was born in Olonets. He was an insurgent in the 1863 [[January Uprising|January uprising]]. After prison, he was exiled and became a noted [[Anarchism|anarchist]] in [[Mikhail Bakunin|Bakunin's]] close circle. Latterly, he worked as a photographer in France, using the pseudonym, "[[:Fr: Valerien Ostroga]]".
* [[Witold Pilecki]] (1901–1948) was born in Olonets. He was an army officer and a member of [[Armia Krajowa]] who got himself arrested to infiltrate the Nazi operation in [[Auschwitz concentration camp]]. He escaped from the camp and was one of the first direct witnesses of the [[Final Solution]] which he reported to his [[Polish Underground State|Underground superiors]]. He took part in the [[Warsaw uprising]]. After WWII he was tried and executed by the Polish communist regime in 1948. He was a decorated Polish National hero.<ref>{{cite book|author=Jack Fairweather|title=The Volunteer:The true Story of the Resistance Hero Who infiltrated Auschwitz|publisher=WH Allen|place=London|date= 2019}}</ref>

==International relations==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Russia}}

===Twin towns and sister cities===
Olonets is [[twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:
*[[Hyrynsalmi]], Finland
*[[Mikkeli]], Finland
*[[Puolanka]], Finland
*[[Ristijärvi]], Finland

==References==

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

===Sources===
*{{RussiaAdmMunRef|kr|adm|law}}
*{{RussiaAdmMunRef|kr|mun|list}}
*{{RussiaAdmMunRef|kr|mun|mdlist}}

{{Republic of Karelia}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in the Republic of Karelia]]
[[Category:Olonetsky District]]
[[Category:Olonetsky Uyezd]]
[[Category:Populated places in Olonetsky District]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 12th century]]