It was first mentioned in 1496 as Vytegorsky Pogost (Вытегорский Погост).[3] Since 1710, it was known as Vyangi (Вянги),[3] located at the confluence of the Vytegra and the Vyangi Rivers.[citation needed]
In the course of the administrative reform carried out in 1708 by Peter the Great, Vyangi was included into Ingermanland Governorate (known from 1710 as Saint Petersburg Governorate).[citation needed] In 1715, a shipyard was founded on the Vytegra River upstream from Vyangi, which remained in operation until 1847.[4]
In 1773, Vyangi was chartered and renamed Vytegra[4] and in 1776 Vytegorsky Uyezd was established as one of the uyezds of Olonets Province in the newly established Novgorod Viceroyalty.[11] A sequence of administrative reforms followed. In 1781, Olonets Oblast was transferred to Saint Petersburg Governorate,[11] and in 1784, it was transformed into an independent administrative unit, Olonets Viceroyalty.[citation needed] In 1785, Vytegorsky Uyezd was abolished and merged into Pudozhsky Uyezd.[citation needed] In 1799, Olonets Viveroyalty was abolished and divided between Novgorod and Arkhangelsk Governorates.[citation needed] Vytegorsky Uyezd returned to Novgorod Governorate.[11] In 1801, Olonets Governorate was established, and Vytegorsky Uyezd became one of its several uyezds.[11]
In 1922, Olonets Governorate was abolished and Vytegra was transferred to Petrograd Governorate (later Leningrad Oblast).[12] On August 1, 1927, the uyezds in Leningrad Oblast were abolished and Vytegorsky District with the administrative center in Vytegra was established as a part of Lodeynoye Pole Okrug of Leningrad Oblast.[12] On September 23, 1937, it was transferred to newly established Vologda Oblast.[12]
During World War II, Finnish troops occupied the western part of Oshtinsky District and in October 1941, prepared an advance to Vytegra.[citation needed] The Finnish advance was stopped by the Red Army, but the occupation continued until June 1944.[citation needed] Vytegra was under threat for these two and a half years, but was never occupied.[citation needed]
There is a butter-making, a fish-processing, and an automotive and tractor overhaul and repair plants in the town, as well as several metalworking enterprises.
Transportation
Located at the crossing of a waterway connecting central Russia with Lake Onega and a road connecting St. Petersburg with Arkhangelsk, Vytegra was an important transit point for cargo.[citation needed] The idea to build a canal connecting the drainage basins of the Neva and the Volga Rivers was already discussed by Peter the Great, but the canal, formerly the Mariinsky System, was only built in 1810.[4] In the 20th century, it was reconstructed and renamed the Volga–Baltic Waterway.[citation needed] The waterway passes through the town, following the course of the Vytegra River. The passenger navigation on Lake Onega, connecting Vytegra with Petrozavodsk, has been discontinued.
Vytegra is a road junction where a partially paved road connecting to Podporozhye in Leningrad Oblast branches off from the highway connecting Vologda with Medvezhyegorsk in the Republic of Karelia via Lipin Bor and Pudozh. There is bus traffic originating from Vytegra.
The Vytegra Airport in 2011 was not served by regular passenger flights.
Culture and recreation
Vytegra contains three objects classified as cultural and historical heritage by Russian Federal law and additionally sixty-six objects classified as cultural and historical heritage of local importance.[13] The cultural heritage monuments of the federal significance are the remains of the Mariinsky Waterway from the early 19th century.
The Vytegorsky District Museum is located in Vytegra.[14] Another museum in Vytegra is located in the B440 Foxtrot-class submarine.
Законодательное Собрание Вологодской области. Закон №371-ОЗ от 4 июня 1999 г. «О вопросах административно-территориального устройства Вологодской области», в ред. Закона №2916-ОЗ от 7 декабря 2012 г. «О внесении изменений в Закон области "О вопросах административно-территориального устройства Вологодской области"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Красный Север", №124–125, 29 июля 1999 г. (Legislative Assembly of Vologda Oblast. Law #371-OZ of June 4, 1999 On the Matters of the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Vologda Oblast, as amended by the Law #2916-OZ of December 7, 2012 On Amending the Oblast Law "On the Matters of the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Vologda Oblast". Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
Правительство Вологодской области. Постановление №178 от 1 марта 2010 г. «Об утверждении реестра административно-территориальных единиц Вологодской области», в ред. Постановления №686 от 25 июня 2012 г. «О внесении изменений в некоторые Постановления Правительства области». Вступил в силу 20 марта 2010 г. Опубликован: "Красный Север", №29, 20 марта 2010 г. (Government of Vologda Oblast. Resolution #178 of March 1, 2010 On Adopting the Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Units of Vologda Oblast, as amended by the Resolution #686 of June 25, 2012 On Amending Various Resolutions of the Oblast Government. Effective as of March 20, 2010.).
Законодательное Собрание Вологодской области. Закон №1113-ОЗ от 6 декабря 2004 г. «Об установлении границ Вытегорского муниципального района, границах и статусе муниципальных образований, входящих в его состав», в ред. Закона №3058-ОЗ от 30 мая 2013 г. «О преобразовании некоторых муниципальных образований Вытегорского муниципального района Вологодской области и о внесении изменений в Закон области "Об установлении границ Вытегорского муниципального района, границах и статусе муниципальных образований, входящих в его состав"». Вступил в силу через 10 дней со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Красный Север", №242, 11 декабря 2004 г. (Legislative Assembly of Vologda Oblast. Law #1113-OZ of December 6, 2004 On Establishing the Borders of Vytegorsky Municipal District, on the Borders and Status of the Municipal Formations It Comprises, as amended by the Law #3058-OZ of May 30, 2013 On the Transformation of Several Municipal Formations in Vytegorsky Municipal District of Vologda Oblast and on Amending the Law of Vologda Oblast "On Establishing the Borders of Vytegorsky Municipal District, on the Borders and Status of the Municipal Formations It Comprises". Effective as of after 10 days from the day of the official publication.).