Vytegra

Vytegra (Вы́тегра) is a town and the administrative center of Vytegorsky District in Vologda Oblast, Russia, located along the shores of the Vytegra River on Volga–Baltic Waterway, northwest of Vologda, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: It was first mentioned in 1496 as Vytegorsky Pogost (Вытегорский Погост). Since 1710, it was known as Vyangi (Вянги), located at the confluence of the Vytegra and the Vyangi Rivers. 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). In 1715, a shipyard was founded on the Vytegra River upstream from Vyangi, which remained in operation until 1847. In 1773, Vyangi was chartered and renamed Vytegra and in 1776 Vytegorsky Uyezd was established as one of the uyezds of Olonets Province in the newly established Novgorod Viceroyalty. A sequence of administrative reforms followed. In 1781, Olonets Oblast was transferred to Saint Petersburg Governorate, and in 1784, it was transformed into an independent administrative unit, Olonets Viceroyalty. In 1785, Vytegorsky Uyezd was abolished and merged into Pudozhsky Uyezd. In 1799, Olonets Viveroyalty was abolished and divided between Novgorod and Arkhangelsk Governorates. Vytegorsky Uyezd returned to Novgorod Governorate. In 1801, Olonets Governorate was established, and Vytegorsky Uyezd became one of its several uyezds. In 1922, Olonets Governorate was abolished and Vytegra was transferred to Petrograd Governorate (later Leningrad Oblast). 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. On September 23, 1937, it was transferred to newly established Vologda Oblast. During World War II, Finnish troops occupied the western part of Oshtinsky District and in October 1941, prepared an advance to Vytegra. The Finnish advance was stopped by the Red Army, but the occupation continued until June 1944.