Onega River: description, history, attractions and interesting facts

Description

In northwestern Russia, the Onega River is one of the largest. Many people falsely think that its name is connected with Lake Onega, but their water streams do not touch in any way, so there is no connection between them. The beginning of Onega is Lake Lacha, which is located in the Kargopol region, in the southwest of the Arkhangelsk region. The river, 416 kilometers long, flows through flat terrain, but this does not prevent the formation of wide reaches along its course. The catchment area does not exceed 56,900 square kilometers.

The Onega River has a huge number of tributaries: more than 3,000 small rivers, rivulets and streams flow into it. In its basin there are 14 large rivers, including the Ponga, Iksa, Kozha, Kena (left) and Mosha, Vonguda, Kodina, Voloshka, Nelnyuga, Modyuga (right). Onega flows into the White Sea.

Climate[edit]

Onega has a subarctic climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfc

) with mild to warm summers with cool nights and long but not very cold winters. Precipitation is very reliable all year round.

Sights of the river

The banks of the Onega are famous for many architectural monuments, which are located in riverine villages. This area is characterized by a special type of art - wooden architecture. It is in this style that most of the chapels and churches are made. Tourists visit them with families every year, spreading the fame of the charming area around the world. The most visited places are:

• the stone Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ, created in 1552-1562 in Kargopol;
• original chapels of the 19th century on the edge of the village of Niz, as well as in the nearby villages of Maly and Bolshaya Khaluy, they are characterized by a specific design of a tent and a belfry;
• The Church of the Annunciation, founded in 1692, attracts special attention from tourists; the design style of its walls using the motif of arcature belts harmoniously fit into the decoration of the walls in a small, almost beaded way, stone carvings fully compensated for the existing shortcomings;
• The Church of the Nativity, dating from the 18th century, is a tented church, decorated in a traditional style;
• the Church of St. John Chrysostom (1665) is located in the small village of Saunino, the architectural forms of this building reflect echoes of paganism;
• the tented Epiphany Church of the Oshevensky churchyard, founded in 1787, which has been preserved almost in its original condition;
• The Saint Michael's Church (1655) is the oldest building among all the others; accordingly, its general condition is not very good.

Problems of the river and its surroundings

Some ancient buildings have long been in need of reconstruction, and if nothing is done, they will remain relics of the past. The younger generation left the villages near the Onega River long ago, leaving the old people to farm. Along the way, you increasingly come across abandoned houses, and sometimes entire villages inhabited by only a couple of people. Most of the chapels and churches were destroyed by fires, and no one is rebuilding them.

The places where the Onega River made its way have long been densely populated. And despite the fact that many people leave the villages for the city, the environmental problems of the reservoir are becoming more acute. Onega is becoming shallower, narrower, and overgrown. There are much fewer fish - the ryapus, lamprey, and nelma have disappeared; pearl shells, crayfish and muskrats are no longer there. The surrounding cities dump all industrial waste and waste into the river.

Rest on the banks of Onega

The roads near the river have long been overgrown with dense thickets; in addition, tree plantations have made travel by car almost impossible. Therefore, the only way to explore the coastal beauty and get to abandoned villages is to cross the river. Often on Onega you can find boats and kayaks with tourists who stay overnight in unfolded tents. Tourists love this beautiful flat river, although it is very rapid.

Notable residents

• Vsevolod Vyacheslavovich Valyusinsky is a Soviet science fiction writer.
• Boris Nikolaevich Grakov - Doctor of Historical Sciences, professor, Soviet archaeologist.
• Gennady Borisovich Deryagin - Doctor of Medical Sciences, professor, forensic physician, criminal sexologist.
• Valentin Ippolitovich Mankevich - Hero of the Soviet Union.
• Gennady Ivanovich Katarin - Hero of the Soviet Union.
• Nikita Ivanovich Kozlov - Hero of the Soviet Union.
• Alexander Stepanovich Kuchin - Russian polar explorer, navigator, hydrographer, participant in Amundsen's expedition to the South Pole, captain of the schooner "Hercules" of the deceased Rusanov expedition.
• Alexey Nikolaevich Larionov - functionary of the CPSU, Hero of Socialist Labor.
• Prokopiy Fedorovich Telov - Hero of Socialist Labor.
• Alexander Osipovich Shabalin - rear admiral, twice Hero of the Soviet Union.

What else is the Onega River famous for?

Fishing is the most common type of recreation in these places. Fishermen from all over Russia come here to relax and escape from the bustle of the city.

On Onega, 20 kilometers from Arkhangelsk, rapids formed in the last century, along which seething water flows. This is where the most famous inhabitant of the river lives - salmon. Spinning fishermen use strong gear to catch this fish, since fighting it requires painstakingly and for a long time. Due to the fact that salmon is an expensive type of fish, its numbers decrease every year.

At the mouth of the Onega River, near the White Sea, there is an excellent bite for perch, ide, and pike. Swimming along the river, you can meet schools of flounder, grayling, and sometimes whitefish and bream are caught on the bait. Water temperatures are relatively cool even in summer. This environment is ideal for burbot, which fishermen are eager to hunt throughout the season.

Fishing in multiple tributaries is no less interesting than on a large river. Brook trout, famous for its exquisite taste, is found in shallow reservoirs. It is located in hard-to-reach places, which must be reached through impenetrable bushes, but even a passive spinning angler will enjoy a successful catch.

Cities on Onega

In the upper reaches of the river there is one of the centers of the timber industry in northwestern Russia - the city of Kargopol. It is also famous for the world-famous clay Kargopol toy. In addition, there are many architectural attractions that also attract tourists.

At the mouth of the river is the beautiful city of Onega, which is also famous for its mass of monuments and cultural heritage sites. The city itself is located on both banks of the river, which here is more than 1000 meters wide. This settlement is the largest center of the logging industry in the Arkhangelsk region.

Links[edit]

Notes[edit]

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   Code 11 246 , as amended by Amendment No. 278/2015 of January 1, 2016).
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10. All-Union Population Census of 1989 Population of Union and Autonomous Republics, Autonomous Regions and Districts, Territories, Regions, Urban Settlements and Village District Centers [All-Union Population Census of 1989: Current Population of Union and Autonomous Republics, Autonomous Regions and Districts, Territories, Regions , districts, urban settlements and villages performing the functions of district administrative centers]. All-Union Population Census of 1989 [All-Union Population Census of 1989] (in Russian). Institute of Demography of the National Research University: Higher School of Economics [Institute of Demography of the National Research University: Higher School of Economics]. 1989 - via Demoscope Weekly
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11. Oddy, J. J. 1807. European Trade, showing new and secure channels of trade with the European continent: a detailed description of the products, manufactures and trade of Russia, Prussia, Sweden, Denmark and Germany; as well as trade on the Elbe, Weser and Ems rivers; with a general survey of the commerce, navigation, produce, and manufactures of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Philadelphia, PA, USA: James Humphreys. 2 volumes.
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