Kostomuksha

Kostomuksha is a town in the northwest of the Republic of Karelia, Russia, located 30 km from the border with Finland, on the shore of Lake Kontoki. Population: 28,436 (2010).

Geography

The nearest large cities in Russia are St. Petersburg and Petrozavodsk, which are connected to Kostomuksha by rail. The nearest towns in Finland are Kuhmo and Kajaani.

History

It was established in 1977 as an urban-type settlement and populated by people from various regions of the Soviet Union. It was mostly built by Finnish building companies, according to an agreement between the Soviet and Finnish governments. Town status was granted to it in 1983. The town was later expanded by Soviet building companies but maintaining plenty of green areas.

Nature

There is a large national park near the town with a reindeer population and a beaver population of Canadian origin, which were introduced in Finland and have migrated over into Russian territory. Part of the national park extends into Finnish territory. Tourism and recreational activities within the national park are prohibited.

Culture and recreation

Every summer there is a chamber music festival to which musicians, orchestras and theater groups come from Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other parts of Russia. In summer, the town enjoys more than two months of uninterrupted sunlight and many inhabitants spend time at their dachas, typically situated on the banks of one of the many lakes in the vicinity, which also attract anglers due to their large fish populations. As in Finland, saunas are very popular. In winter, skiing and biathlon are popular. Most visitors come from Finland.