Manturovo

Manturovo is a town in Kostroma Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of the Unzha River (Volga's tributary), 260 km northeast of Kostroma, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 17,479 (2010); 22,000 (1970).

History

An ancient Finno-Ugric Meri trading settlement and a wooden hill fortress once existed on the site of modern Manturovo, at the confluence of the Unzha and Mezha Rivers. The name means Mantu = Podzol, Rova = higher place in sparsely coniferous forest. According to its name it have had a Saame or Nenents roots. Finno-Ugrian Rova derives from Saame (Sami) word Roavve which means hill or open place as result of forest fire. Thus the place was inhabited at least c. 2000 BCE. It became a Meri settlement by c. 300 CE and remained such until at least the 14th century.

The Russian village of Manturovo was first mentioned in 1617. Later on, it grew into a town and was granted town status in 1958.

Economy and transportation

Manturovo was connected by St. Petersburg–Vyatka Railway to Vyatka and Perm in 1908. Since then it has developed from quiet country village railway station to a forest industry center including a big fener factory. A Finnish forest company has plans to open a big modern forest industry center to Manturovo, nearly a billion euro investment, if Russian government guarantee its legal ownership according to the WTO standards.