Lodeynopolsky District

The district is adjacent to Lake Ladoga, the largest freshwater lake in Europe, and the whole area of the district belongs to the catchment area of Lake Ladoge. The most important river in the district is the Svir, which connects Lake Onega and Lake Ladoga. The Svir is dammed by the Lower Svir Hydroelectric Station. The biggest tributary of the Svir within the district is the Oyat (right). The central part of the district belongs to the river basin of the Oyat, whereas some areas in the southern part of the district belong to the basin of the Kapsha, a tributary of the Pasha, another major tributary of the Oyat. The largest lake in the district (behind Lake Ladoga) is Lake Savozero, in the basin of the Oyat. Almost the whole area of the district is covered by forests. The northwestern part of the district, limited by the Svir in the south, by Lake Ladoga in the west, and by the Republic of Karelia in the north, is allocated to Nizhnesvirsky Nature Reserve, a protected natural area. ==History==

The area was populated by Balto-Finnic peoples, and later, since it was on one of the main waterways connecting Novgorod with the Russian North, it became a part of the Novgorod Republic. In 1478, Alexander Svirsky, a monk formerly at the Valaam Monastery, founded Alexander-Svirsky Monastery not far from the mouth of the Svir. In the 15th century, the area, as a part of Novgorod, was annexed by the Grand Duchy of Moscow. In 1702, Tsar Peter the Great founded the Olonets Shipyard on the Svir River and resettled peasants along the banks of the Svir. The settlement at the shipyard became known as Lodeynoye Pole. On August 1, 1927, Shapshinsky District District with the administrative center in the village of Gonginichi was established as well. It was a part of Lodeynoye Pole Okrug of Leningrad Oblast and included areas formerly belonging to Lodeynopolsky and Tikhvinsky Uyezds. On November 14, of the same year, the district was renamed Oyatsky, and its administrative center was transferred to the village of Alyokhovshchina. On December 14, 1955 Oyatsky District was abolished and merged into Lodeynopolsky District. ==Economy==

Industry The economy of the district is based on timber industry. There are also food industry enterprises. Agriculture The agriculture of Lodeynopolsky District specializes in cattle breeding with milk and meat production. There is also trout farming. Transportation The railroad connecting Saint Petersburg and Murmansk crosses the district from southwest to northeast. The largest railway station within the district is Lodeynoye Pole. The M18 highway, connecting Saint Petersburg and Murmansk, crosses the district as well. In Lodeynoye Pole, it turns north and enters the Republic of Karelia. A paved road branches off east in Lodeynoye Pole and continues to Vytegra in Vologda Oblast via Podporozhye. There are also local roads. The Volga–Baltic Waterway, connecting the basins of the Volga and the Neva Rivers, crosses the district from east to west, following the Svir River. There is regular cruise and cargo traffic along the waterway. ==Culture and recreation==

The district contains forty-two cultural heritage monuments of federal significance and additionally forty-two objects classified as cultural and historical heritage of local significance. The federal monuments include the buildings of the Alexander-Svirsky Monastery, founded in 1487 century and located in the village of Staraya Sloboda. The Lodeynoye Pole District Museum, located in the town of Lodeynoye Pole, is the only state museum in the district. ==References==