Petrozavodsk, The Republic of Karelia, Russia: An Introduction– The North Star Reports – by Marin Ekstrom. Sponsored by The College of St. Scholastica and The Middle Ground Journal

Petrozavodsk, The Republic of Karelia, Russia: An Introduction (Петрозаводск, Республика Карелии, Россия: Введение) – The North Star Reports – by Marin Ekstrom. Sponsored by The College of St. Scholastica and The Middle Ground Journal.

A Special Series from our Assistant Editor Marin Ekstrom

[IMG_0362: The Republic of Karelia Music and Drama Theatre (notice the cheering golden statues from up high)]

Despite Russia’s vast geographic expanse, outsiders tend to think about the country in terms of just two cities: Moscow and St. Petersburg. Yet if one goes off the beaten track, he or she will discover that Russia has a plethora of intriguing, dynamic cities and communities with their own rich histories and cultures.

[IMG_0369:Apartment complexes in the Kukkovka district (this picture coincides with the beginning of the White Nights)]

Petrozavodsk is one such example. It is located in the northwestern portion of Russia (north of St. Petersburg and close to the Finnish…