Kargopol

 city, district center

Kargopol (Russian: Каргополь) is a town in and the administrative center of Kargopolsky District of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It is situated on both sides of the Onega River several miles north of Lake Lacha. Population: 10,025 (2021 Census).

It is not clear when Kargopol was founded, but when first chronicled in 1146, it was a trade station of the Republic of Novgorod and one of the most northerly permanent Slavic settlements. Although documentation for its early history is scarce, it is believed that Kargopol was the most significant trade centre of Bjarmaland throughout the 13th and 14th centuries. In 1447 it was the place where Dmitry Shemyaka found refuge from Vasily II's ire.

Situated on the ancient route between Moscow and Arkhangelsk (then the only Russian seaport), Kargopol became one of the most prosperous cities of Russia, especially after the Muscovy Company started to operate in the mid-16th century. During the Time of Troubles it withstood a siege by Polish and Lithuanian brigands. The peasant rebel Ivan Bolotnikov was executed in Kargopol in 1608.

After Russia regained access to the Baltic Sea and St. Petersburg was founded, Kargopol gradually faded to obscurity. The people of Kargopol were still active in the exploration of Asian Russia, however. Alexandr Baranov, the first governor of Russian America (Alaska), was born in this town.

One of most beautiful towns of native Russian Northplace.