Toksovo

 town, resort, ski

Urban locality (an urban-type settlement) in Vsevolozhsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located 20 kilometers (12 mi) to the north of St. Petersburg on the Karelian Isthmus. It is served by two neighboring stations of the Saint Petersburg-Khiytola railroad: Toksovo (constructed in 1917) and Kavgolovo (1929) (which serves a popular ski resort). Population: 6,127 (2010 Census).
Toksovo was first mentioned in chronicles in 1500. At the time, it belonged to Vodskaya Pyatina, one of the five pyatinas Novgorod Lands were subdivided into. In 1583, after the Livonian War, it became Swedish. In 1708, in the Great Northern War, it was conquered by Russia. In the same year, it was included into Saint Petersburg Governorate, and later on became a part of Shlisselburgsky Uyezd. In 1914, the governorate was renamed Petrograd Governorate. In the 19th century, the region became a ski resort and a dacha place, known as the "Finnish Switzerland" or "Saint Petersburg Switzerland." After the October Revolution, North Ingria, including Toksovo, seceded from Bolshevist Russia, but was reincorporated with the Treaty of Tartu at the end of 1920. On February 14, 1923 Shlisselburgsky Uyezd was merged into Petrogradsky Uyezd. In January, 1924 the uyezd and the governorate were renamed Leningradsky/Leningrad. On August 1, 1927, the uyezds were abolished and Kuyvozovsky District, with the administrative center in the village of Kuyvozy, was established. The district was inhabited by Ingrian Finns, with Finnish being the official language (since 1931). On October 30, 1930, the district center was transferred to Toksovo, which at the time being had a status of suburban settlement. On March 20, 1936 Kuyvozovsky District was renamed Toksovsky. On February 22, 1939 Toksovsky District was abolished and merged into Pargolovsky District. On April 3, 1954 Pargolovsky District was abolished, and Toksovo was transferred to Vsevolozhsky District. On May 13, 1963 Toksovo was granted urban-type settlement status. In 1937, a large ski ramp was built in Toksovo, and in the late 1950s another one, which at the time was the largest ski jump of Europe and the fourth largest of the world. Today the largest hill is out of order, but smaller ones are operating and have plastic mattings.