Vologda

Vologda (Russian: Вологда, IPA: [ˈvoləɡdə]) is a city and the administrative center of Vologda Oblast, Russia. It is built on the river Vologda. Vologda is a major transport hub in Northwestern Russia. The Russian Ministry of Culture classified Vologda as a historic city.^[15] Also, several buildings in Vologda have been officially named cultural heritage monuments.^[16]

Vologda Вологда
City[1]
Kremlin Square in Vologda
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Vologda
Vologda Location of Vologda Show map of Russia Vologda Vologda (Vologda Oblast) Show map of Vologda Oblast
Coordinates: 59°13′N 39°54′E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Vologda Oblast[2]
First mentioned	1147 or 1264(see text)
Government
• Body	Vologda City Duma[3]
• Head[3]	Yury Sapozhnikov[4]
Area [5]
• Total	116 km2 (45 sq mi)
Elevation	120 m (390 ft)
Population  (2010 Census)[6]
• Total	301,755
• Estimate  (2025)[7]	311,476 (+3.2%)
• Rank	63rd in 2010
• Density	2,600/km2 (6,700/sq mi)
Administrative status
• Subordinated to	city of oblast significance of Vologda[2]
• Capital of	Vologda Oblast[2], Vologodsky District[8]
Municipal status
• Urban okrug	Vologda Urban Okrug[9]
• Capital of	Vologodsky Municipal District[10], Vologda Urban Okrug[9]
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK [11])
Postal code(s)[12]	160000-160530
Dialing code(s)	+7 8172[13]
OKTMO ID	19701000001
City Day	Last Sunday of June[14]
Twin towns	Zwolle, Miskolc, Londonderry, Kouvola, Strasbourg, Élancourt, Hrodna, Burgas, Kuusankoski, Mogilev, Yevpatoriia, Vorkuta, Burgas, Severodvinsk, Maribor
Website	vologda-portal.ru/en/

History

The year that Vologda was founded is debated by historians. There are two different times (1147 and 1264) that are thought to be the first mentions of the city. 1147 was the year that Vologda was mentioned in a book while 1264 was the first official mention (a document of owned land by the Novgorod Republic after a treaty with the Grand Prince of Vladimir).

Throughout its history, Vologda has been a major port city on the river Vologda that several nations have fought over. In World War II, Finnish forces and Soviet forces fought over Vologda. The Soviets pushed the Finns back and used the city as a major transport hub for the rest of the war.

Climate

Vologda's climate is humid continental (Köppen climate classification Dfb) bordering a mild subarctic climate (Dfc). The winters are long. Spring and autumn and cool while summer is warm.

Climate data for Vologda (1991–2020, extremes 1844–present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	5.3 (41.5)	5.6 (42.1)	16.4 (61.5)	26.8 (80.2)	31.1 (88.0)	34.9 (94.8)	34.5 (94.1)	36.4 (97.5)	28.8 (83.8)	22.8 (73.0)	13.5 (56.3)	8.5 (47.3)	36.4 (97.5)
Average high °C (°F)	−6.7 (19.9)	−5.4 (22.3)	0.6 (33.1)	9.2 (48.6)	17.2 (63.0)	21.2 (70.2)	23.6 (74.5)	20.8 (69.4)	14.6 (58.3)	6.6 (43.9)	−0.8 (30.6)	−4.6 (23.7)	8.0 (46.4)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−9.9 (14.2)	−9.2 (15.4)	−4.1 (24.6)	3.6 (38.5)	10.9 (51.6)	15.2 (59.4)	17.7 (63.9)	15.1 (59.2)	9.8 (49.6)	3.5 (38.3)	−3.0 (26.6)	−7.2 (19.0)	3.5 (38.3)
Average low °C (°F)	−13.3 (8.1)	−12.9 (8.8)	−8.2 (17.2)	−1.0 (30.2)	5.1 (41.2)	9.5 (49.1)	12.1 (53.8)	10.1 (50.2)	6.0 (42.8)	1.0 (33.8)	−5.3 (22.5)	−10.2 (13.6)	−0.6 (30.9)
Record low °C (°F)	−47.1 (−52.8)	−43.2 (−45.8)	−34.6 (−30.3)	−25.6 (−14.1)	−9.1 (15.6)	−3.1 (26.4)	1.2 (34.2)	−1.4 (29.5)	−8.6 (16.5)	−20.0 (−4.0)	−34.1 (−29.4)	−45.2 (−49.4)	−47.1 (−52.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	36 (1.4)	29 (1.1)	27 (1.1)	29 (1.1)	48 (1.9)	63 (2.5)	74 (2.9)	71 (2.8)	55 (2.2)	54 (2.1)	46 (1.8)	38 (1.5)	570 (22.4)
Average rainy days	6	5	8	14	17	18	16	18	19	18	12	7	158
Average snowy days	28	25	19	9	3	0.2	0	0.03	1	10	22	28	145
Average relative humidity (%)	86	83	78	71	65	73	76	81	84	87	88	87	80
Mean monthly sunshine hours	34	64	134	191	268	275	272	217	123	62	32	20	1,692
Source 1: Pogoda.ru.net[17]
Source 2: NOAA (sun, 1961–1990)[18]

Transportation

Vologda is a major transport hub in Russia with major railways, highways, and waterways going through it or nearby it. It also has a well-developed public transport system.

Railway

The city is the largest and most active stop of the Northern Railway.

Air

The Vologda Airport has regular flights to the Russian cities of Moscow, Ukhta, Velikiy Ustyug, Kichmengsky Gorodok, and Vytegra.

Sports

Vologda has large sports venues such as the stadiums "Dynamo", "Locomotive", "Vityaz", the swimming pools "Dynamo" and "Lagoon", the sports and concert complex "Spectrum", fitness centers, regional athletic spots. Vologda is a home to:

• the male soccer team "Dynamo"
• the female basketball team "Chevakata"

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Russia

Vologda is twinned with:^[19]

• Burgas, Bulgaria
• Grodno, Belarus
• Kouvola, Finland
• Sevastopol, Ukraine
• Yevpatoria, Ukraine