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Olonets (; Census ). Olonets is the oldest documented settlement in Karelia , mentioned by Novgorod ian sources as early as 1137 . Its history is obscure until 1649 , when a fortress was built there to protect Muscovy against the Swedes. The same year it was granted municipal rights. Until the Great Northern War , Olonets developed as a principal market for Russian trade with Sweden . To the south from the town, there sprawled a belt of fortified abbeys, of which the Alexander-Svirsky Monastery was the most important. In the 18th Century , Olonets's importance shifted from trade to ironworking industries. In 1773 , it was made capital of Olonets Guberniya . Eleven years later, however, the regional capital was moved to Petrozavodsk , and Olonets started to decline. Modern Olonets is ranked among historical towns of Karelia, and it is the only city in the republic where Karelians are in majority (over 60% as of 2004 ). In 1999 , the town celebrated its 350th anniversary. |
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