Shenkursk (Russian: Шенку́рск) is a town and the administrative center of Shenkursky District in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of the Vaga River. Population: 4,608 (2021 Census);^[8] 5,702 (2010 Russian census);^[3] 6,151 (2002 Census);^[9] 7,424 (1989 Soviet census).^[10]

Quick Facts Шенкурск, Country ...

Shenkursk Шенкурск
Town[1]
Coat of arms
Location of Shenkursk
Shenkursk Location of Shenkursk Show map of Russia Shenkursk Shenkursk (Arkhangelsk Oblast) Show map of Arkhangelsk Oblast
Coordinates: 62°06′N 42°54′E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Arkhangelsk Oblast[1]
Administrative district	Shenkursky District[1]
Town of district significance	Shenkursk[1]
First mentioned	1229[2]
Town status since	1780[2]
Elevation	60 m (200 ft)
Population  (2010 Census)[3]
• Total	5,702
• Estimate  (2018)[4]	4,772 (−16.3%)
Administrative status
• Capital of	Shenkursky District,[1] town of district significance of Shenkursk[1]
Municipal status
• Municipal district	Shenkursky Municipal District[5]
• Urban settlement	Shenkurskoye Urban Settlement[5]
• Capital of	Shenkursky Municipal District,[5] Shenkurskoye Urban Settlement[5]
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK [6])
Postal code(s)[7]	165160
OKTMO ID	11658101001

Close

Shenkursk was first mentioned in documents of Novgorod merchants in 1229.^[2] In 1315, it was bought by a Novgorod posadnik. Ivan the Terrible referred to this location as the town of Vaga and included it into his oprichnina. At that time, there was a timber fort and a residence of local bishops.

Tsar Feodor I made a grant of Shenkursk to his brother-in-law, Boris Godunov, who bequeathed it to his future son-in-law, Johan of Schleswig-Holstein, who died shortly after arriving to Russia. The Romanovs presented the area to Prince Dmitry Troubetskoy as his votchina. Upon his death, the town was returned to the crown. In 1640–1643, the Tsar ordered a new fortress to be built in Shenkursk. Catherine the Great chartered Shenkursk in 1780, and Shenkursk became the seat of the newly established Shenkursky Uyezd in Vologda Viceroyalty (from 1796, in Arkhangelsk Governorate).^[2]

Shenkursk played a prominent role in the Russian Civil War. In the autumn of 1918, about six thousand British and American troops advanced south of Shenkursk. On January 19–25, the Bolshevik troops staged a counteroffensive, known as the Battle of Shenkursk. Three thousand troops, split into three armies, advancing from three sides, cut Shenkursk off and moved the front area 90 kilometers (56 mi) north of Shenkursk.^[11]

Shenkursky Uyezd remained in Arkhangelsk Governorate until 1929, when several governorates were merged into Northern Krai and redistricted. In 1936, the krai was transformed into Northern Oblast. In 1937, Northern Oblast was split into Arkhangelsk Oblast and Vologda Oblast.

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Shenkursk serves as the administrative center of Shenkursky District.^[1] As an administrative division, it is incorporated within Shenkursky District as the town of district significance of Shenkursk.^[1] As a municipal division, the town of district significance of Shenkursk is incorporated within Shenkursky Municipal District as Shenkurskoye Urban Settlement.^[5]

The town contains twenty-one objects classified as cultural and historical heritage of local importance.^[13] Most of these are merchant houses built prior to 1917 and the remains of the former Holy Trinity Monastery.

Shenkursk hosts the Shenkursky District Museum.^[14]

• Ratmir Kholmov (1925–2006), Russian chess Grandmaster