Coordinates: 60°09′20″N 30°31′30″E / 60.15556°N 30.525°E
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Toksovo (Russian: То́ксово; Finnish: Toksova) is an urban-type settlement in Vsevolozhsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located 20 kilometers (12 mi) to the north of St. Petersburg on Karelian Isthmus. It is served by two neighbouring stations of the Saint Petersburg-Kuznechnoye railroad: Toksovo (constructed in 1917) and Kavgolovo (1929) (which serves a popular ski resort).
History
Toksovo was first mentioned in chronicles in 1500, although Izhorians had a village there at least 100–150 years earlier.[citation needed] In 1583, after the Russo-Swedish War it became Swedish. In 1708, in the Great Northern War, the townlet was conquered by Russia. 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 Toksova, seceded from Bolshevist Russia, but was reincorporated with the Treaty of Tartu at the end of 1920.
In 1928–1939, it was the administrative center of the Kuivaisi National District, inhabited by Ingrian Finns, with Finnish as the official language. In 1937, a large ski ramp was build in Toksovo. In 1937–1939, during the Great Purge, the Rzhevsky artillery range, a large area to the southeast of Toksovo, was the main NKVD place of execution near Leningrad. In 1942, during the Siege of Leningrad all Finns and Izhorians were deported from the townlet and the region. During the Siege of Leningrad an important radar station was operated near the townlet. In 1953, after Joseph Stalin's death, Finns and Izhorians were allowed to return. In 1974, a wisent (bison) farm was started in the townlet. In 1995, the first Orthodox church was built in Toksovo. In 2000, Toksovan Sanomat, a Finnish Language newspaper, began publication. In 2002, at Koirangakangas near Toksovo the Memorial society found a secret grave with remains of 30,000 people executed by the NKVD, among whom are most probably the philosopher Pavel Florensky and other prominent people. In 2003, a stage of the FIS Cross-country skiing World Cup was held in the townlet. Currently it is a ski and tourist resort and a dacha place, famous for its forests and lakes.
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External links
- Virtual Toksovo (Russian)
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