Verkhovazhye on the map.

Verkhovazhye (Russian: Верховажье) is a rural locality (a selo) and the administrative center of Verkhovazhsky District of Vologda Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of the Vaga River. It also serves as the administrative center of Verkhovazhsky Selsoviet, one of the fourteen selsoviets into which the district is administratively divided. Municipally, it is the administrative center of Verkhovazhskoye Rural Settlement. Population: 5,025 (2010 Census);5,206 (2002 Census);4,684 (1989 Census).

Etymology

The name of Verkhovazhye means literally "on the Upper Vaga".

History

The area of Verkhovazhye and the upper course of the Vaga were populated already in the 13th century. Due to its location on one of the main waterways connecting central Russia and the White Sea (it was controlled first by Novgorodians, and after the fall of Novgorod was transferred to the Grand Duchy of Moscow), and the later construction of the surface road connecting Moscow and Arkhangelsk, by the 17th century Verkhovazhye was a major trading settlement. It was first mentioned in the 17th century, and in 1678 it became a posad, a semi-urban settlement. In the 18th century industry was introduced, which included a distillery, an iron works, and a paper production plant. In the 18th century, Verkhovazhnsky Posad (currently Verkhovazhye) was one of the main trading towns in the Russian North, holding two annual fairs. In 1810, a secondary school was opened.