Imagine white sand. Imagine it shaping the island that gives Beloostrov its name. Today we explore this municipal settlement. Beloostrov sits in the Kurortny District of St. Petersburg. It is on the Karelian Isthmus by the Sestra River.
From 1922 until World War II it was Krasnoostrov or Red Island. But before that its Finnish name was Valkeasaari. This translates to White Island. Beloostrov means White Island in Russian.
Let’s delve into Beloostrov’s history. Archaeological finds near Beloostrov Station suggest settlements existed here 1000 to 2000 years ago. These finds indicate settlements during the Bronze and Iron Ages. Near the former village of Mertut, several sites of primitive humans were discovered.
The first mentions of the village date back to the 16th century. At that time Karelians lived here. They were of Finno-Ugric descent. On old maps of Ingermanland the village was called Valkeasaari. The Vozdvizhensky Korboselsky Church oversaw it. This area was part of the Karelian half of the Votsky fifth of Veliky Novgorod.
In the 17th century Sweden seized these lands. As a result many Karelians left. Finns and Ingermanlanders populated the territory. The village became known in Swedish as Walkeasaari. This translates to White Island.
Peter I won the territory back from Sweden. On Russian maps the name was written in Russian as Valkeasaari. Later it became Beloostrov. From that time on Beloostrov has been known by its Russian name.
The history behind the name is interesting. A theory suggests the name comes from the high terrace. The terrace is located along the Vyborg tract. This terrace stood out against the flat landscape. It appeared as a bright island. However this theory faces criticism. The village wasn’t close to the river that would cause the elevated land.
In 1870 a railway connected Beloostrov to St. Petersburg-Vyborg. This transformed the area. It became a key transportation point. The station served as a customs and transfer hub on the border with Finland.
Beloostrov became a popular summer spot for St. Petersburg residents. Plots of land quickly developed around the new railway station. This spurred the area’s growth. Beloostrov became known as Novy Beloostrov or New White Island. The original village became Stary Beloostrov or Old White Island.
In the 1920s the Bolsheviks renamed the village Stary Krasnoostrov. This politically correct name didn’t last long. After the Great Patriotic War the village reverted to Stary Beloostrov.
During the Winter War in 1939-1940 battles aimed to push back the Soviet border. The border was too close to Leningrad. The fighting took place about 4 km from Stary Beloostrov along the Sestra River.
The Finnish military aimed for Leningrad but dug in about halfway. They had to dig in near the old Finnish border before 1939. This created the northern semi-circle of the Leningrad Blockade.
Today Beloostrov has roughly 2100 permanent residents. However this number increases greatly in the summer. Many city dwellers visit their garden plots. Beloostrov continues to evolve blending history with modern life.