Fossils of Eraly
Carboniferous (probably
Visean) organisms were found within Andreapol territory. During the construction of an artesian well on the site of house No. 12, Berezovaya Street, a partial specimen of the tree-like
lycophyteStigmaria ficoides 30 cm long and 4 cm wide was discovered in the clay layer. Higher, in the limestone layers, remains of the
brachiopodGigantoproductus superior were found. Another specimen of S. ficoides was found on the shore of a lake among
Neolithic artifacts, which may indicate its use for ritual purposes.[12] A trunk of lepidophyte Lepidodendron sp. was collected from the southern outskirts of the city, in the vicinity of Sovetsky Lane, near the bank of the Western Dvina. Fossils are also known from the surrounding area of the city, including the area of the
Bobrovets village, 14.5 km north of Andreapol: shoots of Sigillaria elegans and Lepidodendron obovatum as well as a
strobilus of Lepidostrobus sp. In 2011-2016, all these specimens were given to the
Andreapolsky Krayevedcheskiy Museum.[12]
History
The Dubna Volost, currently a part of Andreapol, was mentioned in the chronicles in 1489. After several wars between Moscow and Lithuania, during which the area was transferred to Lithuania and back, it was in 1508 again included to the Grand Duchy of Moscow.[13]
In the course of the
administrative reform carried out in 1708 by
Peter the Great, the area was included into
Ingermanlandia Governorate (since 1710 known as Saint Petersburg Governorate), and in 1727
Novgorod Governorate split off. In 1772, as a result of the
First Partition of Poland,
Pskov Governorate was created, and the area on the right bank of the Western Dvina was included into
Toropetsky Uyezd of Pskov Governorate. In 1777, Pskov Governorate was transformed into Pskov Viceroyalty, and in 1796, the viceroyalty was abolished, and Pskov Governorate was restored.[14]
Between 1810 and 1843, a spa resort was operating in Andreapol, at the time Adreyano Pole.[13] Between 1904 and 1907, the construction of the railroad to Bologoye was completed. In 1906, the station of Andreapol was opened, and the
selo of Andreapol, which included villages of Dubna, Andreyano Pole, and Gorka, was established. The name of Andreapol is an adaptation of Andreyano Pole.[15]
On August 1, 1927, Pskov Governorate was abolished, and
Leningrad Oblast was established. Toropetsky Uyezd was abolished as well, and Leninsky District, with the administrative center in the selo of
Khotilitsy was established. It belonged to
Velikiye Luki Okrug of Leningrad Oblast. In 1928, the district center was moved to Andreapol.[15] On June 17, 1929, the district was transferred to
Western Oblast. On August 1, 1930, the okrugs were abolished, and the districts were subordinated directly to the oblast. On January 29, 1935
Kalinin Oblast was established, and Leninsky District was transferred to Kalinin Oblast.[16][17] In 1938, Andreapol was granted urban-type settlement status. Between September 1941 and January 1942, during World War II, Andreapol was occupied by German troops.[15] On August 22, 1944, the district was transferred to newly established
Velikiye Luki Oblast. On October 2, 1957, Velikiye Luki Oblast was abolished, and Leninsky District was transferred back to Kalinin Oblast. In February 1963, during the abortive administrative reform by
Nikita Khrushchev, Leninsky District was merged into
Toropetsky District. On January 12, 1965, Andreapolsky District was established in the areas which previously belonged to Toropetsky and
Ostashkovsky Districts.[17] In 1967, Andreapol was granted town status.[15] In 1990, Kalinin Oblast was renamed Tver Oblast.[17]
On July 24, 2000, an F2 tornado hit the area, resulting in 3 injuries across a 600 meter wide and 26 km long path.[18] Andreapol would be hit again on August 2, 2021, by an F3 tornado. The tornado damaged around 1500 homes, uprooted trees, killed three, and injured ten.[19] The tornado traveled 7.5 km across a 500 meter wide path. The tornado was part of a tornado outbreak that produced 20 reported tornadoes across Belarus & Tver Oblast.[20][21]
Forests cover around 70% of the district's territory. As a result of that, logging industry provides substantial revenue for the town. There is a large saw-mill plant in Andreapol as well as porcelain production. Agriculture is also of fundamental importance to the town's economy.
Transportation
The railway connecting
Bologoye with
Velikiye Luki passes Andreapol. There is infrequent passenger traffic.
A paved road connecting
Ostashkov with
Zapadnaya Dvina via
Peno runs via Andreapol. There are local roads as well. There is bus traffic in the district.
Andreapol contains three cultural heritage monuments of local significance. Two of them are monuments to soldiers fallen in World War II, and the third one is an archaeological site.[22]
There is a local museum in Andreapol.[23]
^
abcdLaw #34-ZO stipulates that the borders of the settlements (administrative-territorial divisions) are identical to the borders of the urban and rural settlements (municipal divisions), and that the borders of the administrative districts are identical to the borders of the municipal districts. Law #17-ZO, which describes the borders and the composition of the municipal formations in Andreapolsky Municipal District, lists the town of Andreapol as a part and the administrative center of Andreapol Urban Settlement of that district.
^Воробьёв, М. В. (1993). Г. В. Туфанова (ed.). Административно-территориальное деление Смоленской области (in Russian). Государственный архив Смоленской области. pp. 118–133.
Законодательное Собрание Тверской области. Закон №34-ЗО от 17 апреля 2006 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Тверской области», в ред. Закона №66-ЗО от 1 октября 2014 г. «О внесении изменения в статью 18 Закона Тверской области "Об административно-территориальном устройстве Тверской области"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Тверские ведомости", №17 (специальный выпуск), 19 апреля 2006 г. (Legislative Assembly of Tver Oblast. Law #34-ZO of April 17, 2006 On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Tver Oblast, as amended by the Law #66-ZO of October 1, 2014 On Amending Article 18 of the Law of Tver Oblast "On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Tver Oblast". Effective as of the official publication date.).
Законодательное Собрание Тверской области. Закон №17-ЗО от 28 февраля 2005 г. «Об установлении границ муниципальных образований, входящих в состав территории муниципального образования Тверской области "Андреапольский район", и наделении их статусом городского, сельского поселения». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Тверские ведомости", №10, 11–17 марта 2005 г. (Legislative Assembly of Tver Oblast. Law #17-ZO of February 28, 2005 On Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations Comprised by the Territory of the Municipal Formation of "Andreapolsky District" and on Granting Them the Status of Urban and Rural Settlements. Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
Законодательное Собрание Тверской области. Закон №4-ЗО от 18 января 2005 г. «Об установлении границ муниципальных образований Тверской области и наделении их статусом городских округов, муниципальных районов», в ред. Закона №65-ЗО от 24 июля 2012 г. «О внесении изменения в статью 2 Закона Тверской области "Об установлении границ муниципальных образований Тверской области и наделении их статусом городских округов, муниципальных районов"». Вступил в силу через десять дней после официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Тверские ведомости", №3, 21–27 января 2005 г. (Legislative Assembly of Tver Oblast. Law #4-ZO of January 18, 2005 On Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations of Tver Oblast and on Granting Them the Status of Urban Okrugs, Municipal Districts, as amended by the Law #65-ZO of July 24, 2012 On Amending Article 2 of the Law of Tver Oblast "On Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations of Tver Oblast and on Granting Them the Status of Urban Okrugs, Municipal Districts". Effective as of the day which is ten days after the official publication.).