Votkinsk is a Russian town located on Votka River (the basin of Kama) in the Republic of Udmurtiya, 55 km to the northeast of Izhevsk. It extends along the coast of the large Votkinsk pond — an artificial dam on Votka River. At the 30 km distance from Votkinsk there is Votkinsk hydroelectric power station on Kama River.

Taking the area of 112 square km, Votkinsk has the population of 103.5 thousand people (as of 2012).

History of Votkinsk

Votkinsk was founded in 1759 as a settlement during construction of Votkinsk Ironworks. In the mid 19th century the metal framework of the spike of the famous Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg was made there; in 1870 steel was first founded in the Martin furnace (the second one in Russia).

The town was named after Votka River (the right inflow of Kama). “Vot” means “Udmurt” (in 1920-34 Udmurtiya was named the Votsky Autonomous Region).

Votkinsk was a workers settlement from April 5, 1926 and became a town in 1935.

The town has a museum of local lore, and the Tchaikovsky House Museum. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born in Votkinsk and spent there the first 8 years of his life. Traditional annual May music festivals are held in town in his honor.