Mezen is a northern Russian town standing on the right bank of River Mezen, at the 45 km distance from the White Sea, and 215 km to the northeast of Arkhangelsk.

Sea and river ports are located on the left bank of the river, 7 km away from the city, in Kamenka Settlement.

It has the territory of 1057 sq km and the population of 3.7 thousand people (as of 2010).

History of Mezen

Mezen was founded in the 1st part of the 16th century as Okladnikova Settlement. In the 17th century it was a trading and administrative center of the entire basin of the River Mezen and a venue of large-scale fairs. The Northern trading way to Siberia passed through Mezen. The major crafts were sea hunting and fishing.

In 1664-1666 Protopriest Avvakum was in exile in Mezen in the Pustozersky Jail. From 1708 it was a part of the Arkhangelsk Province. In 1780 Okladnikova Settlement was joined with the neighbouring Kuznetsovsky Settlement and got the status of a town and the name Mezen. The town was named after the River Mezen. From 1784 Mezen was a district town of the Arkhangelsk Province.

From the 18th century, after the decrease in trading value of the Belomorsk Way, Mezen became a quiet town, mostly known as an exile place.

In 1856 in the district town of Mezen of the Arkhangelsk Province had 3 churches, 200 houses, and 6 shops registered.

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