Yoshkar-Ola

Yoshkar-Ola (Mari and Russian: Йошкар-Ола) is the capital city of Mari El, Russia. Yoshkar-Ola means “red city” in Mari and was formerly known as Tsareovokokshaysk (Царевококшайск) before 1919, as Krasnokokshaysk (Краснококшайск) between 1919 and 1927 both after the Malaya Kokshaga River and Charla (Чарла), by the Mari people. Yoshkar-Ola was established as a military fortress in 1584, following the Russian conquest of the Mari-inhabited regions of the Volga and its tributaries. It is one of the centers of the Mari people (especially of the Meadow Mari subgroup) and the administrative center of the Yoshkar-Ola city district.