Pudozh is located on the elevated shore of the Vodla River, 25 km away from where the river falls into the Onego Lake and 197 km away from Medvezsh’ya Gora railway station or 352 km to the east from Petrozavodsk.
It was first to note in 1382: first as a settlement of Pudoga, then as Pudozhskiy churchyard, and since 1785 as the city of Pudozh. It is located on the side channel of the river Vodla. Its name comes from the Karelian word "puvas" which means "an arm of river, channel"; beginning from the end of 18th century several glass-works had been functioning in the mouth of Vodla, and then since the end of 19th century some timber mills appeared there.
