Caves in Karelia. Marble quarry and ruskeala mountain park. Where to stay in Ruskeala and Sortavala

Mountain park, marble quarry and canyon, recreation center, system underground caves and adits - all this and much more is located in the village of Ruskeala, Sortavala region of the Republic of Karelia.

Ruskeala is one of the most spectacular and beautiful sights of Karelia. Here you can visit mysterious grottoes, admire the colorful tints of marble walls, and enjoy views of nature from observation platforms.

The main attraction of the park is the marble canyon. It was flooded long ago and the water in it is of a magnificent emerald color, which, in combination with snow-white rocks, gives rise to an incredibly picturesque image that attracts the eye. A walk through the marble canyon gives an unforgettable and pleasant feeling of calm, harmony and aesthetic pleasure. I want to stop time to admire and marvel at this miracle of nature.

History of the Ruskeala marble quarry.

Even before the start of the Northern War, Ruskel marble was mined by the Swedes for personal needs. In 1766, a certain Samuel Alopeus drew the attention of the Russian authorities to local marble. And now, since 1768, in Ruskeala, by decree of Catherine II, active mining of marble stone began for the construction of palaces and cathedrals in St. Petersburg. Ruskeala marble was used in the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral, for cladding the Marble Palace and the Hermitage, and for laying floors in the Kazan Cathedral. Ruskeala marble was also used in the construction of palaces in Pushkin, Pavlovsk and Strelna.

In 1854, active marble mining ceased. Ruskeala marble began to be burned into lime and broken into crushed stone; beautiful marble that was not used for decorative purposes was simply destroyed.

Since 1898, the marble deposit was leased by the Finns, but they also used marble in the form of crushed stone.

During the war with Finland, the marble quarries were flooded. According to some sources, this was done by the Finns themselves; according to others, the rock was damaged by prolonged blasting operations and, after Soviet air raids, could not withstand it and gave way to the water of the Tohmajoki River, which flows nearby.

In Soviet times, marble mining resumed, but by the 1970s the rocks were so damaged that large-scale work had to be stopped. However, marble was still used; it was used to line the Ladozhskaya and Primorskaya stations of the St. Petersburg metro, and was also turned into lime and crushed stone at a plant located nearby.

Since 2002, the fate of the flooded marble quarry has changed dramatically - it has turned into a tourist attraction in Karelia.

Today, Ruskeala marble can also be seen in the cladding of some buildings in Helsinki and Sortavala.

Ruskeala Mountain ParkToday.

Even before entering the mountain park, visitors can enjoy a variety of services and entertainment. The park has a large guarded parking lot, many souvenir shops in the form of traditional Russian huts, and even a small amusement park. There is also a cafe with a charcoal kitchen, where every hungry tourist will be happy to have a tasty meal.

Having bought a ticket and passing through a beautiful carved arch, you will find well-groomed paths around the canyon lined with Ruskeala marble, many benches from which you can enjoy a stunning view of the canyon itself. Following further along the marble paths, you find yourself in an old marble adit, which goes deeper into the rocks for more than 200 meters. There is a cool atmosphere all year round, and there is ice in the depths.

Continuing further, you will notice a path going off to the right. It leads to the Ruskeala failure. This is a wonderful place, located underground, where all year round, regardless of the temperature outside, there is ice. The entrance there was formed during the Finnish War, when the rock, which could not withstand the bombing, collapsed. However, it will not be possible to go down there without special equipment and experience, but by special agreement with the administration the descent can be organized. At the moment, plans for the development of the Ruskeala Mountain Park include an item for the improvement of the Ruskeala failure. It is planned not only to organize a convenient entrance for everyone, but also an underground skating rink, and even a cinema in one of the caves.

In summer you can go boating along the marble canyon. However, on weekends, when there are the greatest number of visitors to the canyon, in order to rent a boat for an hour, you need to sign up in a queue. But it's worth it. The purest, green water can be seen 15-18 meters deep.

For thrill-seekers, the park offers several breathtaking attractions:

• Cliff Jump. You are given the opportunity to jump with a safety net from the cliff of a marble canyon. The free fall height is 8 meters from a height of 24 meters. A storm of positive emotions and impressions is guaranteed.
• Passage through the canyon on a rope bridge. At a height of more than 24 meters, there are three ropes: you have to walk along one, and hold on to the other two. In real mountaineering, only two ropes are used, but here you don’t need to have special skills or experience to get through. Everyone can test their strength and get a sea of ​​unforgettable emotions.
• Trolls. A cable is stretched across the entire canyon from one of the highest points of the marble quarry to one of the lowest. Splashes of water, wind and breathtaking speed, as well as the opportunity to feel like a special forces soldier overcoming a gorge in the mountains - this is what attracts tourists to this attraction.

Diving enthusiasts also have the opportunity to dive into the waters of the marble canyon and enjoy views hidden from the eyes of ordinary people.

When night falls on the mountain park, the entire marble quarry is illuminated by many multi-colored spotlights, which creates a magnificent, bewitching and admiring view.

Opening hours of the Ruskeala Mountain Park, services and prices.

Marble Park is open in summer from 9 am to midnight, in autumn and spring from 10 am to 9 pm, in winter from 10 am to 7 pm on weekdays, and on Friday and Saturday until 10 pm.

Prices:

• Admission is 150 rubles full, 100 rubles for students, 50 for schoolchildren, and for children under 7 years old admission is free.
• Boat trip (1 boat/1 hour) – 250 rubles.
• Excursion (short route, group from 4 to 25 people) – 250 rubles for adults, 80 rubles for students and 150 rubles for students. Children under 7 years old are free.
• Excursion (long route, group from 4 to 25 people) – 350 rubles for adults, 80 rubles for school and 150 rubles for students. Children under 7 years old are free.
• Translator services are provided for foreign citizens - 100 rubles per person.
• Cliff jump – 350 rubles.
• Walking across the rope bridge costs 350 rubles.
• Trolley ride – 600 rubles

*prices are based on data from June 2013.

Every year the popularity of this place is growing more and more. Excursions and tours from all over Karelia, Leningrad region and Finland are organized here. Karelia, marble canyon, picturesque mountains and forests, architectural monuments - these places seem to have been created so that everyone can appreciate the splendor of northern nature. The bizarre shapes, mysterious caves and dungeons will take your breath away. And the impressions received remain in the memory for a long time and are difficult to describe in words, because it is not enough to talk about this, it is worth seeing.

How to get to the marble quarry:

The Ruskeala quarry is located 25 km from the Karelian city of Sortavala. From the Sortavala – Pryazha highway, after passing the village of Helyulya, you need to turn left following the sign for Vyartsel. After driving and visiting the wonderful waterfalls on the Tohmajoki River, after 400 meters turn left into the second turn.

Read a detailed plan of how and what you can use to get to the marble quarry with photographs and a mark on the map.

Ruskeala in the Republic of Karelia is the name of a large tourist complex.

Its name comes from the nearby village of the same name.

Another landmark can be the Tokhmayoka River, on the banks of which it is located. Contrary to popular misconceptions, Ruskeala is not a granite quarry or a nature reserve. Wikipedia says that this is a mountain park.

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Marble Canyon Ruskeala (Karelia, Russia) - description

The main attraction of this place is the Marble Canyon, which is now about 500 meters long and 100 meters wide, and reaches a depth of 50 meters. All its walls are dissected complexes of white marble. Once upon a time, its entire territory was penetrated by a whole network of mines, drifts and adits, the total length of which is several kilometers.

Now the main quarry and most of it are flooded, and the once industrial facility has become amazing place created by the joint efforts of man and nature.

Abandoned quarries were discovered by S. Alopeus, a local pastor and local historian. Active development began in 1765, during the reign of Catherine II. Since such work was rarely carried out in Russia, initially the “stone work” was carried out under the leadership of the Italians. Stone mining began quickly, since at that moment several large buildings were being erected in the country at once.

At that time, more than 500 people were working in the quarries. At that time, marble rock was found here mainly in 4 colors: gray with a green tint, white with blue and gray tints, gray with an ash tone and white with gray veins.

St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg

Marble from the Ruskeala quarries was used as a finishing material for such famous buildings as:

• Saint Isaac's Cathedral;
• Mikhailovsky Castle;
• in the Kazan Cathedral the floors were laid with it;
• in the Hermitage and the Marble Palace he made window sills;
• in the twentieth century, Karelian marble was also used to decorate the Ladozhskaya and Primorskaya metro stations in St. Petersburg.

In 1846, a processing plant was built and a process for producing lime was organized. At this time, the number of workers at the quarries increased to 800 people. During wartime, from 1939 to 1947, no mining was carried out. Resumed production did not stop until the 1990s, but on a much smaller scale.

But after the end of mining and the flooding of the main quarry with groundwater, it was not forgotten. In 1998, Marble Canyon was designated as a cultural heritage and taken under state protection. Since 1999 it has been part of the international tourist route called the Blue Road.

It is worth noting: in 2005, with the active participation of local entrepreneurs, work was carried out to create an entire tourist complex, and in just 10 years of work it became very famous.

Marble quarry and waterfalls

The flooded quarry is an unusual and beautiful place. Marble cliffs rising above the water, surrounded by dense forest, look very picturesque. You can explore them on your own, without resorting to the services of guides.

It is worth noting that the water here is of an unusual color. Perhaps this is due to the marble bottom. The water can be seen to a depth of 15 meters.

The area around is equipped for a comfortable stay in the park, and various options for spending time are also organized. For example, boat tours are very popular. During boat rides, you can personally observe pieces of marble peeking out of the water and look into numerous grottoes.

Hiking is no less popular, allowing you to enjoy views not only of the canyon, but also of the surrounding area. For convenience, several observation platforms have been installed along the perimeter of the quarry, which allow you to take the most advantageous positions for photos. Brief information about the attraction and famous people who visited her.

For especially daring fans of cable cars, bungee jumping and rope jumping, cables are stretched over the water surface of Marmara Lake. Another feature of the quarry is the unusual colored lighting, which you can look at in the evening. It is used both in the canyon itself and in some grottoes and caves.

The lights on the marble cliffs look very impressive. In winter, you can ride a dog sled pulled by huskies. They will take adults and children on the ice of the Marble Canyon itself.

A must-visit is the Ruskeala or Tokhmin waterfalls. They are no different great height or entertainment, but, nevertheless, very picturesque. The height of the largest one located here is no more than 4 meters.

The area is especially famous for several films that were filmed here and in the surrounding area. One of them is “And the Dawns Here Are Quiet,” in which the heroine dived from one of these waterfalls. What remains of the film is a small museum.

A fairy tale about Baba Yaga was filmed here, and fabulous sets were built for the filming. It was also decided to leave them, since they blended very organically into the surrounding nature.

Sights of Ruskeala

Local adits, which are nothing more than through holes in the rock, are also popular with tourists. They can be either vertical or horizontal. However, almost all of them were flooded long ago by the Finns in 1939, except for one, which was later equipped for tourists to visit.

Once upon a time, a special marble was mined here, which was used to obtain lime. Trolleys were used to transport material from here. Due to the special microclimate (it is always damp here), water drips from the ceiling, and snow can be found even in summer.

Another place where adits have been preserved is the Ruskeala Gap. On the ground it is marked with a sign “Underground Lake”, and all because the hole is now flooded. The collapse itself occurred in the 60s - then blasting was actively used to extract rock, which led to the formation of cracks in the mountain range. So one day, the roof of the cave simply collapsed.

It is a round hole in the ground and has a fence. To get down, a special system of ropes was built. At the bottom there are special bridges for passage deep into the caves.

Note: In winter, visitors go straight down onto the ice and skate.

The so-called Italian Canyon is also interesting to visit. Not long ago, the Italians decided to mine marble here, but it didn’t work out. It turned out that the high-quality material lies very deep, but that located on the surface is very fragile and is not at all suitable as a finish. The extraction of deep-seated marble costs a lot of effort and money, which is not entirely justified.

However, in the Italian quarry one can observe a fundamentally different approach to mining using special saws. From the beginning of the development, huge sections of the rock remain, which allow you to admire the cross-section of marble in natural conditions.

A place that not many tourists go to is an abandoned marble and lime factory. Despite its lesser fame in the park, it is of great interest. Built by the Finns in 1896, it was intended for the production of lime. To do this, calcite marble was fired in special kilns, of which there were originally three. Later, production expanded: 3 more kilns were built and they began to produce facing stones, as well as marble chips. It closed completely in the 1990s.

Now you can wander around here and take a good look at everything. All the buildings, furnaces and even the iron tracks that were used to transport the rock to the processing site are well preserved.

Official website of the recreation center

All the necessary information (working hours, cost of services and much more) about marble canyon Ruskeala (Karelia, Russia) can be viewed on the official website of the complex - http://ruskeala.info/ru. Due to the proximity of Finland and other European countries, foreign tourists also come here, so the site can be viewed in three languages. Here you can find all the relevant information about accommodation options, costs and additional services. Before visiting the park, you can find out about possible tours and excursions, and also book accommodation if necessary.

Address

Marble Canyon Ruskeala is located at the address: Republic of Karelia, Sortavala, next to the village of the same name Ruskeala.

How to get there

You can get to the Ruskeala Mountain Park in several ways, leaving from St. Petersburg or.

From St. Petersburg There are 2 options, and the whole route is about 300 kilometers:

1. On personal car From St. Petersburg you should take the federal highway A129, along the Priozerskoye Highway. Having reached the city of Sortavala, we continue moving towards Petrozavodsk. Soon you will need to turn onto the A-130 highway, to the village of Vyartsilya, and from there to Ruskeala.
2. By train "St. Petersburg - Kostomuksha", which departs from the Ladozhsky station, to the city of Sortavala. It is worth checking the schedule in advance, since the train does not run on this route every day. There is a regular bus from Sortavala to the village of Ruskeala.

From Petrozavodsk:

1. By private car we move along the P21 highway, through Kolatselga. The distance is about 250 km. Seeing the turn to the village of Vyartsilya, we turn. From there we move to Ruskeala village.
2. By train Petrozavodsk - Sortavala we reach the final city, and from there by regular bus to our destination.

Take note: It is most convenient to travel to the park by private car, since the attraction is located next to the village where traffic public transport not very developed.

Another convenient option is to order a group excursion, and then the trip will be organized from St. Petersburg to the desired point and back.

Where to stay

Not far from the Ruskeala Mountain Park there are not many places to stop and relax in comfortable conditions. One of the most popular, in close proximity to the Karelian attraction, is the King of the Mountain guest house, formerly called the Blue Lagoon tourist center.

Guests of Ruskeala are offered comfortable, varied rooms, free parking and gazebos equipped with barbecues. There is also a camping area on site where you can pitch a tent and immerse yourself in nature. Of course, the special luck is the proximity to the famous park, which is only 800 meters away, and the amazing landscapes around.

Ruskeala Marble Canyon – the most beautiful photos

You can visit the Ruskeala Mountain Park at any time of the year - each of them has its own charm. In general, this is a great option to change everyone’s favorite beaches and engage in active recreation. In addition, now it is one of the most popular natural and technological attractions in Karelia and throughout Russia.

The Republic of Karelia is located in Northern Europe, on the border of Russia and Finland. It is called the center of wooden architecture, a pantry of mushrooms and the most mysterious region in Russia. A lot has been done here beautiful photos, but they are not able to convey the full range of feelings that these places evoke in the traveler. Fabulous taiga forests, clear lakes, pristine nature, an abundance of historical and architectural monuments - all this must be seen with your own eyes.

Mount Vottovaara

In the central part of the republic, 20 kilometers southeast of the village of Sukkozero, there is a curious place - Mount Vottovaara, the highest peak of the Western Karelian Upland (417 meters).

Locals call this place of power Death Mountain and consider it a portal to other world– here an anomalous effect on electrical equipment, nature, and the human body is noted. The dead silence, as well as the depressing sight of trees bent, broken by the wind and blackened after a fire, add to the ominous feeling.

In 1978, a complex of ancient cult seids - rolled stones-boulders, located in groups - was discovered on the mountain. In this case, huge blocks lie on smaller ones, creating the impression of stones on legs.

Also on Vottovaara there is a mysterious stairway to heaven - 13 steps carved into the rock, ending in an abyss.

Mount Kivakkatunturi

Located in national park Paanajärvi, in the Louhi region. The height of the mountain is 499 meters, and the name is translated from Finnish as “stone woman” - at the top there are many seids, one of which resembles the head of an old woman.

The climb to Kivakka is quite easy and takes 1-2 hours - in addition to the trodden path, there are wooden beams laid down for the convenience of tourists. When climbing, you can see around the landscape features characteristic of these places - hanging swamps and high-altitude lakes lying on the slopes of the mountain and indicating the water-bearing nature of the rock.

From the open top you can clearly see the beauty of Paanajärvi Park. This place becomes especially picturesque with the arrival of autumn, when the plants color the mountain in yellow-purple colors.

Mountain Park "Ruskeala" (Marble Canyon)

The basis of this tourist complex in the Sortavala region of Karelia is a former marble quarry. The blocks mined here were used for cladding palaces and cathedrals in St. Petersburg and other Russian cities. Now these quarries have turned into man-made marble bowls filled with pure water and cut through by a system of shafts and adits, reminiscent of mysterious caves and grottoes.

The mountain park is 450 meters long and about 100 meters wide. It is equipped for tourists - pedestrian paths have been cleared, observation decks, there is parking for cars, boat rental. It is from the water that the most impressive views of the surrounding rock formations, up to 20 meters high, open up. You can also take a boat into the marble grotto and admire the bizarre reflection of the water in the translucent arches.

Marble Canyon Caves

No less interesting are the mines and adits of the quarry, which can be visited on a guided tour. Most of these caves were flooded, but there are also dry ones - the higher the air temperature on the surface, the more deadly cold it feels here.

For its unique acoustics, one of these grottoes is called Musical. However, the greatest interest is caused by the Proval cave, in the roof of which a hole measuring 20 by 30 meters has formed. Another name for the Gap is the Hall of the Mountain King or Ice cave, it is best to go down into it in the cold season, when the 30-meter thickness of water in the grotto is hidden under ice. Drops flowing from the vaults formed numerous ice stalactites and stalagmites, the beauty of which is emphasized by lighting.

Ruskeala waterfalls (Akhvenkoski waterfalls)

Not far from the village of Ruskeala, where the Tokhmajoki River divides into several branches, there are 4 small waterfalls. Falling from rocky ledges 3-4 meters high, the kvass-colored water foams and rumbles.

The area around is landscaped, there are wooden gazebos, a cafe, and a souvenir shop. Once upon a time, the films “The Dawns Here Are Quiet” and “The Dark World” were filmed in these places; now kayaking (kayak) is carried out along the Tokhmajoki River, overcoming waterfalls.

Paanajärvi National Park

This corner wildlife is located in the north-west of Karelia, in its most elevated part and occupies about 103 thousand hectares. The park owes its name to the unique Lake Paanajärvi, which arose in rock faults; the boundaries of the park run along the line of this lake and the Olanga River.

The landscapes here are picturesque and varied - Mountain peaks alternate with gorges, turbulent rivers and noisy waterfalls coexist with the calm surface of lakes.

The park contains the most high point Republic - Mount Nourunen. Here you can also see the Kivakkakoski waterfall - one of the largest and most powerful in Karelia.

Daylight hours in winter are very short - from the end of August you can see northern lights. But in summer the sun sets only for 2-3 hours - the time of white nights comes.

National Park "Kalevalsky"

This park was created in the far west of Karelia in 2006 to preserve one of the last tracts of old-growth pine forests in Europe. On an area of ​​74 thousand hectares, pine trees occupy about 70%; the age of many trees reaches 400-450 years.

For thousands of years, these places have been the constant habitat of various species of animals and plants; the pristine beauty of the forests still fascinates today. In the park you can see many large rivers with picturesque waterfalls and deep, clean lakes.

There are also several villages located here - Voknavolok is considered the cradle of Karelian and Finnish cultures, where the songs of the Kalevala epic were born, many historical and cultural monuments have been preserved in Sudnozero, and Panozero is considered one of the oldest settlements near.

Archipelago Kuzova

It is a group of 16 small islands in the White Sea, near the city of Kem. In order to preserve the unique landscape and diversity of flora and fauna, the Kuzova state landscape reserve was created here. Now there are special places for visiting tourists on 3 islands - Russian Kuzov, German Kuzov and Chernetsky.

In addition to the beauty of the surrounding nature, the archipelago attracts with the abundance of seids, labyrinths, ancient sites of people from the Mesolithic and Bronze Ages, and religious buildings. The islands are shrouded in many legends and are still a mystery to historians and archaeologists.

Girvas volcano crater

IN small village Girvas, Kondopoga region of Karelia, is home to the world’s oldest preserved volcanic crater, its age is about 2.5 billion years.

Previously, the full-flowing Suna River flowed here, but after the construction of a dam for a hydroelectric power station, its bed was drained and the water was sent along a different path, and now petrified lava flows are clearly visible in the half-empty canyon. The crater of the volcano itself does not protrude above the ground, but is a depression filled with water.

Kivach waterfall

Translated from Finnish, the name of the waterfall means “powerful”, “swift”. It is located on the Suna River and is the fourth largest flat waterfall in Europe. Kivach consists of four rapids overall height 10.7 meters, of which the vertical drop of water is 8 meters.

Due to the construction of a hydroelectric power station in this area, there was a large outflow of water, which somewhat reduced the attractiveness of the waterfall. The best time The best time to visit this attraction is spring, when Suna gains strength, feeding on melt waters. In 1931, a State Government was created around the waterfall. nature reserve"Kivach".

White Bridges Waterfall (Yukankoski)

This waterfall, located on the Kulismayoki River in the Pitkäranta region of the republic, is one of the highest and most beautiful in Karelia and reaches about 18 meters in height. In summer, the water in the river warms up well, which allows you to swim in it and stand under the falling streams of water.

In 1999, the hydrological natural monument “White Bridges” was established on the territory adjacent to the waterfall, the area of ​​which is 87.9 hectares. Due to its location in the forest, far from the highway, Yukankoski is not very popular among travelers.

Marcial waters

This name is given to a balneological and mud resort, as well as a village in the Kondopoga region. The resort was founded by Peter I in 1719 and is the first in Russia.

There are 4 wells here, from which flow mineral water, their main feature is the amount of iron, greater than in other sources in Russia and abroad. Each source has a different concentration of iron, and the waters also contain calcium, magnesium, manganese, and sodium.

Sapropelic silt sulfide mud extracted from the bottom of Lake Gabozero also has healing properties.

The resort is visited for the treatment of diseases of the blood, cardiovascular, digestive, genitourinary and musculoskeletal systems, and respiratory organs. Here, according to the design of Peter I, the Church of St. Apostle Peter was built, and opposite the temple is the building of the local history museum “Marcial Waters”.

Valaam Island

The name of the island translates as " high ground“- it is the largest of the islands of the Valaam archipelago, located in the north of Lake Ladoga.

Every year, Valaam attracts thousands of tourists - its rocky territory, 9.6 kilometers long and 7.8 kilometers wide, is covered with coniferous forests, large and small inland lakes, and cut by numerous channels, bays and bays.

Here is the village of Valaam and a monument of Russian architecture - Valaam Stavropegial monastery with many hermitages (buildings located in hard-to-reach places).

Island of Good Spirits

This island, located on Voronye Lake, is not marked on any geographical map, for which it is often called Karelian Shambhala. You can get to it while rafting on the Okhta River and only with the help of tips from the guides.

The place is a traveler's paradise and is famous for its convenient parking areas, excellent fishing and picturesque surroundings. However, what attracts people most is the abundance of wooden crafts on the island - a real museum under open air, created by the hands of tourists. Some products date back to the 70s of the last century. According to legend, this place is inhabited by spirits who guard the island and inhabit every craft, bringing good luck to its maker.

Solovetsky Islands

This archipelago, which includes more than 100 islands, occupies 347 square kilometers and is the largest in the White Sea. It is located at the entrance to Onega Bay and is included in a specially protected protected area.

Here is the Solovetsky Monastery with many churches, the Maritime Museum, the airport, Botanical Garden, ancient stone labyrinths and a whole system of canals that you can navigate by boat.

The White Sea beluga whale, the white whale, lives near Cape Beluzhy. Beautiful nature and the abundance of historical and architectural monuments attract many excursion groups to these places.

Lake Pisan

This reservoir is located in the central part of the Republic of Karelia, and has a tectonic origin - the lake was formed as a result of a fracture in the earth's crust, as clearly evidenced by the symmetry of its shores. The name of the lake translates as “longest” - occupying up to 200 meters in width, it extends 5 kilometers in length. In some places the depth exceeds 200 meters.

On the northern shore of the reservoir there are parking areas, comfortable places for fishing and launching boats. As you move south, the banks become higher, forming a gorge with rocks rising 100 meters above the water. Virgin nature, silence and lack of nearby settlements make this place especially attractive for lovers of solitude.

White Sea

This inland sea, located in the north of European Russia, belongs to the Arctic Ocean basin and has an area of ​​90 square kilometers. Due to the cold water even in summer (up to 20 degrees), there is not too much tourist flow on the White Sea, and nature in many places remains untouched.

Blueberries and mushrooms grow abundantly on the islands of the sea coast; in the water you can see jellyfish, fish, seals and beluga whales. The seabed after low tide is a unique sight - it is filled with a variety of living organisms.

Lake Ladoga (Ladoga)

Located in Karelia and Leningrad region and is the largest freshwater body of water in Europe - the length of the lake is 219, and its greatest width is 138 kilometers. The northern shores are high and rocky, with many bays, peninsulas, large and small islands; the southern coast is shallow, with an abundance of rocky reefs.

Along Ladoga there is a large number of settlements, ports and recreation centers, numerous ships glide along the water surface. Numerous historical finds from different eras have been found at the bottom of the lake; even now these places are popular among diving enthusiasts. Mirages and brontides also occur here - a rumble coming from the lake, accompanied by the seething of water or weak vibrations of the earth.

Lake Onega (Onego)

This lake is called the younger sister of the great Ladoga - it is the second largest freshwater body of water in Europe. On the territory of Onega there are more than 1,500 islands of different sizes, dozens of ports and marinas are located on the shores, and the Onega Sailing Regatta is held annually.

The water in the lake is clean and transparent thanks to the shungite mineral that literally lines the bottom. In addition to fish, there is a bivalve mollusk that grows nacreous pearl balls in its shell.

Taiga forests rich in mushrooms and berries, the charm of northern nature, a huge number of historical monuments, architecture, and folk art attract many tourists to these places.

Onega petroglyphs

On east coast Lake Onega in the Pudozh region of Karelia contains ancient rock paintings dating back to the 4th-3rd millennia BC. They are collected in 24 separate groups and cover an area of ​​20 kilometers; more than half of the petroglyphs are located on capes Peri Nos, Besov Nos and Kladovets.

In total, about 1,100 images and signs were carved into the rocks, mainly drawings of birds (especially swans), forest animals, people and boats. The dimensions of some petroglyphs reach 4 meters.

Among the mystical figures is the mysterious triad of “demon, catfish (burbot) and otter (lizard).” To neutralize this evil spirits, around the 15th century, the monks of the Murom Holy Dormition Monastery knocked out a Christian cross on top of the image.

Kinerma village

The name of this ancient Karelian village, lost in the Pryazha region, translates as “precious land”. The settlement, founded more than 400 years ago, has up to two dozen houses, half of which are architectural monuments. The buildings are located in a circle, in the center of which is the chapel of the Smolensk Mother of God and the old cemetery.

More recently, the fate of the village was in question; only 1 person lived here permanently. However, thanks to the efforts of local residents, it was possible to restore the buildings, improve everyday life, and attract tourists. For the preservation of its historical appearance, Kinerma is recognized as a complex monument of wooden folk architecture of the Karelian-Livviks. She also won the competition “The Most beautiful village Russia."

Kizhi Museum-Reserve

The main part of this unique open-air museum is located on Kizhi Island in Lake Onega. The heart of the collection is the Kizhi Pogost ensemble, consisting of the 22-domed wooden Transfiguration Church, the smaller Church of the Intercession and the bell tower that unites them; the complex is now included in the List world heritage UNESCO.

The museum is constantly replenished with chapels, houses, icons, household items, outbuildings brought from the surrounding Karelian, Russian and Vepsian villages; it also presents a number of historical objects of Zaonezhye and Petrozavodsk.

Assumption Church

The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is located in the city of Kondopoga, on the shores of Lake Onega. The church was built in 1774 in memory of the peasants who died during the Kizhi uprising (1769-1771).

Thanks to its height of 42 meters, it became the tallest wooden church in Karelia. Interior decoration has survived to this day and, with its modesty, contrasts with the rich modern churches.

A visit to the Assumption Church is not included in the list of obligatory routes; there is no invasion of tourists here, but newlyweds get married and children are baptized local residents. It’s worth coming here for the surrounding beauty and special atmosphere of this place.