The center, the monument to Peter I, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the governor's park. Promenade along the beautiful city embankment along Lake Onega.
Optional, for an additional fee, a trip on the Meteor to the island of Kizhi (1 hour 15 minutes on Lake Onega).
Excursion to the world-famous open-air museum, where a unique collection of monuments of wooden architecture is collected. You will see the 22-domed Transfiguration Church during the restoration period, visit the interiors of the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary and an ethnographic exhibition in a peasant hut with a demonstration of traditional peasant crafts.
Dinner .
Accommodation in a hotel in Petrozavodsk.
Day 2:
Breakfast (packed lunch).
Early departure (moving about 250 km).
Along the route there are picturesque Karelian landscapes, smooth forest lakes and a magnificent panorama of Lake Ladoga framed by rocks. Travel information.
Excursion to a unique natural site: the Ruskeala mountain park.
Marble was mined here in the 18th and 19th centuries to decorate the palaces and temples of the Northern capital. And now they admire the emerald waters of the man-made Marble Lake, visit the preserved grottoes and adits, explore the “Italian Quarry”, where all the shades of marble are in full view, and walk along Marble Square. There are no analogues either in Russia or in Europe.
You will admire the most famous waterfall in Karelia, sung in Russian poetry as the “northern hero”. Here you will see a real Karelian birch - the famous “Cinderella” of the northern forests, and get acquainted with the collection of the arboretum and the Museum of Nature.
Excursion to the “Povenets Stairs” of the locks of the White Sea-Baltic Canal.
This is where the waterway begins that connected Lake Onega and the White Sea. You will learn about the history of the construction of the White Sea Canal in 1931-1933 - one of the difficult and grandiose construction projects of the Soviet era.
Dinner.
In the evening, arrival at the tourist complex “Prichal”.
Accommodation.
Free time.
Dinner on your own for an additional fee in the cafe of the tourist complex.
Day 4:
Early rise and breakfast.
Free time.
Day 5:
Breakfast .
Release of rooms. Items are placed in a storage room.
Bus tour “Mount Sekirnaya. Holy Ascension Skete" + "Botanical Garden" (3 hours).
You will visit one of the highest points of the Big Solovetsky Island - Mount Sekirnaya, from the top of which an unforgettable view of the island and the White Sea opens. Get acquainted with the history and monuments of the active Holy Ascension monastery, where during the Solovetsky camp there was a punishment cell - a place of detention and punishment of prisoners. A visit to the northernmost botanical garden in Russia with a tour of the archimandrite’s dacha, the Alexander Chapel and the worship cross.
Excursions will be offered upon request for an additional fee.
Excursion “Sights of Bolshoi Zayatsky Island”. Boat trip to Zayatsky Island (travel time 45 minutes). You will visit the largest pagan sanctuary of the 2nd-1st millennia BC, stone labyrinths, a complex of religious and funerary buildings, the first stone harbor in Russia, monuments of St. Andrew's Skete.
Transfer from the hotel to the pier at 18:30.
19:00 departure from Solovki back.
21:00 arrival on the mainland.
Accommodation in the tourist complex "Prichal".
Free time.
Dinner for an additional fee.
Please note: For tourists from St. Petersburg, it is possible to depart from Solovki at 16.00 for train No. 21. Transfer to the railway station will be organized free of charge immediately after the ship arrives at the pier.
1 day. Departure from Moscow by evening train from Leningradsky station. The group gathers half an hour before departure at the train carriage.
We traveled by the branded train "Karelia" (No. 18), leaving at 18:00. The manager of the travel agency wandered around the carriage and “seated” my future classmates in places, looking at the list with names and seat numbers. For each location were determined in advance. The carriage was a compartment car, the train was branded, the conductors were friendly, the manager was inconspicuous - in general, it was a good start. The fellow travelers were also very nice and talkative, so the night passed unnoticed with conversations and tea. By the way, be prepared for small expenses such as bed linen, tea, etc. – this is not included in the tour price. But I think you have an extra 11.5 rubles for a bed.
Day 2. Arrival in Petrozavodsk. Transfer to the hotel. Breakfast. Departure on the speedboat "Kometa" to the island of Kizhi. Excursion to the historical and ethnographic museum-reserve "Kizhi". Lunch on the island. Return to Petrozavodsk. Dinner. Overnight.
Upon arrival in the city, we were met by a charming girl Svetlana, a guide from the Petrozavodsk company Lukomorye. We quickly loaded our things into the bus that arrived (albeit an old one, but quite roomy and comfortable) and went to the White Keys hotel. The hotel is apparently from the former Central Security Committee. Located on the edge of the city near the coast of Lake Onega. On the edge - this means 10 minutes by trolleybus from the center. Quite cozy, although the furniture and interior have not been updated since the time of the security center. It was possible to order a sauna (for a fee).
Breakfast, as well as subsequent feedings, are quite decent. Let me make a reservation right away: on this and the following days, quite a lot of fish dishes were served (it’s clear why).
Svetlana managed to talk a little about the city, about the embankment, about the monument to Peter. Then - "Comet". The swim is quite long (1.5 hours). Upon arrival on Kizhi Island, another guide picked us up and took us through all the monuments of wooden architecture presented in the open-air museum. The spectacle is impressive, although the pace of the excursion is quite high. I wanted to stand at some monuments longer, but time was running out. In general, this tour can be considered as a kind of reconnaissance in force. You are shown quite quickly the main pearls of Karelia and quite briefly. You can fully feel the beauty and seclusion of these places only by leisurely exploring all the places, which requires, firstly, twice or even three times as much time, and secondly, you need to travel not with a group, but on your own.
Lunch in Kizhi was probably one of the few things I didn’t like about the tour. It was a “packed ration”: salad, buns, pies and something else. All this was given to everyone in bags back in Petrozavodsk, and we were forced to carry everything with us on the excursion. Considering the temperature outside is 25 degrees in the shade (even higher in the sun), all these salads and sandwiches “flowed.” To be honest, I forgot my package in the Comet and safely took it out from under the seat in the evening. But I didn’t eat, because in an hour and a half a normal dinner was waiting for us.
The dinner was quite theatrical. For an additional 100 rubles, Peter I himself organized for us a tasting of the products of the local Petrovsky distillery. Vodkas, tinctures, balms. Everything is very delicious. It’s interesting that they drank to lower the degrees. But this is somehow tricky in science. There the degrees dropped, and the level of fusel oils and impurities in general increased.
Next is the White Key hotel, which has already been mentioned. In the evening we had the opportunity to walk around the city. The town itself is small - only two or three central streets. A get-together at the fountain opposite the university, a couple of decent restaurants where “new Karelians” sit, a very nice cafe “Rendezvous” with wicker furniture - right in the city center. In general, prices in the city are slightly lower than in Moscow, but sitting in a cafe - the prices are very pleasant - two times lower than in Moscow.
Day 3. Breakfast. Sightseeing tour of the city "From the history of Petrozavodsk". Dinner. Transfer by bus to Olonets. Accommodation at the Olonia Hotel. Dinner. Overnight.
The city sightseeing tour lasted a relatively short time, was moderately interesting and moderately educational. However, as befits excursions of this kind. The highlight of this day was an excursion to Tatyana Kalinina's Doll House. It was a fairy tale for adults. The exhibition is divided into two parts. The first one presents dolls in national costumes. Tatyana, using real great-grandmother's costumes, altered them onto dolls, thereby achieving historical accuracy. The windows display several genre scenes: promenade, matchmaking, wedding, etc. It goes so far that the kokoshnik is embroidered with real river pearls. Very beautiful.
The second part presents an exhibition by another artist (Unfortunately, I forgot her last name). Very interesting works - all kinds of perfumes: brownie, water spirit, goblin, bathhouse, etc. These dolls help people fall back into childhood and thereby relieve stress. It was interesting to observe my classmates: at first there was some distrust and a barrier (they say that we are small or what?), then - interest, in the end - complete acceptance, smile and liberation.
The Olonia Hotel, which hosted us in the evening, turned out to be quite decent. A good restaurant, there is a bar, although it is only opened if there are enough tourists in the hotel. Foreigners stay at the hotel. Lots of Finns. The town of Olonets itself is an ordinary regional center. There is a beautiful church at the confluence of rivers
Day 4 Breakfast. Transfer to Pitkyaranta. Accommodation at the Priladozhskaya Hotel. A boat trip on Lake Ladoga to the island of Valaam. Sightseeing tour of the central estate of the monastery. Visit to the Transfiguration Cathedral. Transfer by boat to the Resurrection Monastery. Lunch in the refectory. Concert of church hymns. Return by boat to Pitkyaranta. Dinner. Overnight.
The journey to the city of Pitkäranta takes 2.5 hours. The matter is quite tedious. Our Sveta wonderfully filled the pause of the move with fascinating stories about the life of Karelians in general and about their customs and rituals in particular. It's really worth a listen. A fascinating journey into the world of pagan rituals, with a lot of humor, while away the journey.
The Priladozhskaya Hotel itself is an ordinary residential building, in which one entrance has been converted into a hotel. The apartments are quite tolerable, if there are no complaints about the jacuzzi. Interestingly, this hotel recently opened a branch. It is much better both in terms of equipment and decoration. So go to the branch. By the way, you will have breakfast there. It so happened that our group was divided into two parts, and those who lived in the main building went to the branch for breakfast on our bus.
The motor ship “Hegumen” Domoskin took us to Valaam. This vessel was quite well maintained and tidy. Coffee was served in the wardroom (20 rubles). Everything was very nice, except for the speed of movement. We reached the island in 2.5 hours (for comparison, we flew back on the Comet in 40 minutes). The island itself is very beautiful. True, what immediately caught my eye was the huge number of tourists and the frantic guides. Four multi-deck motor ships were moored at the pier. The groups walked closely one after another. This spoiled the impression of a secluded hermit's land. For myself, I decided to return to the island someday and live there for a couple of days. They say that the most fertile time is in the morning: the monks have gone to a prayer service, but there are no tourists yet. Speaking of monks. I didn't like them. They are kind of angry and unfriendly. Either tourists are so annoying to them, or they are like that in life. Personally, after talking with many, I am inclined to the second option.
But the nature and architecture are amazing. The monastery itself stands on the rocky shores of Valaam Island. Not far from the Transfiguration Cathedral there are several monasteries. We visited Voskresensky. It consists of one residential building and a church. The church is functioning, as is the cathedral itself. Clothes are strict inside the cathedral. One of the group was not allowed in - he was wearing shorts. Women were given skirts and scarves.
On Valaam we listened to a half-hour concert of sacred music. Three singers performed a number of chants from the liturgy and the hymn of the Valaam Monastery. Quite a good concert. I especially liked the second bass (they say he graduated from the conservatory).
The way back to Petrozavodsk is long again. Such a long journey was brightened up by an exciting raft trip. A raft is an inflatable raft. 10-15 people sit in it and swim along the rapids. The best thrill is in the front. They stick their noses into the wave and then are all wet from head to toe. If you are lucky with the weather, you can swim in swimsuits. If you're unlucky, it's better to take a cellophane raincoat. If you don’t have spare shoes, it’s better to swim barefoot. There are only three thresholds: small, medium, small. After that – 4 kilometers by oars. At the end of the journey, you will find a clearing with drinks, snacks and even songs around the fire. It’s a pity that the banquet doesn’t last long; people, excited by the hike and the wine, demand that the banquet be continued, but it’s time to leave. A hotel awaits us in the suburbs of Petrozavodsk.
Day 6 . Breakfast. Bus excursion "Kivach Falls - the first Russian resort "Martial Waters". Lunch in a cafe in Kondopoga. Picnic on the shore of Lake Ukshezero with smoked trout and kebabs, ethnographic program with the participation of the folk ensemble "Karelian Upper Room". Transfer to the railway station Departure by train to Belomorsk.
The only morning when I managed to get enough sleep. Departure was scheduled for noon. After 1.5 hours we were already at the Kivach waterfall. The waterfall itself is located in the reserve of the same name. The excursion does not last long, but you have time to see the waterfall in all its glory. The water drop there is almost 11 meters. The water falls in three stages. A very beautiful sight.
Having enjoyed the beauty of “wild” nature, we go further - drink mineral water at the Marcial Waters resort. The sources themselves are nothing special. There are only four of them. There are four gazebos. A pipe sticks out of each one, and water flows from the pipe. That's all. The water has a characteristic iron-rusty taste. There is no point in taking water with you, since after four hours the oxidized iron falls out in flakes. Water "rusts".
But the Church of the Apostle Peter (1721), located just above the springs, really deserves attention. This church is unique in that it has remained virtually untouched since the time of Peter I. The Bolsheviks did not touch it either, only in the 60s they replaced the rotten lower crowns. It is also remarkable for its altar. There is no such altar anywhere else. For example, in the icon, Christ Pantocrator has a clear portrait resemblance to Peter I, and the Apostle Peter holds the keys against the background of a ship with a Russian (!) flag. Yuri Dolgoruky is also very interesting there. In general, it feels like you are looking not at an altar, but at a portrait gallery. How the censorship of the times of Peter and subsequent years missed such “blasphemy” is unclear. But it’s even more interesting to watch it now. By the way, they say that Peter himself listened to prayer services, standing on the balcony of the church. On this balcony, original mica windows of that time have been preserved, and at the altar there are three wooden candlesticks made by Peter I himself.
In the evening we were treated to a concert of Karelian folk songs and dances accompanied by smoked trout. All this happened on the territory of a small but very cozy hotel "Kalevala" on the shore of Ukshozero, not far from the town of Kondopoga. The ensemble is really cool: songs, dances, then dances and games with the whole group. In general, we had a lot of fun.
A couple of hours later we were already on the Murmansk train to the city of Belomorsk. A sleepless night talking about life, drinking a lot of tea and more. In general, it’s heartwarming.
Early in the morning we arrived in Belomorsk. The town itself is quite small. A little PAZ took us to the Gandvik hotel. The rooms are decent, although old. Amenities (including a shower with hot water from a pump) - for two or three rooms. A quick breakfast - and already at 7.00 a trip to the unique rock paintings of the Neolithic era called Petrorglyphs. The unique Neolithic paintings are amazingly well preserved. The drawings depict hunters, animals, skiing, boats and many other interesting things.
Having finished with the petroglyphs, we moved to the port and boarded the ship. The culmination of the entire journey was coming - Solovki. The swim is quite long - 3.5 hours. It’s cold on the upper deck (the White Sea, after all!), and stuffy on the lower deck. Therefore, a thick sweater and a windbreaker came in very handy.
The Solovetsky archipelago greeted us cordially: good weather (it will seem strange to you, but consider us wearing T-shirts on the Arctic coast); nice people, hearty (more than) lunch. The appearance of the owner of the place where we had lunch clearly identified him as a former employee of the Office of Presidential Affairs. Stocky, chubby, economical, good-natured. On the wall behind him is a photograph of him with Alexy II.
After lunch, contrary to expectations, we were taken not to the Kremlin, but to the outskirts of the island. There were unique stone labyrinths there. Stones laid out in a clever pattern (some are spiral, some are more complex). The distance between the spiral threads is the width of the foot. They say that these labyrinths served as an element of the funeral rite, so that the souls of the dead, having gone to that world through the labyrinth, would not find their way back to the living. In general, Solovki was originally an island - a cemetery.
But finally, the time has come to explore the Kremlin itself. I won’t give the entire tour here, because it is very long and super informative. I can only say that it is really worth watching and experiencing. The history of ELEPHANT is not felt here (for those who are not in the know, the Solovetsky Special Purpose Camp - those same Solovki - is a common noun). Only the guide casually mentions that there was a camp here from such and such a year to such and such a year. True, in the village itself quite a few houses have been preserved in which the camp guards lived. People still live in these houses to this day.
Now the monastery is a fairly large complex of buildings and structures. Everything is in a state of chronic repair. The scaffolding has been removed from the facades of the Assumption Cathedral, but everything else is scaffolded, especially from the inside. There is only one small Gate Church, which seats a little over fifty people. There are several dozen monks there, and the same number of novices. Quite a lot of pilgrims (especially cute pilgrims).
In general, Solovki takes several days to see. In my opinion, two or three days is optimal. There are a couple of hotels there, but during the pilgrimage season they are often busy. Then you can come to an agreement with the “private sector”.
The way back was sad. In general, the tour is over. Everyone was depressed and snoring peacefully on the lower deck. Occasionally drunk(?!) members of the ship's crew passed by (fortunately, by the time we entered the locks in front of Belomorsk, they had sobered up). Next - bus to the hotel, dinner and a small farewell banquet. There we all thanked our Svetlana, whom we sincerely fell in love with during our journey. She really did an excellent job, and not only her, coordinating all the hotels, buses, ships is a difficult task, especially on such a busy tour. The entire Lukomorye team did a solid “A”.
Day 9 In the morning, arrival in Moscow at Leningradsky Station.
Tours “Kizhi-Valaam-Solovki”: all the best impressions of Karelia in one trip
The land of lakes and forests is so filled with sights and interesting places that it is difficult to decide where to go if travel time is limited. Spending a short summer vacation and seeing all the best is the dream of anyone who goes here.
And, of course, three places are considered the most important pearls of Karelia: Kizhi-Valaam-Solovki - they are all located not far from each other, on the main lakes of the Republic. And, most importantly, having examined them, you will immerse yourself in the history of these places, and enjoy the beauty of northern nature, and you will be able to experience an unforgettable feeling of unity with beauty.
We have created several Kizhi-Valaam-Solovki tours that allow you to explore all these places and get unique experiences that are only possible here in Karelia.
“Karelian Silence”: two programs in Kizhi, Valaam and Solovki that will not leave you indifferent
So, right now a journey into the future awaits you, during your summer holidays as part of the “Karelian Silence No. 1” tour.
Are you ready to travel to the most amazing places straight from Petrozavodsk? Meeting is right next to the train, at 8.55 am - what could be more convenient? Then we will have breakfast and go on a tour of the capital of the Republic: you will see all the most interesting and beautiful things, and then, along Lake Onega on the Meteor ship, go to Kizhi Island. Here you will visit the famous wooden buildings and the Church of the Intercession.
In the evening we will return to the city and check into the hotel “Piter Inn Petrozavodsk” - one of the best hotels in Karelia.
Day two will begin with a trip to the city of Sortavala, after sightseeing where you will be able to enjoy the beauty of the island of Valaam. The fast Meteor will take you there in 45 minutes across Ladoga.
A visit to the island includes: a visit to the Transfiguration Cathedral, the Assumption Church, and also a tour of the entire territory of the monastery, immersion in the life of the monks. You will have lunch in a real refectory, and then go to Nikon Bay and visit the hermitages of Valaam.
Traditionally, we combine a tour to the island with a trip to the Ruskeala complex - unique marble mountains formed as a result of the flooding of an old quarry with groundwater and rainwater. All this makes the Valaam-Kizhi-Solovki tour especially rich and interesting, and provides an opportunity to get acquainted with natural monuments.
On the third day you will go to Belomorsk, leaving the capital. Karelia will open up for you from a new side: surprisingly, Peter the Great discovered mineral water springs here, where representatives of the nobility gathered for several centuries. The Marcipal Waters resort is still in operation, and you can taste the healing water from the source.
From here we will go to waterfalls, in particular, the famous Kivach, and also admire the Karelian birches in the arboretum.
If you want to see much more, we have prepared an extended version of the Kizhi-Valaam-Solovki tour especially for you. The program of this trip is very similar to the first, with the only difference that you will spend 3 whole days on the Solovetsky Islands. During this time we will explore everything, visit the most hidden and little-known corners, and immerse ourselves in the secluded and harsh atmosphere of these places.
Experience an unforgettable experience this summer!
Karelia and the north of Russia have always aroused great interest among pilgrims, tourists and painters, poets and prose writers. Therefore, first of all, we will figure out where Solovki, Valaam and Kizhi are located. They are scattered at a fairly large distance from each other and located in different regions and water spaces. Karelia includes the islands of Valaam and Kizhi. Solovki is an island already in the White Sea in the Arkhangelsk region. Now let's take a closer look at each of these objects. Below you see the water surfaces of Karelia. Valaam in the photo is white with the dome of the church. All objects are unique and have not only beautiful views, but also a very interesting history.
History of Valaam Island
In the northern part of Lake Ladoga, the largest in Europe, rocky Valaam rises. Karelia with the peoples who inhabited it in time immemorial gave it a name that translates as “high, mountainous land.”
According to legend, the first to appear here was the Apostle Andrew the First-Called as an educator and spreader of Christianity. He erected a stone cross, in the place of which the monastery now stands.
Nine hundred years have passed. Missionaries from Greece arrived in Karelia on Valaam: Herman and Sergius. Thanks to them, a brotherhood of monks appeared on the island. They were erected at the beginning of the 15th century. Slowly, monks from other places came here. They erected outbuildings and other structures made of wood. A hundred years later, the monastic brotherhood grew to a thousand people. By the standards of the time it was rich. It was regularly robbed by the Swedes, the monks were killed, and temples, manuscripts and books were burned. The place was empty.
Recovery
By order of Peter the Great, the monastery was restored. In 1720, the wooden Transfiguration Cathedral was built, which was consecrated in the name of St. Andrew the First-Called and John the Theologian. Outbuildings and cell buildings grew. The Assumption Church was built ten years later. The fire of 1754 destroyed everything. Eleven monks began to restore the monastery thanks to the help of Elizabeth Petrovna. New construction began: the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, St. Nicholas, Assumption and Gate churches, and new cells were erected. This is how the difficult history of Valaam in Karelia unfolded.
Acts of the abbot
Rapid stone construction began under Abbot Damaskin, who came from peasant background.
This new rector, a strong and extraordinary personality, invited experienced architects from St. Petersburg. Valaam in Karelia literally flourished: gardens and vegetable gardens were planted, livestock was raised, the monks went fishing and they had bakeries, a pharmacy, a hospital, and a bathhouse. The surplus was sold. For more than forty years the monastery was ruled by Father Damascene. The rules under him were strict: young monks and novices were in the care of the elders. All church services were required to attend, as well as many hours of labor obedience. No one could voluntarily leave the island, which since the 16th century had also been a place of exile for guilty monks.
Development from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century
For more than a hundred years, the archipelago was part of the Principality of Finland. It, in turn, was part of the Russian Empire. The next rector was Jonathan II (Ivan Dmitriev). He completed the construction of the majestic stone two-story, bright, five-domed Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral with a belfry.
Through his efforts, the huge library of the monastery was put in order. A water supply system was installed on the island. After the revolution, Finland became an independent state, where the majority of churches are Lutheran. The monasteries of Valaam turned out to be a “national minority”. To attract the flock, the monks began to conduct services in Finnish. Their number has decreased. The remaining brethren accepted Finnish citizenship. During the Finnish War, the island was bombed, and the monks, taking all the valuables, moved to the continent. In the town of Hajnovesi they created a monastery called “New Valaam”. It became the center of Orthodoxy in Finland.
On Soviet Valaam in Karelia, worldly life was going on. A school for cabin boys and boatswains was established in the monastery. In 1940, the island was again occupied by Finland, but in 1945 after the war it again went to the USSR. Five years later, the monastery housed a home for disabled people of the Great Patriotic War and Labor, which closed in 1984.
New life of the old monastery
Thanks to the beauty of Karelia’s nature, tourists began to visit Valaam Island by boat in the 60s. In the fall of 1989, the monastery was transferred to the Leningrad diocese; in December, on the day of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, six monks arrived on the monastery grounds. They had a lot of work to do to put in order not only the monastery in Karelia (Valaam), but also to redevelop the lands that were transferred to them, and restore fifteen monasteries. This requires an amount of approximately 370 million rubles. In total, 15 million were received.
The lands that were given to the monastery are of little use for agriculture, while good ones are empty. The monastery contains 23 cows, and could even have one hundred and forty, as it was in the 18th century. The monks donate milk free of charge to schools and kindergartens, and at cost to hospitals. There is not enough feed for dairy cows; they have to be purchased on the mainland. The monastery has a lot of problems.
Let's give four examples. The issue of transferring the ancient bakeries in which delicious wood-fired bread was made has not been resolved. It didn't get stale for several days. Tourists filled the forests with rubbish. If they were rented out to the monks, and no one wants to solve this issue, then everything would be cleared away.
There is also no decision to create a National Park on the island, which can fully preserve nature. And the plants and animals here are unique: relict coniferous forests, oaks, ash trees, larch trees, chestnut trees, thujas, cedar groves. On the banks you can see colonies of terns and gulls, as well as rookeries of the Ladoga seal. Nobody wants to build a plant for processing solid waste (glass containers, bags, polyethylene) and remove it from the island, as well as a system for treating fecal waste, which causes hepatitis and dysentery.
Monastery complex
The Valaam Monastery in Karelia was fully formed in 1862. On the island they made bricks from which everything was built. From the bay, along a granite staircase that runs through an alley of larch trees, tourists and pilgrims approach the monastery. A gate opens in front of them with the Church of Peter and Paul above it. Several rows of cells and churches form two quadrangles.
The small one is located inside the large one, and it houses the main cathedral - the Transfiguration Cathedral. Its five domes are a symbol of Jesus Christ and the four apostles. On the ground floor there is the Church of Sergius and Herman. Their relics are buried deep below. The bell tower consists of three tiers. It has 13 bells. The largest of them - “Apostle Andrew” - weighs fourteen tons.
During night services, you can hear ancient choir chants, which are not performed anywhere else.
Operating monasteries
There are only 10 of them left:
The rest are being restored and built.
Travel to Karelia
Tours to Karelia will be readily offered by numerous travel agencies. At your request, you can choose the duration of the trip from two to eighteen days. Tours to Karelia to Valaam are carried out all year round. In summer, in addition to the sights, you can enjoy the romance of the white nights. If you add fishing and walks surrounded by pristine nature, your vacation will undoubtedly be memorable and successful. Holidays in Karelia on Valaam, in the country of forests and lakes, will allow you to completely disconnect from the busy life of the metropolis and enjoy peace and quiet.
In winter, especially during the New Year holidays, it is nice to pamper your child with an acquaintance with Chukchi sled dogs: Siberian Huskies with blue eyes, Alaskan Malamutes, Taimyr sled dogs. The mushers will teach you how to harness dogs to sleds. And how interesting it is to ride along the two-kilometer track on the dogs of the famous traveler Fyodor Konyukhov! It's easy for them. After all, they walked with him the most difficult path from the North Pole to Canada across the Arctic ice. Then you will be invited to drink hot tea in the tent and eat red fish soup. The next day, cheerful gnomes will surround you, divide the group into teams and begin competitions. And this is not all that will be offered to you! Santa Claus will also appear.
Karelia, Valaam Island: how to get there
You can fly to Valaam, which is completely surrounded by water, by air, but the water route is most often used. From St. Petersburg, the high-speed hydrofoil boat "Meteor" will deliver a tourist or pilgrim in four hours.
A trip by boat is much more expensive and longer. Most people prefer to choose the road from Sortavala. The motor ship takes two and a half hours, and the Meteor takes fifty minutes. But they don't have a clear schedule. The most convenient way is to board a speedboat with an excursion. Only singles are accommodated in the remaining free places. And if there are not enough places, then you will have to while away the time on the pier. The monastery's pilgrimage service will also provide a similar service.
Lake Ladoga can be rough and stormy. Then all flights are cancelled. In this case, the tourist will either get their money back or be asked to wait 2-3 days. You need to remember this and have a few days in reserve.
Wooden architecture on Lake Onega
Kizhi is the 8th wonder of the world, which was created by Russian craftsmen from the most short-lived material. The entire architectural ensemble is under the auspices of UNESCO. And for good reason. Such beauty as the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord or the Intercession of the Holy Virgin, next to which stands a restored hipped bell tower, cannot be found anywhere else. The Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord is a true marvel.
Its pine frame consists of eight sides, on which two more octagonal churches are placed. The structure is crowned with twenty-two chapters. The four-tiered iconostasis contains one hundred and two icons dating from different centuries. This is a summer church, and in winter services are held in the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin. If a tourist doesn’t have a lot of time, then the usual route around Karelia: Kizhi, Valaam.
Another extraordinary place in Russia
Back at the beginning of the 15th century, two hermits arrived in the White Sea, far, far to the north: Herman and Savvaty. The place was swampy, with many lakes, and covered with birch forest. They apparently had a hard life. Trusting only in the mercy and help of the Lord, they erected a cross and a cell. After the death of Savvaty, monks began to sail here. We know the date of foundation of the monastery - 1436. It was rich and built of huge stones and bricks.
No one has yet figured out even approximately who the builder of the monastery was, since some of the stones of the Kremlin and the walls of the fence weigh about eight tons. The lichen that covers them is approximately two to three thousand years old.
A hundred years after the founding of the monastery, the monks connected all the lakes with canals. Traveling through them will take at least ten hours.
There is also an underground passage, the length of which is 1.5 km.
At the end of the 19th century, a botanical garden was created on the lands of the monastery, in the greenhouses of which watermelons, melons, and peaches were grown.
Place of exile and prison
This has been the case since the 16th century. In the 20th century, the monastery no longer exists, and only a Special Purpose Camp for intelligent political exiles remains, and later a Special Purpose Camp, which was closed in 1939.
Nowadays
In 1990, monastic life was resumed. Shrines reappear in it, before which an Orthodox person wants to kneel. About twenty thousand tourists and pilgrims arrive at the monastery every year.
Karelia, Kizhi, Valaam, Solovki: tour, reviews
If you visit all three places at once, it will take nine to ten days. But the impressions will last a lifetime. But this is a superficial inspection. A leisurely one takes about three times longer. Tourists recall a wonderful time spent and excellent guides. On Solovki, some celebrate sunsets of fantastic beauty. Some travelers find it difficult to bear the motion and remember it with horror. In general, local residents reproach tourists for the dirt they leave behind. The opinions of the travelers themselves were divided into two parts. The first notes that the domestic service is very bad, the second has no complaints about it.
Main Shrines of the NORTH, 5 days/4 nights
Petrozavodsk -
Kizhi - Sortavala - Valaam - Ruskeala mountain park - Kivach - Solovki
Tour dates in 2019: Thursday-Monday
July: 11-15.07, 18-22.07, 25-29.07;
August: 1-5.08, 8-12.08, 15-19.08, 22-26.08
Tour program:
Day 1 (Thursday):
Lake Onega - mountains. Petrozavodsk – Kizhi
Arrival in the mountains Petrozavodsk. Meeting of the group with the sign t/f "Siver" at the entrance to the station building under the clock (from the platform side).
- Breakfast in a cafe. Things are handed over to the hotel storage room.
- Sightseeing tour of Petrozavodsk. You will visit historically significant parts of the city, visit the famous Onega embankment. The guide will tell you about the history and formation of the city of Petrozavodsk.
- Departure from Petrozavodsk to Kizhi Island on the fast ship "Meteor". Duration (6.5 hours). The one way journey takes 1 hour 15 minutes. Excursion to the museum-reserve. The total time spent on the island is 4 hours. Additional payment for KIZHI: 3,550 rub./adult, 3,450 rub./pension, 2,200 rub./children from 7 to 14 years old .
- Late lunch in a cafe in Petrozavodsk.
- Hotel accommodation.
Day 2 (Friday):
Lake Ladoga – Valaam Island – Ruskeala Mountain Park – Tokhmayok Waterfalls
- Breakfast at the hotel/packed rations.
06.00 Departure to the city of Sortavala. (250 km)
- Visit about. Valaam.45 min – travel along Lake Ladoga on a high-speed boat. Tour of the central estate 1.5-2 hours. Visit to the Transfiguration Cathedral.
- Return to the mountains. Sortavala.
- Lunch in a cafe in Sortavala.
- Transfer to the Ruskeala Mountain Park. Excursion to the marble canyon. For extra. For a fee in the park, you can ride a zip line over the canyon or take a boat ride on the emerald lake.
- Visit to the Tokhmayok waterfalls, where the film “The Dawns Here Are Quiet” was filmed.
Dinner on the way for an additional fee. fee.
23.00
Return to Petrozavodsk.
Day 3 (Saturday):
White Sea - Kivach Waterfall – White Sea Petroglyphs – village. Rabocheostrovsk
Breakfast in the hotel. Release of rooms.
09.00 Departure to Rabocheostrovsk (400 km from Petrozavodsk).
- Along the way, visit the Kivach nature reserve. A picturesque corner of Karelia: forest, river, rocks. The Kivach flat waterfall is one of the largest in Europe.
Lunch on the way.
- Visit to the White Sea petroglyphs in the town of Zalavruga, mountains. Belomorsk.
21.00 In the evening, arrival in the village of Rabocheostrovsk, Mt. Kem. Accommodation at the hotel "Prichal".
Dinner in a cafe.
- Independent visit to the filming location of Pavel Lungin's film "The Island" on the shores of the White Sea.
Day 4 (Sunday):
White Sea – Solovetsky Monastery
- Breakfast in the hotel cafe.
08:00 boarding the ship. Travel by boat on the White Sea, 2 hours.
- Sightseeing tour of the Solovetsky Kremlin - 2.5 hours.
Lunch at a cafe on the island for extra fee.
- A walk along the picturesque shore of the White Sea, where you will see the “Dancing” Solovetsky birches and “Labyrinths” - cultural monuments of prehistoric civilizations.
18:00
Boarding the ship.
20:00
Return to the village of Rabocheostrovsk.
Overnight at the hotel "Prichal".
!! For tourists from St. Petersburg, departure from Solovki at 16.00 for train No. 21
Day 5 (Monday):
- Breakfast in the hotel cafe. Release of rooms.
Transfer to the city railway station. Kem / mountains Belomorsk.
Departure of the group by morning trains:
For tourists from St. Petersburg:
No. 015A Murmansk-S-Pet at 06:47
For tourists from Moscow: No. 091Ch Murmansk-Moscow at 10:10
Price:
|
Type of allocation |
Economy |
Standard |
Lux |
|
In a double room, rub./person. |
25 000
|
26 600
|
27 500
|
|
Single occupancy, rub./person. |
