mountain park Ruskeala has been operating for almost ten years. It was opened for mass visits in 2005. Its creation was sponsored by the travel company "Kolmas Karelia". "Ruskeala" is very popular today. This place has become so famous for a reason. Tens of thousands of tourists visit it every year.

General information

The monument is called "Ruskeala Marble Breaks of the 17th - Early 20th Centuries". At present, the creation of such a complex is a positive and infrequent phenomenon in Russia. This example clearly demonstrates how an object can be revived with private funds. cultural heritage. The place itself is unique. Here, a rare symbiosis of the mining museum of the past centuries and the natural attractions that Karelia is famous for has been recreated. "Ruskeala" is a truly unique ensemble. Its natural beauty can be admired at any time of the year.

Special atmosphere

Three quarries were formed here as a result of marble mining. They are located next to the left bank of the Tohmajoki River. The quarries are interconnected by adits. Soon, work on the extraction of stone ceased. The quarries were abandoned. On the site of ancient quarries, picturesque Oni appeared - white marble thickets filled with clear blue-green water. At present, the inactive adits and mines resemble mysterious grottoes and caves.

Local Attractions

The marble quarry "Ruskeala" is the main attraction of the complex. This place is a monument of industrial culture of the XVIII-XX centuries. Ruskeala Park is officially included in the list of cultural heritage Russian Federation. This monument is unique. There is no other such complex anywhere in Europe. This is a kind of man-made "bowl" from a solid marble array. It is pierced by systems of drifts, galleries and mines. Facing blocks were mined here for many architectural structures city ​​of St. Petersburg. The majestic St. Isaac's Cathedral is also no exception. A variety of buildings were decorated with Ruskeala marble. It has a stunning color: white with greenish flashes. Some metro stations are still decorated with this marble.

Quarry marble "Ruskeala"

Its length is about four hundred and fifty meters. It's pretty deep. The quarry is currently flooded. Water rises to the upper underground horizon. The Finns did this before the war began in the 40s. Most of the adits that were formed in the first half of the last century are under water. Only one of them is located above this level. This adit was formed in the bowels mountain ranges in the 30s. A path was built inside it, along which trolleys with marble moved. It is connected to shaft No. 2. It was along it that the workers moved. The mine goes deep into the mountain at a distance of about two hundred meters. mound railway, along which the trolleys moved, is still preserved.

picturesque views

Outwardly, the marble quarry "Ruskeala" makes a tremendous impression. Gray-white rocks descend down to its heavily indented shores. Rocks go deep into a huge distance. There is a regular excursion to Ruskeala. The canyon has its own pier. Here guests can use the rental service and take a boat. While traveling on it, you can look at the canyon from the water. A certain part of the blocks hangs over this space at a negative angle. Travelers can also admire the views of the grottoes. They were formed in sheer cliffs. The play of light on the marble ceiling attracts the eyes of tourists for a long time. The grottoes really look very picturesque. White and vaults are reflected in the calm water surface.

Precautionary measures

There are also dry adits here. However, tourists are strictly forbidden to visit them. This requires the support of a geologist. The heat outside means that the marble adit is cold. You can feel the dankness as you go deeper into the layer. It's hard to imagine what it was like working here. The Quarry Board provided some data from that time. During peak periods, mining was carried out year-round. The drilling process did not stop day or night.

Fundamental differences

There is the main, most famous and visited quarry "Ruskeala". Around it were located several more abandoned ones. Currently, activities are underway to develop them. Most quarries are different from each other. This applies not only to the types of coasts. This also applies to the color of the water. For example, in one career it may be gray, and in another - blue. The main one is slightly different from the rest. The water in this quarry is bluish-green in color. Over time, the walls here have darkened and weathered. This happened during the time when there were no developments in the quarries. However, this does not prevent tourists from seeing their true color. It can be observed on freshly chipped marble pieces. They are quite common. The old "block" quarry is special in this respect. Here you can see the most striking manifestations of picturesque stone. It was in this quarry that marble was mined in large blocks.

Underground research

The speleological commission of St. Petersburg was engaged in the development of a multi-year expeditionary project. It is called "Underground Karelia". Speleologists were engaged in the study in 2010. The mountain park "Ruskeala" and the Marble failure became the main objects of research. The latter is located very close to the place where the main excursion route runs through the complex.

Features of the complex

In winter, the marble quarry "Ruskeala" looks no less attractive. At this time of the year, the lake is covered with ice. Therefore, it is very easy to get to the mysterious grottoes and adits. One of these places is called musical for its unusual acoustic properties. In winter, "Ruskeala failure" strikes with its magnificence.

It becomes like an ice castle, the columns of which have the most bizarre shapes. There is art lighting here. It helps the majestic canyon to light up bright colors with the onset of darkness. marble quarry(Karelia) (a map of the area is given in the article) is a favorite place where divers love to conduct their training. As a rule, they do this in the most remote corners of the quarry, so they do not interfere with the bulk of visitors at all. Several quarries are flooded here. The adits connecting them also ended up in the water. The Ruskeala canyon (the map clearly demonstrates this) included only three functioning underground horizons that were used for mining. Diving enthusiasts will find this place paradise. Tempting labyrinths will not leave anyone indifferent. At the very bottom of the canyon, some equipment is still preserved. For example, motorcycles, cars and even a crane. All this attracts those who are engaged in techno diving. The water here is clear. Muti is practically non-existent. Aquatic vegetation is also absent. In autumn, however, leaves that drop birch trees can fly.

Local staff keep the marble quarry "Ruskeala" clean. Workers periodically make trips to the lake and clean it of debris. Everywhere there are traces of people: papers, plastic bottles and the like. However, visitors litter quite a bit. The guests must be mesmerized by the majestic beauty of the flooded quarry. Conscience does not allow to pollute the picturesque mountain lake. Not only the ancient ones have been preserved on the territory of the mountain park. Other historical objects are also located here. For example, the old administrative building. It is made in the style of classicism. The building is entirely made of Ruskeala marble. On the territory of the complex there are monuments of industrial architecture of the XIX century. They are kilns that were designed for burning lime. Their brick pipes are conical in shape. The existing quarry will also be of interest to tourists. You can watch the process of mining large marble blocks. Currently, these objects are not included in the mountain park. For this reason, they are poorly adapted for tourist excursions.

"Ruskeala" (recreation center). General information

Here guests will find a lot of positive emotions. The complex is located in the Sortavala region. This is southern part Karelia. From St. Petersburg to this place about three hundred kilometers. The Ruskeala complex, the photo of which is presented in the article, can receive guests all year round. The base is equipped with everything necessary for their comfortable stay. The rooms can accommodate from two to eight people. There are special rooms for honeymooners and families with children. Together with parents, a child, even an infant, can be accommodated here.

Entertainment

Guests can organize a picnic on site. Barbecue available. Guests can bake fish and cook kebabs. Wood burning sauna available for rent. It is located on the shore of the lake. On the basis of "Ruskeala" a rather extensive program for vacationers has been developed. For example, you can safely go fishing, visit Lake Valaam or see waterfalls and friendly and polite staff work at the camp site. Even if guests are not prepared for fishing, they can get bait, tackle and even professional fishing advice.

Where is the attraction located?

The features of the Ruskeala marble quarry are described above. How to get to this place? You can go through Priozersk from St. Petersburg by car. The path will run through Sortavala along the A-129 highway. In the city itself, you should go along the main road towards Petrozavodsk. From Sortavala, at the 10th km, there will be a turn to the A-130 highway. After Priozersk, a rather winding road begins. Total time, which will have to be spent on the whole journey - 4-5 hours.

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 is the Tohmajoka River, on the banks of which it is located.

In contact with

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 the depth reaches 50 meters. All its walls are dissected complexes of white marble. Once its entire territory was riddled with 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 an amazing place created by the joint efforts of man and nature.

Abandoned quarries were discovered by S. Alopeus, a local local history pastor. Active development began in 1765, during the reign of Catherine II. Since such work was rarely carried out in Russia, initially "stone work" was carried out under the guidance of Italians. The extraction of stone began quickly, because at that moment several large buildings were erected in the country at once.

More than 500 people worked at the quarries at that time. Then marble rocks were found here, mainly of 4 colors: gray with a green tint, white with a blue and gray tint, 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 well-known buildings as:

• Saint Isaac's Cathedral;
• Mikhailovsky Castle;
• in the Kazan Cathedral they laid out the floors;
• in the Hermitage and the Marble Palace he made window sills;
• in the 20th 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 lime production process was organized. At this time, the number of workers in the quarries grew to 800 people. AT war time, from 1939 to 1947, there was no mining. 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, he was not forgotten. In 1998, the Marble Canyon was singled out as a cultural heritage site and taken under state protection. Since 1999 it has been part of the international tourist route called Blue Road.

Its useful to note: in 2005, with the active participation of local entrepreneurs, work was carried out to create a whole tourist complex, and in just 10 years of work, he became very famous.

Marble quarry and waterfalls

The flooded quarry is an unusual and beautiful place. Marble cliffs rising above the water, surrounded by a dense forest, look very picturesque.

It is worth noting that the water here is of an unusual shade. Perhaps this is due to the marble bottom. At the same time, water is visible to a depth of 15 meters.

The area around is equipped for a comfortable stay in the park, as well as organized various pastime options. For example, boat trips are very popular. During boat trips, 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 the 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. Also located here brief information about attractions and famous people who visited her.

For the most adventurous lovers cable cars, bungee jumping and jumping with ropes, cables are stretched over the water surface of the Marble Lake. Another feature of the quarry is the unusual colored illumination, 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 husky dog ​​sled. They will ride adults and children on the ice of the Marble Canyon itself.

A must visit point is the Ruskeala or Tokhminsky waterfalls. They don't differ great height or spectacular, but nonetheless very picturesque. The height of the largest of those located here is no more than 4 meters.

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

A fairy tale about Baba Yaga was filmed right there, for the shooting of which fabulous scenery was built. It was also decided to leave them, because they fit very organically into the surrounding nature.

Sights of Ruskeala

Local adits are also popular with tourists, which are nothing more than through holes in the rock. They can be both vertical and horizontal. However, almost all of them were flooded 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 produce 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 failure. On the ground, it is marked with a sign "Underground Lake", and all because now the failure is flooded. The collapse itself occurred in the 60s - then blasting was actively used to extract the rock, which led to the formation of cracks in the rock mass. So one day, the arch of the cave just collapsed.

It is a rounded hole in the ground and has a fence. For the descent down, a special system of ropes was built. At the bottom, special bridges are organized for passage deep into the caves.

Note: in winter, visitors descend directly onto the ice and go ice skating.

The so-called Italian Canyon is also interesting to visit. Not so long ago, the Italians decided to extract marble here, but it did not work out. It turned out that high-quality material lies rather deep, and located on the surface is very fragile and is not at all suitable as a finish. The extraction of deep 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 developments started, there were huge sections of the rock, which allow you to admire the marble in the cut in natural conditions.

A place where not many tourists reach is an abandoned marble and lime factory. Despite his lesser prominence in the park, he is of great interest. Built by the Finns in 1896, it was intended for the production of lime. For this, calcite marble was fired in special kilns, of which there were originally three. Later, the production expanded: they built 3 more furnaces and began to deal with facing stone, as well as marble chips. It closed completely in the 1990s.

Now you can wander around here and see everything well. All buildings, furnaces and even railway tracks, which were used to transport the rock to the place of processing, are well preserved.

Official website of the recreation center

All the necessary information about the Ruskeala marble canyon (Karelia, Russia) can be found on the official website of the complex - http://ruskeala.info/ru. Due to the proximity of Finland and other European countries, there are also foreign tourists here, so the site can be found in three languages. Here is presented all actual information about accommodation options, prices and additional services. Before visiting the park, you can find out about possible tours and excursions, as well as book accommodation if necessary.

The address

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

How to get there

There are several ways to get to the Ruskeala mountain park, leaving from St. Petersburg or.

From Petersburg There are 2 options, and the whole journey is about 300 kilometers:

1. On the private car you should move along the federal highway A129, along the Priozersky 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 Vartsila, and from there to Ruskeala.
2. By train "St. Petersburg - Kostomuksha", which departs from the station "Ladoga", 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 Ruskeala village.

From Petrozavodsk:

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

Take note: it is most convenient to make a trip 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 group tour, 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 stay and relax in comfortable conditions. One of the most popular, in the immediate vicinity of the Karelian sights, is the King of the Mountain guest house, formerly called the Blue Lagoon tourist center.

Guests of Ruskeala are offered comfortable and varied rooms, free parking and gazebos equipped with barbecue facilities. In addition, there is a camping site on the territory where you can set up a tent and plunge into nature. Of course, a special success is the proximity to the famous park, to which the path is only 800 meters, and the amazing landscapes around.

Marble canyon Ruskeala - 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 your favorite beaches and engage in outdoor activities. In addition, now it is one of the most popular natural and technological attractions in Karelia and throughout Russia.

Karelia has unique place– Marble Canyon (Ruskeala Mountain Park), in general, Karelia is interesting for its natural beauty. If you have never been to the Republic, then you should definitely go here.

The marble deposit in the Ruskeala region was discovered in 1765 and was used until 1939. A beautiful stone with numerous shades was used in the construction of Isakievsky and Kazan Cathedrals. Now the Ruskeala mountain park pleases tourists with its marble steep banks, a well-groomed path around the canyon, and the opportunity to go boating on the azure lake.

Address and opening hours of Ruskeala mountain park

Navigator coordinates: 61.936192, 30.589610

Opening hours depend on the season:

• Winter (from November 1 to February 28): from 10.00 to 19.00

In winter, every Friday and Saturday, the artistic illumination of the entire Marble Canyon is open.

• Spring (from March 1 to April 30): from 10.00 to 21.00
• Summer (from May 1 to August 31): from 09.00 to 24.00
• Autumn (from September 1 to October 31): from 10.00 to 21.00

How to get to Ruskeala marble canyon

By car

There are 2 options:

• through Priozersk along the A129 highway. Before turning to Kuznechnoye (outside the city of Priozersk) the road is excellent, then from the border of Karelia to Sortovala the coverage is good, from Sortavala to Ruskeala the road is a bit broken.
• along the E105 highway in the direction of Petrozavodsk (the road is gorgeous, but the ride is much longer)

by train

from the Ladoga railway station the train "St. Petersburg - Kostomuksha" goes. Need a Sortovala station

Where to stay in Ruskeala

We stayed at the Ruskeala recreation center, which is a five-minute walk from the Marble Canyon.

On the territory there are all the accessories for barbecue, you can rent a sauna near a small pond. It is advisable to book the time in advance by phone, as there are many people who want to, and there is only one bathhouse.

You can also book a room in the nearest city — Sortavala. If a trip to Karelia is planned during the high season, weekends or holidays, then it is better to look for a room in advance, after all, there are not so many of them in the whole town. Links to hotels in Sortavala:

• Hotels in Sortavala on Hotellook.com
• Hotels in Sortavala on Booking.com
• Private house or apartment on Airbnb (via this link you will receive 21 euros as a gift for your first booking)

What to see in Ruskeala and surroundings

It is very beautiful in here - marble canyon will not leave anyone indifferent. We visited the park during the "golden" autumn. Gray marble, turquoise lake and golden trees around - a complete delight.

A trail is equipped around the canyon, where there are observation platforms with gorgeous views of the water surface, grottoes, caves and, of course, marble rocks.

Be sure to take a boat and swim in Marble Canyon Lake.

For lovers of extreme sports created trolls across the lake.

Adits at the Ruskeala quarry

An adit is a horizontal or inclined mine working that has direct access to the earth's surface. In simple terms, an adit is a mine where marble was mined.

In Ruskeala, there is only one adit left, which is open to the public.

The Ruskeala failure was formed due to explosions in neighboring quarries, with the help of which they simplified the extraction of marble. The collapsed part of the rock revealed the interweaving of a large number of flooded adits.

In summer and winter, those who wish can go down a special rope and find themselves in the very center of marble mining.

The Ruskeala Gap is carefully monitored: here you can find carved figurines and interior items made of ice.

Italian Quarry

The path along the Marble Lake, which I mentioned earlier, will lead to the Italian Quarry. The Italian quarry is the last place in Ruskeala where marble was mined.

Now there is an exposition "The path of a stone through time." It is amazing how evenly the stone is cut. The feeling that these are slices of cheese, not marble.

Do you know why the quarry was named "Italian"? It was because of these very machines that could cut stone perfectly like this, and they were made according to Italian technology.

Marble-lime plant in Ruskeala

The entrance to the territory of the plant seems to be closed, as our guide told us (I advise you to take a tour, it is inexpensive, but it is really interesting to listen). But we managed to walk near the plant and take pictures of it.

The Finns built the factory in 1896. First, lime was created here by firing calcite marble in a special kiln. Then they began to produce facing stone, white and gray marble chips.

The marble mined at the quarry was delivered to the factory by overhead railroad. The plant completed its activities in 1990.

Filming location of the film “The Dawns Here Are Quiet” – Ruskeala waterfalls

“And the dawns here are quiet…” I remember how in a literature lesson in high school, we were shown this film. Everyone sobbed, and the boys were stronger than the girls. It was very interesting for me to visit the same waterfall. Finding this place is very easy. There are many tourists here, so there are corresponding signs on the road. From the Marble Quarry to the waterfalls about 2-3 km

We need Ruskeala waterfalls - Waterfall on the river Tohmajoki

The address: 86К-332, Ruskeala, Rep. Karelia, 186759

Ruskeala waterfalls coordinates for the navigator:

61°54"58"N 30°37"38"E

Now there is paid equipped parking, gazebos, souvenir shops, cafes and much more.

Things to do in Ruskeala Mountain Park

Diving in the marble quarry of Ruskeala

Ruskeala is a very favorite place of entertainment among divers, because at the bottom of Marble Lake you can see a lot of interesting things. For example, underwater caves and mines. A large number of various equipment flooded by the Finns before the war.

The organizers can offer you routes with varying degrees of difficulty.

Rope descent and bungee jumping on Ruskeala

For daredevils, they came up with the attraction "Jump over the canyon." There are no such queues as for a boat, but nevertheless this service is popular.

Canyon boat trips

The boat can be rented for 1 hour / 400 rubles. Maximum 4 people per boat. Issuing life jackets for everybody. Boat rental is open from 18 May to 30 September.

In high season, you may have to stand in a long queue for the boat. However, it's worth it. After all, you can swim on your own on the lake and swim into the grottoes, examining them from the inside.

Dog sledding

Walking on Siberian Husky is relevant in winter. The cost is 1000 rubles / adults and 800 rubles / children.

Huskies are incredibly beautiful dogs with unforgettable blue eyes, you even want to take a picture with them

We were in Ruskeala in autumn, but I really want to go there also in winter, as our guide praised the artistic lighting, and I have never ridden a dog sled in my life.

A trip to the former, and now flooded marble quarry. Photo report from the trip.

There were small debts according to reports from summer trips. Then there was no time to spread it, but now, in rainy autumn weather, it’s very nice to look at sunny pictures and remember those feelings. Therefore, I will continue the story of the trip to Karelia...

We went to Ruskeala the next day after Valaam. On the way we stopped at a waterfall, where the film "The Dawns Here Are Quiet" was filmed. Beautiful place..

Then, having driven literally five kilometers, we got to Ruskealy. It is necessary to explain what it is - this is a former marble quarry, now flooded. From here, blocks were obtained for facing the majestic St. Isaac's Cathedral with grayish-green and light gray marble. Ruskealy the halls of the St. Petersburg metro stations "Primorskaya" and "Ladozhskaya" were decorated. Now they have done national park for tourists.

Arriving at the park, the first thing we took boats, 1 hour 200 rubles like. Swimming in a boat is very cool, steep cliffs surround you, and under you there is greenish, clear water.

There is a small grotto in the rocks, you can get into it only by boat.

It's so beautiful inside - the ceiling of the grotto shimmers with reflections of the sun in the water.

After swimming for an hour in the quarry (but it won’t work anymore - it’s small in principle), we went for a walk along its perimeter. Along the whole career goes hiking trail with observation decks from where there are wonderful views.

Halfway along the quarry, we climbed into an abandoned adit.

And then we deviated from the route and went to those places that are usually not shown to tourists. Came across underground caves flooded with water. It looks very impressive - I wish I could swim there on a boat!

Then we came across a marble deposit, there is also something to see.

After walking a bit around the neighborhood, we eventually returned to the path to the career.

Marble Canyon Ruskeala- filled with the purest groundwater, a former quarry for the extraction of different types of marbles. At present, the length of the quarry from north to south is 460 meters, the width is up to 100 meters. The combination of the nature of Karelia and human activities have given the quarry a surprisingly picturesque look that attracts travelers not only from Karelia, but also from St. Petersburg, Moscow and other places.

The picturesque marble quarries of Ruskeala have long served as a source of marble for the cathedrals and palaces of St. Petersburg and other cities. St. Isaac's Cathedral is lined with it, the floors of Kazansky Cathedral are laid out, window sills of the Hermitage are made, windows are framed Marble Palace and the facade of the Mikhailovsky Castle, as well as the underground halls of the St. Petersburg metro stations "Primorskaya" and "Ladoga".

Marble Canyon Ruskeala

Currently, some of the quarries are abandoned and flooded, and some continue to be used for industrial stone extraction. One of the quarries, now called mountain park Ruskeala, equipped for visiting by tourists - walking paths are cleared and fenced around, parking is equipped, right in the quarry you can rent a boat and enjoy the view from the water to the marble walls, which are more than 20 meters high.

The banks of the quarries are heavily overgrown with trees and shrubs, so it is rather difficult to see them in their entirety at once. But from the steep banks open picturesque views on flooded quarries from separate angles. In one of the walls of the quarry is a marble grotto - " business card» Ruskealy. You can get into the grotto only from the water, sailing on a boat.

The quarries differ from each other not only in the type of coast, but also in the color of the water - in one quarry it is gray, in another it is blue, and mostly green. Currently, it is not possible to pump water out of the quarries.

Ruskeala Marble Canyon: Ruskeala Mountain Park

Now " Ruskeala mountain park already known and gained well-deserved popularity. It is visited by tens of thousands of tourists a year.
Creation of a monument of industrial culture "Marble fragments of Ruskeala XVII - early. XX centuries. in the form of a mountain park - a positive and rare example in modern Russia of investing private funds in a cultural heritage site. Here it was possible to create a very rare symbiosis of a natural attraction and a full-scale museum of mining of past centuries. There was an unprecedented, now it is a natural ensemble, beautiful at any time of the year.
Along the left bank of the Tokhmajoki river, three quarries were formed in the process of marble extraction, connected by adits. Stone mining stopped and the old abandoned Ruskeala quarries turned into beautiful mountain lakes - white marble bowls filled with the purest bluish-green water. Long-idle mines and adits have become like mysterious caves and grottoes.

Main attraction mountain park is the Marble Canyon - a monument of industrial culture (mining) of the late XVIII - early XX centuries, officially included in the list of cultural heritage of Russia in 1998. A similar monument, which is a man-made "bowl" in a continuous array of marbles, cut through by a system of mines, adits and drifts, there are no more in Europe. From here, blocks were obtained for facing many architectural creations of St. Petersburg, including the majestic St. Isaac's Cathedral. Ruskeala marble of the color of white nights, with greenish, similar to Northern Lights flashes mined to decorate a variety of architectural structures. Grayish-green and light-gray Ruskeala marble decorates the halls of the Leningrad metro stations "Primorskaya" and "Ladoga")

Marble Canyon Ruskeala: Facts

This is the oldest of the Ruskeala quarries. Its length is 450 m, width 60-100 m, depth 30-50 m. It is flooded to the level of the upper underground horizon. The Finns flooded the quarry before the start of the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-40. Most adits of the first third of the last century are under water. Only one of them is located above the water level. This adit was passed in the bowels of the mountain in the 30s of the XX century. Inside there was a transport route for trolleys with marble. It connects with shaft No. 2, through which marble and workers were delivered. It goes deep into the mountain for 200 meters. Inside it, an embankment of a railway for trolleys has been preserved.

Externally Marble Canyon Ruskeala makes a tremendous impression: gray-white rocks break off into a turquoise lake with heavily indented shores, and go to a depth of many meters.
Here, on the canyon, there is a pier and you can rent a boat to contemplate the canyon from the water. Some of the boulders hang above the water at a negative angle, and you can swim into the grottoes that have formed in sheer cliffs and admire the play of light on the marble ceiling. The grottoes look very beautiful, the white marble of the vaults and walls is wonderfully reflected in calm water.

There are also dry adits, but it is strictly forbidden for tourists to enter them without an accompanying geologist. The hotter it is outside, the more deadly the cold of the marble adit, and the deeper into the layer, the more perceptible the eternal dankness. It seems even warmer in the granite crypt. What was it like working here? According to the quarry management, in the years of the highest quarry utilization, mining was carried out all year round, and drilling was not interrupted even at night.
Around the main, most famous and visited quarry, there are several more, abandoned or being developed in given time. The quarries differ from each other not only in the type of shores, but also in the color of the water - in one quarry it is gray, in another it is blue, and in the “main” it is bluish-green.
The walls of the quarries have weathered and darkened during the time during which they have not been mined, however, on the freshly chipped pieces of marble encountered, their true color can be seen. The painting of stone in the old "block" quarry, where marble was mined in large blocks, is especially pronounced.
The speleological commission of the St. Petersburg city branch of the Russian Geographical Society has developed a long-term expeditionary project - "Underground Karelia". The main objects of research by speleologists in 2010 were the Ruskeala mountain park and the so-called Ruskeala (Marble) failure, which is located not far from the main excursion route mountain park.

Winter in the mountain park is no less attractive. Marble Lake is covered with ice, through which you can easily get to the mysterious adits and grottoes, one of which is called "Musical" due to its unusual acoustic properties. "Ruskeala failure" turns into an ice castle with columns of the most bizarre shapes.
At nightfall, the majestic canyon is lit up with bright colors of artistic lighting.
Divers are very fond of training in Ruskeala - they swim to remote corners of the quarry so as not to interfere with the bulk of visitors. There are several flooded quarries here, they are connected by adits, which also ended up in the water, and since there were three underground mining horizons in Ruskeala, one can imagine what tempting labyrinths await diving enthusiasts. Equipment remained at the bottom of the canyon - a crane, cars, motorcycles - which attracts techno diving enthusiasts. The water there is clear, almost without turbidity and without aquatic vegetation, only leaves from the surrounding birches can fly in autumn.
The purity of the water is also maintained by the staff of the mountain park - employees on boats periodically float on the lake and remove the ubiquitous plastic bottles, pieces of paper and similar evidence of human presence. However, we must pay tribute to the visitors: they are so imbued with the majestic beauty of the flooded quarry, quite worthy of being called mountain lake that practically do not litter.

Attractions in Ruskeala Mountain Park

In addition to the ancient marble quarries, other historical objects have been preserved in the adjacent territory of the Mountain Park. Interesting appearance of the old administrative building, made entirely of Ruskeala marble, in the style of classicism. An example of 19th century industrial architecture is lime kilns with conical brick chimneys. Of interest is the active quarry, where you can see the process of mining large blocks of marble. Unfortunately, today these objects are not included in the territory of the mountain park and are not adapted for tourists.
Although the Marble Canyon is undoubtedly the main attraction of Ruskeala, taking literally one step away from the trail laid out for tourists, you can find many picturesque rocks and stones.
The natural environment of the canyon largely consists of representatives of the animal and plant worlds, listed in the "Red Book" of Karelia and Russia. On the territory of the Mountain Park, exotic mosses, lichens, orchid plants, and shrubs listed in the Red Book have been preserved; there are rare species of reptiles, amphibians, bats.
A well-equipped tourist path passes around the Marble Canyon and fences are made, along the edge of the canyon several viewing platforms. On one of the slopes there is a closed emergency staircase that goes straight to the water's edge. Marble Canyon is ready to receive guests

RUSKEAL WATERFALLS

RUSKEAL FAILURE
Talking about Ruskeala, of course, one cannot fail to mention the mysterious ice sinkhole located on the border of the territories of the mountain park and the operating marble factory.
According to the memories local residents, the failure was formed in the sixties of the last century after strong explosions in a nearby quarry. The roof of the old semi-flooded adits could not stand it and fell into the water. An impressive oval hole about 20 by 30 meters opened up on the surface. It leads approximately to the center of the working, the perimeter of which today can be estimated at about half a kilometer. This underground rounded zone was connected by dry adits with the main part of the current mountain park, but all of them are now covered with rubble.

According to some reports, a Finnish diver a couple of years ago found a passable underwater connection between the sinkhole and the main pit. Unfortunately, all this information is not accumulated and analyzed in one speleological center, so it is still very difficult to distinguish truth from fiction.
The main feature of the failure is a special microclimate. Due to the cold bag effect, the ice in the far parts of the working never melts. You can walk on it with caution even in summer. Another thing is the place of failure itself. In winter, cold accumulates through it, but in summer, warm air, melt and rain water gradually melt the lake in shape, repeating the inlet. Beginning in June, explorers must first rappel into a rubber boat and then disembark from it onto the melting ice.
For experienced speleologists, a 12-meter-deep plumb line is not a serious obstacle, but in combination with water and ice, this descent can be pretty nerve-wracking. It is not easy to experience this, but it is interesting.

REST IN RUSKEAL PARK
During your stay in Ruskeala, you can not only relax in nature with boating, fishing, mushrooms and berries, but also plunge into the history of mining, see the ruins of an old marble factory. The Tohmajoki River, on which Ruskeala stands, traditionally attracts rafting enthusiasts. In spring and summer they float along its stormy rapids.
You will have the opportunity to visit the Ahvenkoski waterfall (Ahven koski - translated from Finnish as "Perch Threshold"), where the famous film directed by Stanislav Rostotsky "The Dawns Here Are Quiet" was filmed, swim in the very "Zhenka River". Surprisingly picturesque nature invariably attracts the creators of modern films with its mysterious beauty and some kind of mysterious power. In 2010, the fantasy film The Dark World was filmed here. A little further down the river is the Ryumyakoski waterfall, where the buildings of the old Finnish hydroelectric power station have been preserved.
Our highlight is the Ruskeala Mountain Park.
Unique in Europe, the only one in Russia, the first in Karelia.
Ruskeala Mountain Park is one of the amazing places Northern Priladozhye, a one-of-a-kind complex monument of nature and the history of mining. The pearl of the Mountain Park is the Marble Canyon. The banks of the canyon, rising steeply above the emerald surface of the water, are riddled with surface and underwater adits, drifts and shafts. On the water in a rowing boat you can get into the mysterious and alluring grottoes and adits. Underwater labyrinths are available only to divers.
Guests of the park get a special impression when they get acquainted with the revived characters of folk mythology: Slavic, Karelian and Scandinavian. At nightfall, the majestic canyon is lit up with bright colors of artistic lighting.
Fans of stronger impressions in Ruskeala will have the opportunity to visit underground and underwater labyrinths of mountain adits and grottoes, in winter a descent to the Ruskeala Failure is organized, which turns into an ice palace with columns of bizarre shapes, in summer - a flight over a marble canyon.
For guests tourist bases they will offer excursions to the city of Serdobol, now Sortavala, with its peculiar Finnish architecture, to the museum of the Northern Ladoga region and the museum of carved paintings of the famous Russian artist Kronid Gogolev, Valaam monastery and other interesting places.
If you are going to spend your vacation outside the city, visit our amazing region. Weekends and holidays in Ruskeala will be remembered for a long time by you, your friends and relatives. Guests who visit Ruskeala for the first time leave strongly impressed and come to us again and again, bringing their friends and acquaintances with them.

Where is the marble canyon Ruskeala

The village of Ruskeala is located 37 km northwest of the city of Sortavala, which is located on the northern coast Lake Ladoga in the Republic of Karelia. Coordinates 61°56? N, 30°35? o.d. The federal international highway to Finland passes through Ruskeala (20 km from Ruskeala to the border crossing "Vartsilya").

How to get to Ruskeala
By car from St. Petersburg (via Priozersk)
In any case (if not from Finland) you will have to go through the city of Sortavala. From St. Petersburg along the federal highway A129 (Priozerskoe highway) to the city of Priozersk and further to the city of Sortavala. In Sortavala, you need to move along the main road in the direction of Petrozavodsk. At the 10th kilometer from Sortavala there will be a turn to the village of Vartsila, highway A-130. Thus you get to the village of Ruskeala. Petersburg to Ruskeala - 290 km. The road after Priozersk is very winding, there is a small section of the grader. Travel time is 4 to 5 hours.
The way from Sortavala to Ruskeala is 37 kilometers, about 20-30 minutes drive.
On the way, before reaching Reskeala, 3 km on the right you pass the picturesque waterfall Ahvenkoski, where the film “The Dawns Here Are Quiet” was filmed. If the purpose of your one-day trip is "Ruskeala Mountain Park", then, having reached the village of Ruskeala (main road), go to the T-junction, after the crossroads, after crossing the bridge, you must turn left (there is a sign). A short dirt road (about 1 km) will lead you to the Ruskeala mountain park. There is a car park here.
And if you expect a multi-day vacation, you can stay at the Ruskeala base or at the hotel of the Lutheran parish. In this case, at the T-shaped intersection, before the bridge, turn left, direction - to the village of Kaalamo. Further 500 meters after the fork, on the left you will see the building of the Lutheran parish. After 2 km you will see a sign [Ruskeala Recreation Center] on the right. Not far from Ruskeala, to the side Finnish border there is also a recreation center "Janisjarvi" and a recreation center "Black Stones".

By car from Petrozavodsk
From Petrozavodsk via Pryazha, Kolatselga and Lyaskel (P21), 250 km. It is necessary to move from Petrozavodsk in the direction locality Vartsila. On the highway A-130 you get to the village of Ruskeala. Travel time is 5 to 6 hours.

By train from St. Petersburg
The easiest way to get to Sortavala from St. Petersburg is by train "St. Petersburg - Kostomuksha" (from the Ladoga station, leaves at about 18:00, arrives in Sortavala late in the evening, at 23:00). The train does not run every day. Long-distance train schedule.
It is possible to travel to the Ruskeala tourist center to the Kaalamo station with a further transfer to the base (2-3 km). From St. Petersburg to Kaalamo station (journey time 6 hours). From "Ladoga" station, train number 350, route "St. Petersburg - Kostomuksha". The train does not run every day. Departs from St. Petersburg around 18:00, arrives in Kaalamo around 00:00. Next - transfer to the base (approximately 2-3 km). The transfer must be agreed with the administration of the base! Tel. + 7-921-453-06-78.

Travel from St. Petersburg by train.
From St. Petersburg to the station Kuznechnoye and then by train Kuznechnoye-Sortavala. Departure of the electric train from the Finland Station at 16.00. At Kuznechnoye station, transfer to the agreed train to Sortavala station. Arrival in Sortavala at 23.20. From Art. Blacksmith also runs the morning train at 8.30 o'clock. Train at 5.00 from the railway station. Sosnovo. (There is no electric train from St. Petersburg for this train). The Kuznechnoye-Sortavala train does not run every day. Schedule suburban trains here.

By train from Petrozavodsk
Train No. 680-Ch Petrozavodsk - Sortavala (via Kaalamo). Arrival in Sortavala at 7.00 am. Train No. 680-Ch Petrozavodsk - Sortavala (via Kaalamo) to the station. Caalamo. Departure from Petrozavodsk at 19.20, arrival in Kaalamo at 6.06. Then a transfer is organized to the base "Ruskeala" (approximately 2-3 km). The transfer must be agreed with the administration of the base! Tel. + 7-921-453-06-78.

By bus from Petrozavodsk
There are buses from Petrozavodsk to Sortavala (via Olonets, 8 hours on the way) and fixed-route taxis(on the way about 5 hours on an extremely scenic road).

From Sortavala to Ruskeala
A bus runs from Sortavala twice a day to Vartsila, which stops in Ruskeala. Taxi: the cost of a taxi from Sortavala to Ruskeala is 400 rubles. for the car. You can immediately agree on the return back to Sortavala. Do not be too lazy to take the mobile number from the driver in order to return without any problems.