The travel program includes all the most significant architectural, historical and natural monuments one of the most beautiful regions of Russia - Karelia.

ROUTE: Petrozavodsk – Salmi Strait - botanical garden on the slopes of a paleovolcano- resort "Marcial waters" - national reserve"Kivach" - entertainment center Husky dogs - Lake Ladoga - Valaam Island - Mountain Park"Ruskeala" - Kizhi island (optional, for an additional fee) - rafting on the Shuya River – Waterfall "White Bridges" - garnet deposit in Kitelya - ethnographic village of Kinerma - Petrozavodsk

Duration of the tour 5 days / 4 nights. The period of hotel stay under this program is 4 days. Check out time at hotels: check-in from 14:00, check-out until 12:00.

ATTENTION:

1. The tour operator reserves the right to change the procedure for providing services without reducing their volume.

2. In case of stormy weather and unfavorable weather conditions, trips to the islands of Kizhi and Valaam may be canceled (with subsequent recalculation of the tour).

3. When visiting active monasteries and temples, women are not recommended to enter the territory in trousers or shorts and without a headdress.

ATTENTION!

Please provide the necessary information upon the arrival of tourists at the starting point of the tour after purchasing tickets:

• Train number, arrival time, mobile phone tourists for emergency communication.
• Please send information to:

Description of accommodation locations in Petrozavodsk:

Hotel Onega Castle

A modern, comfortable and prestigious hotel in the Karelian capital, combining national flavor and European level of service.
The Onega Castle Hotel is always open to guests of the city, for those who want to make new contacts, get acquainted with the history and culture of the Karelian region, and enjoy the amazing nature.

Hotel "Fregat"

Located in a green corner of Petrozavodsk, in the city center on the picturesque embankment of Lake Onega - one of the most beautiful and romantic places in Russia. Hotel complex combines comfort and peace country hotel with transport accessibility.

The Fregat Hotel offers its guests 80 rooms of five different categories:
- 60 Standard rooms, including 1 Family room and 1 room for people with disabilities;

Each room features:
- central system ventilation / air conditioning
- fire safety system, electronic locks
- plasma panel and interactive television
- bath accessories and heated floors in the bathroom
- desk, telephone, safe, hairdryer, minibar
- free Wi-Fi Internet

Hotel "Severnaya"

Located in the center of Petrozavodsk, a 15-minute walk from railway station and public transport lines. The Severnaya Hotel offers a variety of rooms, suites and apartments, all fully furnished. There is a spa center including a gym and sauna, as well as a business center with conference rooms. The Severnaya Hotel's attentive staff will assist with visa procedures and can arrange excursions upon request. The Severnaya Hotel is located close to shopping and business areas, restaurants, and museums. Guests can enjoy exploring Petrozavodsk's neoclassical architectural heritage or stroll along Lake Onega.

Hotel Karelia & SPA

The cozy hotel is located in the park area of ​​the Onega Lake embankment, in historical center Petrozavodsk. The hotel building stands on the very spot where, by the will of Peter I, the construction of the Petrovsky plant and the settlement around it began in 1703, which gave rise to the city. Admiring the Onega expanses from the hotel windows or sitting at a table in a restaurant, it’s easy to imagine why this place fascinated the Russian Tsar so much.

At the Spa center At the hotel you can spend time with benefit for your soul and body, take care of the beauty of your face and the perfection of your figure, restore your strength and find peace of mind. The spa center offers various relaxation programs, professional Thai massage, volcanic stone massage, Ayurvedic and classical massages, oriental rituals in the hammam, rejuvenating beauty treatments, a swimming pool, a sauna, and hairdresser services.

Hotel Prionezhsky

The hotel with its own beach, uniquely located in the city center on the picturesque shore of Lake Onega, next to the area of ​​historical buildings and the beautiful city embankment, is intended for those who prefer to stay in mini-hotels that harmoniously combine modern comfort, European-level service and home comfort.

The hotel offers comfortable rooms in two lines and apartments. The hotel is fully equipped for relaxation and business events. The Prionezhsky Hotel provides its guests with free Wi-Fi and all the services of the hospitality industry of the highest level.

The article talks about how to organize your independent travel in Karelia: when to go, what to see and how to get there.

In Russia, next to Finland, is the Republic of Karelia, rich in natural beauty and cultural heritage. The region attracts travelers with its pristine purity. It is ideal for both quiet, have a relaxing holiday, and for active pastime with a constant change of environment. Hunting for birds and animals, along wild rivers, skiing and dog sledding, fishing, excursions - all this awaits curious tourists in Karelia.

Please note: 2 useful feedback O independent trip to Karelia

• about Karelia
• : pros and cons
• About the main attractions, and the

How to get to Karelia?

In the northwest
There are 4 options for how to get to the republic:

• By train.
  Direct routes are provided between Petrozavodsk and Moscow or St. Petersburg. If there are no direct flights from other cities in Russia, you can always take a ticket with transfers.
• By bus.
  The option is most suitable for residents of St. Petersburg. Flights to Petrozavodsk.
• By plane.
  Near the village of Besovets, 12 km from Petrozavodsk there is main airport Karelia. It is recommended to purchase tickets in advance.
• By car.
  An excellent option for traveling around Karelia in terms of economy and freedom of movement. Suitable for large families and companies. It is worth considering that many roads in the republic are dirt roads.

Choose a tour to Karelia

When you don’t have time to plan a trip to Karelia on your own, you can contact the guys from Alem-Tur. This is a tour operator we have verified. They have been working since 2002 and know all the most beautiful places republics. All tours are turnkey: accommodation + transfer + excursions. In general, we recommend it. Look at what tours to Karelia they offer now.

What to see in Karelia?

The republic has a huge concentration of cultural monuments. The most interesting attractions for tourists:

Planning a trip? Here you go!

We have prepared some useful gifts for you. They will help you save money while preparing for your trip.

• Valaam, Solovki– popular islands that have preserved ancient monasteries and churches, many of which are UNESCO heritage sites. The islands are also attractive due to their natural beauty: dense forests with slender fir trees, stone, steep banks, clean river water. You can read more about it in a separate article.
• Architectural Museum Kizhi. On the island right below open air collected samples of the life of the peoples who lived on these lands many centuries ago. During the excursion, travelers will learn many legends and customs of the local residents.

• White Sea petroglyphs. On the islands of Karelia, archaeologists have discovered about three dozen ancient sites, as well as images and compositions carved on rocks dating back to the 3rd millennium BC. It is recommended to view the drawings accompanied by a guide.
• Ruskeala marble canyon. It was here that marble was taken for the St. Petersburg palaces. The canyon is surrounded by ancient trees, which makes it more beautiful and majestic.

• Waterfalls Girvas and Kivach. The first is unique for its location on the volcano, and the second for its size.
• Kuzova Archipelago. At 16 uninhabited islands Rare birds and animals huddle together. Interesting place for visiting naturalists.

How to get around Karelia?

Least popular in the republic railway transport. Since the main task of Karelia is to preserve the pristine beauty of nature, new rails are not laid. Oktyabrskaya is relevant for travelers railway. Along it you can get to the Onega and Kandalaksha Bays of the White Sea, Lake Onega. Branch lines have also been laid to Yushkozero, Belomorsk, and Sortavala.

To get acquainted with all the beauties of Karelia, it is recommended to travel by car or rent transport on the spot. Moving along the federal highway M-18 "Kola", you can turn onto any secondary road, which will certainly lead to one of the lakes of the region.

Karelia has marine and river shipping company. The water communication system here is well developed, so travelers can easily move along the White Sea coast, along the Neva and Svir rivers, lakes Ladoga, Onega, and the White Sea-Baltic Canal.

Travel to Karelia

June 2010

It’s already snowing outside, the year 2010 is ending. This year has been rich in travel around Russia - it’s time to talk about perhaps the most interesting trip this year - to Karelia. The idea to go to Karelia appeared back in May, and there were many who wanted to go with us. But the less time remained before the appointed date, the fewer of us became. Some were very afraid of mosquitoes, fearing that they would be severely bitten by them. They said that Karelia is home to several tens of thousands of species of mosquitoes, and they are all waiting for us :-)

But in vain! Those who decided to make this trip did not regret it! What about mosquitoes, you ask? As you can see, I’m still alive if I’m writing these lines... and I’ll tell you the truth about mosquitoes a little later. And now about the road. We decided to go during the June holidays - June 11-14. I left Moscow early on Friday morning driving a Ford Kuga, and my friends took off by plane in the afternoon. The road to St. Petersburg while driving such a good car turned out to be an easy walk and was complicated only by the pouring rain. The rain was very heavy, but the car held the road perfectly, but out of caution I still slowed down. As a result, I ended up in St. Petersburg only in the evening, after dinner, I went to meet my friends at the airport. The day ended with a boat trip along the white Neva. The next day we left St. Petersburg along the P-33 highway to Priozersk. IN holidays, as usual, the traffic was very difficult, we were driving very slowly, and the roads were very narrow, obviously not designed for so many people who wanted to simultaneously move from the city to their dachas. I must admit, I was not in a very good mood, since it was raining, and I was afraid that we would spend our whole weekend in the damp in the hotel room.

Korela Fortress

For two hours we moved no faster than 20-30 km/h, but then our speed increased, and at some point we escaped the traffic jam and drove quickly. In addition, a miracle happened - the rain stopped, the sun came out, and my mood improved significantly! A few hours later we stopped at the Korela fortress. I had seen many photographs of this fortress, but this was my first time in this place, and, of course, I really wanted to take pictures within its walls. The fortress is really very beautiful, I would have happily spent the whole day looking for interesting angles, but we needed to go further, so I managed to take a few pictures and decided to definitely return to Korela next year.

Lahdenpokhya

The road to Karelia is fascinating! For some time you drive along a good highway, there are beautiful landscapes all around, the road goes through a beautiful forest, along the edges of the road there are many lakes, rocks, and sometimes there are huge stones. And suddenly the highway ends and a gravel road begins, honestly not the most best quality. It lasts for dozens of kilometers, and then suddenly a good highway begins again. I could not come up with a clear and sensible explanation for this fact. The only thing that comes to mind is that it was done on purpose so that there would be no mass flow tourists to Karelia. And the fewer people there are, the cleaner it is, and there are more fish in the lakes. If this is really the case, then let it be a lousy road :-) Arriving in the village of Lakhdenpokhya in the evening, we stopped at the very cozy Karlen hotel. Fresh fish, bought along the way and cooked on the grill, turned out to be very tasty! The grill was kindly lent to us by the guys from St. Petersburg, who turned out to be a cheerful bunch - together we raised our glasses to football (the World Cup was starting in those days).

Boat trip through the skerries

The next day we set off with a sailor - a real sea ​​wolf— a trip on a speedboat through the skerries. It was raining heavily and a piercing wind was blowing. I put on all the warm clothes that I had taken with me, but even in them it was cold. The only thing that saved me was a bottle of cognac, which warmed me up pleasantly. Of course, neither the wind nor the rain stopped me - having installed a magical 70-200 telephoto lens, I photographed everything that was of interest around me. The weather conditions changed very quickly, the rain stopped, the wind died down, which made it possible to take many interesting pictures. In photographs, of course, it is difficult to convey all the sensations of speed, wind and incredible beauty around. You need to see and feel all this with your own eyes, so I won’t post many pictures I took during the boat trip, I’ll limit myself to just a couple of frames. We rode for several hours, and I don’t regret it at all, it was really exciting! In addition, the sailor turned out to be a very interesting conversationalist and told us a lot of interesting things about Karelia.

Marble Canyon

After the water adventures, we went to a beautiful place - the Marble Canyon, located in the Ruskeala mountain park. They told me about its beauty, but I believed that the narrator was embellishing :-) But as soon as I saw everything with my own eyes, I realized that he was describing this place very modestly. I didn’t expect to see such beauty... this place is a photographer’s dream. I think any photographer who is interested in landscape photography who finds himself in this place will be delighted, spend the whole day in the canyon, and don’t even try to hint to him that it’s time to go home - it will be simply unrealistic to get him out of such beauty! :-) I tried my best to take these pictures, but they still don't capture the scale and beauty of Marble Canyon. I filmed from all possible angles and only didn’t dare climb onto the rock ledge above the canyon :-) I found searchlights on the rocks; this means that the canyon is illuminated in the evening. Unfortunately, the program of our stay in Karelia was very eventful, besides, we spent almost the whole day in the canyon, so, unfortunately, it was not possible to take evening photos with backlighting - I will definitely do this next time. In the meantime, I invite you to enjoy the beauty of this extraordinary place!

I didn't dare go up there! Maybe you can try? :)

In a cave. I put the camera on the bag and shot in self-timer mode

Abandoned factory

Near the marble canyon there is an abandoned factory for the production of lime and marble chips. I love places like this! Lots of interesting angles, it's fun to climb around the ruins. But you need to be extremely careful - you can easily fall or fall somewhere, everything is old and very fragile. My advice to those who decide to visit this place and take pictures is to be careful.

It's interesting inside, but everything is old and fragile...

Inside the pipe. Gluing of 2 frames

Night in a tent

We decided to spend the second night in Karelia in tents in nature. We found a website online where the most beautiful places where you can stop and pitch a tent are marked. We arrived at one of them, and at the same time tested the off-road qualities of the Ford Kuga. They were on top, Kuga pulled us out of a small swamp. True, after such a drive, the whole car was covered with a thick layer of dirt.

My friends bought a new good American tent especially for this trip and set it up in 5 minutes. I took with me an old one, an army one, my brother went hiking with it 10 years ago, and he, in turn, got this tent from his father. I don’t even know where my father got it from (the tent is not an army one, but my father bought it in a regular store, just a very long time ago. - approx. brother). However, all the way I was sure that I had a tent, and a good one at that. Unfortunately, I was convinced that this was not the case by watching how my friends set up their tent in 5 minutes and were getting ready to sleep, while I was trying to sort through the huge amount of metal structures, tarpaulins, pins and ropes . And only with our joint efforts did we set up the tent in half an hour. There were holes in it in several places, into which, of course, mosquitoes flew in at night, and besides, the night turned out to be cold (it was only +10). I learned later from my brother that I needed to heat a stone on a fire, put it in a pot and it would be like being in a bathhouse in the tent all night (a proven method! - approx. brother). And that night I suffered from the cold, fighting mosquitoes. As a result, I, angry, moved into the car, warmed it up and, huddled in the back seat, covered with a blanket, somehow fell asleep.

In the morning I woke up from a strong metallic knock; Opening my eyes, I saw a picture that greatly surprised me. A herd of cows grazed peacefully around the car, peering curiously into the windows, and the sound was made by their tails hitting the body of the car. It’s not every day you see something like this when you wake up in the morning! For the first seconds I was in shock from surprise, not understanding whether I was dreaming or whether it was reality before my eyes. After all, I seemed to fall asleep in a tent with mosquitoes... :-) But after making sure that the cows did not pose a danger, I covered myself with a blanket and fell back into sleep. Despite all these little things, it was very cool!

This is not my first time in Karelia, but I really liked this trip! It's a shame that time flew by so quickly. Next year we will definitely go to these beautiful places again, I will film the marble canyon with backlight, fish and enjoy beautiful nature Karelia.

Road to Moscow

The return trip to Moscow is worth mentioning separately. Having put my friends on the train, I planned to drive Kuga at night. However, at the last moment, rummaging through the documents, a friend told me with a smile that I only had an expired OSAGO insurance policy at my disposal, and the new one remained in his office in Moscow. This news haunted me all the way. Not only was it by proxy, in a dirty car after driving through the swamps, but also without insurance, I thought. It’s good that it was raining heavily at night, and the men in uniform were hiding from it in official cars. In addition, the rain slightly washed Kuga, giving her a more or less decent appearance.

And then suddenly at some point I saw two figures in green uniforms in the distance. One of them raised her hand with a staff - at least that’s the picture my imagination painted. “Well, that’s it, I got there... but Moscow is still far away... I’m in the Novgorod region...” thoughts flashed through my head. I slowed down, drove closer, feverishly trying to come up with a plausible excuse and considering possible scenarios... And then I discovered that the people in green jackets, who looked so much like traffic cops from afar, turned out to be tourists with backpacks! In the Tver region I was driving 60-90. Here, exactly every kilometer, traffic police officers were on duty, but to my happiness, for some reason, only on the opposite side of the road. As a result, being careful, I got caught in morning traffic jams... in which I almost fell asleep. It’s one thing when you’re standing in them in the morning, having slept well and drunk your morning coffee, and completely different when it’s already the 11th hour of driving. But everything ended well, I even made it to a morning meeting with my boss, where I happily fell asleep :-)

Relax the way you like!

Karelia is a charming land. You should definitely visit there. And what exactly is this collection of photographs telling us? For example, I had no idea about the highest flat waterfall in Europe. And it’s just great to admire the views of Karelia at different times of the year. What follows is almost copy-paste.

First, some general information. The republic is located in the northwestern part of Russia. In the northeast it is washed by the White Sea. The main relief of the republic is a hilly plain, turning in the west into the Western Karelian Upland. The glacier, retreating to the north, greatly changed the topography of Karelia - moraine ridges, *, lake basins appeared in large numbers.

A few words about the weather

The weather in Karelia is changeable. The climate itself is quite mild, with a lot of precipitation, changing in Karelia from maritime to temperate continental. Winter is snowy, cool, but usually without severe frosts. Summer is short and warm, also with frequent rains.

Fauna

The fauna of Karelia is unique in many ways. Squirrel, mountain hare, fox, muskrat, and European beaver are found throughout the republic. The Canadian beaver feels great in Western Karelia. Less likely, but still possible, are brown bears, badgers, lynxes, and on the banks of reservoirs - otter, marten, and European mink. In the south there is a raccoon dog, a forest polecat, a brother of the now fashionable domestic ferret, and an American mink brought from afar.

Meetings with a wolf in Karelia will not surprise anyone - there are often cases here when gray predators come out into the cities in the cold winter. And the wild boars that have appeared in recent years southern regions republics, even in the fall they come to feed directly in their gardens. Moose are common in the forests of Karelia. Ringed seals live in the White Sea and Lake Ladoga. Much less common are the sand lizard, flying squirrel, reindeer, brown long-eared bat, and water bat. There is a lot of work for ornithologists: 285 species of birds live here, 36 of which are listed in the Red Book of Karelia.

The most common birds are finches. Upland game can be found - hazel grouse, black grouse, ptarmigan, wood grouse. Every spring to Karelia from warm countries the geese are flying. Birds of prey are common: owls, hawks, golden eagles, marsh harriers. Among the waterfowl: ducks, loons, waders, many seagulls and the largest of the diving ducks of Karelia - the common eider, valuable for its warm down. A birdwatcher's dream is what one encounters here. rare species snipe - bar-tailed godwit.

And below in the photo is a brown long-eared bat and a water bat. The first, despite its small size, is capable of withstanding frost of up to 7 degrees for 40 days without harm to health, the second is cool because it flies very low above the water, sometimes 5 cm from the surface.

The most famous Karelian nature reserves are: “Kivach”, “Kostomuksha”, and the Kem-Ludsky section of the Kandalaksha nature reserve. Ecological routes are laid out on their territories, and nature museums operate.

20 more reasons to go to Karelia

And now - in more detail. Why do you need to go to Karelia and what to see there?

Visit the Solovetsky Monastery

Spaso-Preobrazhensky Solovetsky monastery located on the Solovetsky Islands. It arose in the 1420s–1430s, rebuilt in stone by the labors of St. Philip (Kolycheva). In 1669–1676 The monastery was besieged by tsarist troops as one of the centers of resistance to Nikonian transformations. Under Soviet rule, the country's first special purpose camp operated on the territory of the monastery. A significant part of the prisoners were so-called “political” - the clergy, officers of the white movement, Socialist Revolutionaries, and intelligentsia. Monastic life was resumed on October 25, 1990. In 1992, the complex of monuments of the Solovetsky Museum-Reserve was included in the list World Heritage UNESCO, in 1995 - to the State Code of Particularly Valuable Objects cultural heritage peoples Russian Federation.

Visit Valaam Monastery

Valaam Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery is located on the islands of the Valaam archipelago. After the October Revolution, Valaam became part of the newly formed Finland, thanks to which it was preserved, and the monastery turned out to be a church of a national minority (the main religion of Finland is Lutheranism). Beginning in 1925, services began to be held at Finnish, and the islands themselves were thoroughly fortified in military engineering terms.

The Finnish Orthodox Church, a new calendarist, adopted the Western Paschal, forcing the Valaam Monastery to switch from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. The transition to a new style in the 1920s was the reason for the destruction of the unity of Valaam. During the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939–1940, the monastery fell into the combat zone, and the monks, who had accepted Finnish citizenship by that time, left the islands at the beginning of February 1940, taking with them all the most valuable things (including the original icon of the Mother of God of Valaam, other shrines and bells). They settled in the town of Heinävesi in Finland, in the Papinniemi estate and founded the New Valaam Monastery. At the end of the Great Patriotic War, the monastery was annexed for 12 years (1945–1957) to the Moscow Patriarchate, but territorially remained subordinate to the Finnish Orthodox Church. In 1977, services in Church Slavonic ceased, and in 1981 the last Russian monk died. Now the monastery continues to operate as a Finnish Orthodox monastery and receives more than 100 thousand visitors a year.

Visit the Kizhi Museum-Reserve

The Kizhi Museum-Reserve is one of the largest open-air museums in Russia, a unique historical, cultural and natural complex, world famous architectural ensemble, located on the island of Kizhi in Lake Onega. The ensemble consists of two churches and a bell tower of the 18th–19th centuries, surrounded by a single fence - a reconstruction of traditional churchyard fences.

According to one legend, the Church of the Transfiguration was built with one ax (initially without nails) by the carpenter Nestor. The carpenter threw the ax into the lake so that no one could repeat the same majestic building.

In 1990 Kizhi Pogost entered the UNESCO World Heritage List; in 1993, by decree of the President of the Russian Federation, the architectural collection of the open-air museum was included in the State Code of Especially Valuable Objects of the Cultural Heritage of the Peoples of the Russian Federation.

See Lake Ladoga

This is the most big lake Europe: its area is 18,400 square meters. km. The lake is an inexhaustible source drinking water for St. Petersburg. The maximum length is about 200 km, width - 130 km. The greatest depth is 230 m.

Lake Ladoga is rich in islands (up to 500 islands with an area of ​​about 300 sq. km), almost all of them are located in the north of the lake. Among them, the Valaam Islands stand out in size, with coastal slopes steeply descending into the water. The other largest islands are Konevets, Vossinansaari, Heinäsensaari, Mantinsaari, Lunkulansaari. In the southern half of the lake there are very few islands and their sizes are small: Zelentsy (in Shlisselburg Bay), Ptinov (in Volkhov Bay).

Admire the Kivach waterfall

Kivach, the highest flat waterfall in Europe, is a geomorphological natural monument of federal rank. The waterfall is the second largest flat waterfall in Europe (after the Rhine). The water falls in four ledges from a height of 10.7 m.

The waterfall arose as a result of the waters of the Suna River sawing through the thickness of loose Quaternary sediments to the roof of the diabase ridge. Falling from the cliff, the stream deepened the river bed in the thickness of lake loams and sandy loams below the ridge. Kivach gained fame since the time of the first Karelian governor G.R. Derzhavin.

In 1931, a reserve of the same name was formed around the waterfall. A visit to the reserve and waterfall is included in almost all excursions in Karelia.

See a pagan Sami sanctuary

Pagan sanctuaries of the Sami are often mentioned in the folklore of Karelia. The largest sanctuaries, consisting of a variety of stone cult complexes, are located on the islands of Russian Kuzov, German Kuzov in the Kuzov archipelago in the Kem Gulf, on Mount Vottovaara and Mount Kivakka in North Karelia. On about. Oleshin in the Kuzov archipelago in the Kem Bay and on Cape Krasny near the borders with Murmansk region cult stones form “stone labyrinths”. There are stone sanctuaries in South Karelia: on the islands of Radkolye and Oroshostrov, near the village of Sennaya Guba. Here the stone cult masonry has the form of horseshoes, rings, and less often - spirals.

There is also a tour to the “magical place of the ancient Sami” - Mount Vottovaara.

See the oldest resort in Russia

"Martial Waters" - the first Russian resort, founded by Peter I in 1719 on the basis of ferruginous mineral springs. It is located 54 km north of Petrozavodsk. Peter I repeatedly came here for treatment with his family and court nobility. By the time of the king's first visit, three wooden palaces had been built for the royal family and a large building with 20 rooms with an earthen hall, connected by a corridor with springs. Since then, ferruginous springs have been called “marcial waters” in honor of Mars, the god of war and iron.

Find the oldest marble scraps in Russia (XVIII century)

They are near the village White Mountain. Tivdian marble was discovered in the middle of the 18th century by the merchant Martyanov. From that time on, its industrial development began - marble breaking in the villages of Tivdiya and Belaya Gora. The deposits of Tivdi marble turned out to be necessary for the construction of St. Petersburg.

See the world's only crimson quartzite quarry

In the Prionezhsky region there are several deposits of quartzites, among which the most interesting are the outcrops of these rocks near the village of Shoksha. Outcrops of red and crimson quartzites and old quarries have been declared a natural monument.

Shokshin quartzites are a strong and durable decorative facing stone. The extraction of Shoksha quartzites began in the 18th century - they were then used to decorate the palaces of St. Petersburg. Particularly prized were the solid dark crimson Shoksha quartzites, which were called “Shoksha porphyry.” Red quartzites were also used to make paving stones and crushed stone.

Later, Shoksha quartzites were used in the design of Napoleon’s sarcophagus in the Invalides in Paris, the Lenin Mausoleum and the monument to the Unknown Soldier in Moscow, the memorial on Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd, the Victory Monument in St. Petersburg, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Petrozavodsk, and many other objects.

Take a walk through Europe's largest national park

This is exactly what Vodlozersky Park is considered to be. The territory of the park is a unique area for Europe untouched nature so large. Within its borders is the vast drainage basin of one of the largest lakes in Northern Europe - Vodlozero. The park has preserved unique natural complexes Central European taiga: clean lakes and rivers, natural coniferous forests and swamps inhabited by indigenous inhabitants of the taiga, including rare and endangered species. This region is dominated by three elements - water, wild forest and swamp swamp.

The Vodlozersky National Park was created in 1991 by a decision of the Russian Government to preserve the natural, historical and cultural heritage of Vodlozero, and became the first protected site of this level in the European North of Russia. In 2001, by decision of UNESCO, it was awarded the status of a biosphere reserve, the first in the system national parks Russia. The park is a federal environmental, scientific and environmental educational institution, which has a large staff of various specialists and state inspectors for the protection of the territory.

Explore Europe's largest collection of rock art

More than 3,000 images dating back to the 4th millennium BC can be seen in the north, in the Belomorsky region, in the lower reaches of the Vyg River, 8 km above its confluence with the Soroka Bay of the White Sea, and in the southeast of the republic - in the Pudozhsky region , on east coast Lake Onega, 18 km south of the village of Shalsky.

Karelian petroglyphs - carved on the surface of coastal rocks composed of granites, images of animals, birds, fish, boats, people and strange signs - are world famous. “Stone Chronicle”, “Stone Age Bible” - this is how researchers characterize them. The designs were punched out with quartz hammers to a depth of 2 - 3 mm.

The archaeological complex “White Sea Petroglyphs” includes drawings on rocks and more than 30 discovered sites ancient man, dating from the period III - II millennium BC. Petroglyphs of the White Sea on the islands of Shoyrukshin, Erpin Pudas, Bolshoy Malinin - these are over 2 thousand individual figures, occupying 4th place in Northern Europe in terms of the number of images. They are located on an area of ​​almost 2 sq. km. The closest cluster of petroglyphs to Belomorsk are Besovy Sledki and Erpin Pudas.

The largest and most interesting clusters of engravings are located 1.5 km northwest of Besovy Sledki - on Staraya and Novaya Zalavruga. They are among the world masterpieces of hunting monumental rock art of the primitive era. Many of the images are well preserved.

Conquer the most high mountain Karelia - Nuorunen

The height of Mount Nuorunen is 576 meters above sea level, which makes it the highest point of the Maanselkä ridge within the Republic of Karelia and the most high point Republic of Karelia. The mountain is located in the northwestern part of the Louhi region, on the territory of the Paanajärvi National Park, in its southernmost part.

Hunt for the Northern Lights

To see one of the most enchanting natural phenomena, it is not at all necessary to go to distant Norway. The Northern Lights can be seen in Karelia. Very often people go to the village of Nilmoguba to see the northern lights, located on the shores of the White Sea in the Loukhsky region of Karelia in the Arctic Circle. Green flashes in Karelia can be seen already at the end of August. For example, in the summer of 2013, northern lights seen in August due to a magnetic storm by residents of Petrozavodsk, the Solovetsky Islands and the village of Yushkozero.

See the longest river in the republic

The Kem is the largest river in Karelia. Its length is 358 km. Starting at the border with Finland, the river crosses the whole of Karelia in a latitudinal direction and flows into the White Sea. The Kem originates from Lake Nizhneye Kuytto, but hydrologists consider it the actual beginning of the river. Kurzhma, which flows into the Upper Kuytto. On their route, Kurzhma-Kem is connected by 19 lakes, constituting up to 40% of their total length.

The Kem River has a steep fall. Previously, there were up to 35 rapids and waterfalls. Among the latter, the Uzhma waterfall stood out, the height of which was 11.8 m with a very high water flow; the Vochazh and Pad-Yuma waterfalls were also famous. With the construction of the Kem hydroelectric power station cascade, the river was regulated, turning into a chain of reservoirs, rapids and waterfalls disappeared.

At the mouth of the river lies historical city Kem.

Fish on the largest inland reservoir in Karelia - Vygozero

Vygozero is located in the middle part of Karelia. The lake covers an area of ​​1159 square meters. km. In terms of area, it ranks third among the lakes of Karelia (after Lakes Ladoga and Onega). The reservoir is elongated in a general direction from northwest to southeast, divided into separate parts and large bays. Number of islands 529 s total area 126 sq. km. Vygozero is a shallow reservoir with a complex bottom topography. Average depth equal to 6.2 m, the greatest depth is about 18 m. The Vygozersky Reservoir is home to 11 species of fish: lake salmon, vendace, whitefish, pike, roach, ide, bream, pike perch, perch, ruff and burbot. The main commercial fish: bream, vendace, pike, burbot, perch and roach.

Admire the deepest river in Karelia

The Vodla River, which flows into Lake Onega from the east, is considered the deepest in Karelia. Its width reaches 60 meters. The Vodla River is a working river. It delivers thousands of cubic meters of timber to Lake Onega.

It has more than 20 rapids, the most famous of which is the wide and beautiful waterfall Padun, 2 m high. Padun represented a significant obstacle to the navigation of boats on the ancient trade route from Veliky Novgorod through Lake Onega, the Vodla River, the Onega River to the White Sea. For this reason, it became known earlier than other Karelian waterfalls.

To the south of the mouth of the Vodla there is the famous Cape Besov Nos, which gave its name to a large group of well-known Onega petroglyphs, and 30 km upstream is the historical city of Pudozh.

Visit the most sparsely populated region of the republic

This is considered the Loukhsky district. According to statistics, per sq.m. there is only 1 person.

Loukhsky municipal district is the northernmost, largest district of the Republic of Karelia. Its area is 22.5 thousand sq. km. In the North it borders with the Murmansk region, adjacent to Arctic Circle, in the south - with the Kalevalsky and Kemsky regions. In the west and north-west, the border of the region coincides with the Russian-Finnish state border. In the east, the border of the region runs along the White Sea, coastline is 200 km.

Meet the descendants of the Ves tribe

Touch the most valuable tree

The well-known Karelian birch is famous for the amazing beauty of its wood. In 1984, 4 Karelian birch reserves were established in Karelia: “Utuki” in the Kondopoga region (with an area of ​​5.7 hectares), “Kokkorevo” and “Tsarevichi” in the Prionezhsky region (with a total area of ​​28.9 hectares), “Anisimovshchina” in Medvezhyegorsk area (area 6.1 hectares). In Karelia, there are about three thousand trees in natural populations. The Republic has approved a regional target program for the conservation of the gene pool of Karelian birch and the reproduction of its resources.

Look for the rarest animal of Karelia - the garden dormouse

Sonya belongs to the rodents of the Dormouse family. Small (body length 115 - 150 mm, tail 95 - 120 mm), rather brightly colored arboreal animal. The top of the body is brownish-brown, the sides are somewhat lighter than the back, the throat, chest, belly, paws and ears are white, with a black stripe running from the eye to the ear. The tail is sharply tricolored on top. The long hair at the end of the tail is combed on the sides and forms a wide flat brush. The muzzle is sharp, “mouse-like”, with very long sensory hairs sticking out to the sides. The paws are “tree-type” - tenacious, with highly developed calluses on the soles and sharp, curved claws. Garden dormouse is a very rare animal in Karelia. It was found only in the Ladoga region: in the vicinity of Sortavala, Impilahti and Kiryavalahti. Contrary to its name, this rodent usually does not live in gardens, but settles in deciduous and mixed forests with dense and varied undergrowth. Active mainly at dusk and at night. The spherical nest is made in hollows, stumps or simply in dense branches of a tree.

See the largest swamp in Karelia - Yupyauzhshuo

The area of ​​the swamp is approximately 200 sq km, which is much more area Petrozavodsk. It is located in the Kalevala region, in the lower reaches of the Kepa River, northeast of where it flows into the Kem River.

Take a walk around Petrozavodsk

Finally, don't forget to see the capital of Karelia - Petrozavodsk. The city is located on the shores of Petrozavodsk Bay of Lake Onega. Distance from Moscow - 924 km, from St. Petersburg - 412 km. Population - 271.1 thousand inhabitants (2009), area - 135 sq. km. The city of Petrozavodsk, like St. Petersburg, was founded by Peter the Great in 1703. During the Northern War with Sweden, a factory producing weapons was built. The settlement near the plant on the Lososinka River was called Petrovskaya Sloboda. In 1777, Catherine II, by her decree, awarded the settlement the status of a city. Petrozavodsk was a place of exile for many political figures. The city, destroyed during the Great Patriotic War, was rebuilt in the post-war years.

In the center of the historical part of the city of Petrozavodsk you can see a fragment of the building of 1774: the former Round Square, surrounded by 2 semicircular administrative buildings with wings in the style of classicism. In 1873, a bronze monument to Peter I was unveiled on Round Square, which was later moved to the embankment, which is one of the main attractions of Petrozavodsk. The embankment is decorated with red porphyry. It contains the compositions “Wave of Friendship”, “Mermaid” and “Starry Sky”. Very interesting are the monuments-gifts from the sister cities “Fishermen”, “Tübingen Panel” and “Wishing Tree”. On Lenin Square (formerly Round Square) there is the Karelian State Museum of Local Lore. Its exhibitions tell about the history and culture of the region. The Museum of Fine Arts presents works by both modern and masters of the 18th-20th centuries.

Among the temples of the city revered by residents are Cathedral in the name of Alexander Nevsky - an architectural monument of the 19th century, the Exaltation of the Cross and Catherine churches. In the area of ​​the village of Solomennoe, ancient churches of the 18th century have been preserved - Sretenskaya and Petropavlovskaya. In the city of Petrozavodsk there is one of the oldest parks in Russia - Petrovsky Garden, now it is the Park of Culture and Recreation, in which a monument to the Petrovsky Plant is erected.

Tourists are attracted by a place near the village of Solomennoye, called the Devil's Chair tract. This is a stone platform on the edge of the Great Vaara mountain, shaped like a chair. The height of the seat of this “chair” is 80 meters, the backrest is 113 meters. From here it opens beautiful view to the lake and the city. The Kivach nature reserve is interesting, where you can look at the waterfalls. 44 km from Petrozavodsk there is the so-called “Svyatozero necklace”, where ancient chapels, churches, and houses have been preserved. The place is named after an island with a “holy” grove of fir trees. You can try the miraculous Marcial water, named after the god Mars, by visiting the Marcial Waters resort. The resort was founded by Peter I in 1719. It is a museum-reserve. For sports lovers work Ski resort and Equestrian Sports Complex.

When preparing the article, materials from vottovaara.ru, ticrk.ru, visitpetrozavodsk.ru, ru.wikipedia.org, trip-guide.ru, vezde.karelia.ru, zoogeo365.ru, kondopoga.ru, life-is-travel were used. ru, natur-kam.ru, nn-dom.ru, all.nw.ru, tourism.onego.ru, slazav.mccme.ru, znamus.ru, kalevala-welt.ru and strana.ru

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*) Ozy (from Swedish. ås- “ridge, ridge”) or eskers (from Irish eiscir - “ridge or hill”) - linearly elongated, narrow shafts up to several tens of meters high, from 100-200 m to 1-2 km wide and long (with short breaks ) up to several tens, rarely hundreds of kilometers. The eskers most closely resemble railway embankments.

Only 630 thousand people live on 180 thousand square kilometers of the Republic of Karelia. For comparison, more than 7 million people live in the Moscow region, which occupies 44 thousand square kilometers. Meanwhile, the inhabitants of the republic managed to create their own culture with their own language and gods.

According to Karelian mythology, the world was created by the goddess Iltamar. Before that, she sailed for 700 years on the vast ocean. One day a duck flew to her and built a nest on her lap, into which she laid seven eggs. From these eggs the earth, sun, moon and stars emerged. Then Iltamar, without the help of a man, gave birth to a son, Väinämöinen: “The wind blew the girl’s fetus, the sea gave her fullness,” says the Karelian folk song. Iltamar was pregnant for a long time and gave birth to a son at 30 years old. Väinämöinen became the first man, a hero and a prophetic rune singer and performed many miracles with the help of witchcraft.

All the mythical heroes of the Karelians lived in their own country - Kalevala. Despite the fact that the Karelians and Finns, who worshiped the same gods, stopped believing in Iltamar and Väinämöinen, every year on February 28 they celebrate the Day of the folk epic Kalevala. On the day of the holiday, costumed processions and theatrical performances are held in cities.

Karelia began to be settled already in the 7th-6th millennium BC. The ancient inhabitants of Karelia left behind many traces, many of which have not yet been studied by scientists. Meanwhile, in 1936, scientists discovered a mass grave on the South Oleny Island of Lake Onega, which dates back to the eighth millennium BC. Along with human remains, scientists found tools and arrowheads made of stone and jewelry made from animal teeth.

On the islands of the Vyg River you can see the White Sea petroglyphs - rock carvings dating back to the 4th-3rd millennia BC. On east coast Onega petroglyphs are scattered around Lake Onega, which were created, presumably, at the same time as the White Sea drawings.

On the same Lake Onega there is a much younger and very popular Karelian monument among tourists. On the island of Kizhi there is an ensemble of two wooden churches and bell towers built in the 18th-19th centuries. According to legend, the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord was built by the carpenter Nestor with one ax without nails. After finishing the work, he threw the ax into the lake so that no one could repeat his feat.

On the islands of the Valaam archipelago on Lake Ladoga there is the Valaam Transfiguration Monastery, which is visited by about 100 thousand pilgrims every year. According to legend, the monastery was built on the site of a stone cross, which was erected by the Apostle Andrew. According to another legend, in the 10th century, monks Sergius and German came to Valaam from certain eastern countries and founded a monastic brotherhood here. Now about 200 people live in the monastery. For pilgrims, the monastery has hotels that can accommodate up to 200 tourists.

On the eastern shore of Lake Onega there is another famous monastery - the Murom Holy Assumption Monastery, founded, presumably, at the end of the 14th - beginning of the 15th century. The monastery was founded by Lazar of Murom, who in his spiritual testament called himself a native of Rome. On one of the Vodlozero islands in Vodlozersky national park stands Ilyinsky Pogost - a men's monastery created in the 16th century by monks marching to Solovki. There is another version of the origin of the graveyard: supposedly the monastery appeared on the site of an ancient pagan sanctuary, where ancient tribes performed sacrifices.

Another interesting Karelian attraction is located in the Olonets region. This is the village of Selga, the first mention of which dates back to the beginning of the 18th century. The village, famous for its old huts, has its own festival and its own museum. In the same area is the town of Olonets, which was first mentioned in the 13th century and where it is interesting to see old churches and chapels, including the Lutheran Church of Ingria, founded in the 17th century by the Finns. The Finns were settled here by the king of Sweden, who then still owned this land.

The capital of Karelia is Petrozavodsk. Settlements on the site of Petrozavodsk arose back in the seventh millennium BC, but the city was officially founded only in the 18th century, after the opening of the Alexander Cannon Foundry. There are three state and republican museums in Petrozavodsk: the Kizhi Museum-Reserve, the Museum of Fine Arts, located in the building of the former Olonets provincial male gymnasium, and National Museum Karelia. Besides them, in Petrozavodsk you can also look into a private art gallery"Doll's House", in the Museum of Precambrian Geology at the Karelian Institute of Geology scientific center RAS, in the Museum of Industrial History of Petrozavodsk, in “ Maritime Museum"and to the Postal Museum.

Karelia is popular among lovers active recreation. You can kayak on the wild rivers Suojoki, Vama, Vodla, Okhta and Uksa. On boats and yachts you can ride around the Ladoga skerries, Lake Onega, lakes Sandal, Segozero, Kuytto and Keret. Travel companies They organize short rafting trips of several hours and long trips of 3-7 days. In the republic you can join jeep tours along dirt and forest roads. Tour participants stop in ancient Karelian villages, visiting old churches, waterfalls, rocks and lakes. The annual jeep competition “Karelia Trophy” is also organized here.

If you decide to have an active holiday in Karelia, then you need to register and receive safety instructions from the Karelian Republican Water Rescue Service. You can also register with district administrations and search and rescue teams of the rescue service, which are located in Kondopoga, Medvezhyegorsk, Kemi and Sortavala. It is advisable that while moving, the tour group contacts the rescuers once a day and reports their location.

Karelia - great place for hunting and fishing. In the republic you can hunt bear, elk, wild boar, beaver, marten, wood grouse and black grouse - but to hunt these animals you need a license. Hunting permits and licenses can be obtained from the regional divisions of the State Committee for Hunting of Karelia and from organizations with their own lands. Travel agencies also organize special tours with meals, accommodation in hunting houses and accompanied by a ranger. Fishermen go to Syamozero and Lake Onega for pike and perch, and on the rivers and rapids of the central and northern regions of the region they catch salmon, grayling and whitefish.

The international tourist route The Blue Road, which connects Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. The length of the route is more than two thousand kilometers, for the most part it runs along the banks of rivers and lakes. The path begins on the Atlantic coast of Norway in Mo i Rana and ends in Karelian Pudozh. If you decide to take the Blue Road, the most convenient way to travel is by car.

Petrozavodsk can be reached by car or by car along the Kola federal highway. An experienced driver can cross the whole of Karelia in 12-14 hours. Fans of active recreation often come to tourist centers, which are built here in large quantities, or put up tents. Prices for recreation centers and resorts range from 600 rubles per night at the Nigizhma motel on the shores of Lake Onega to 32,500 rubles at the Vitele villa with a private pool on Lake Ladoga. And regardless of the choice of sleeping place, you will not arrive from Karelia without boxes or watches made of Karelian birch, balls and beads made of shungite, tablecloths with Zaonezh embroidery and designer dolls and paintings by Karelian masters.

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