Kizhi is one of the most beautiful places in Russia. Kizhi: interesting facts Museum reserve Kizhi interesting facts

Perhaps the most famous landmark of Karelia is the Kizhi island with a unique architectural ensemble. This island is located in the northern part of Lake Onega. Its length is 7 km, width in various places is from 0.5 to 1.5 km. In 1966, the Kizhi State Historical and Architectural Museum was founded here. Now he is known all over the world. Tourists not only from Russia, but also from other countries of the world come here to admire the masterpieces of wooden architecture. Excursions from Petrozavodsk and St. Petersburg are regularly organized. In 1990, the museum on Kizhi Island was included in the List World heritage UNESCO, and in 1993 - in the State Archive of Particularly Valuable Sites cultural heritage peoples of Russia. In 2011, the Kizhi Museum received the title the best museum Russia. So we can say with confidence that it is the "pearl" not only of Karelia, but of the whole country. Various folklore festivals and other events are regularly held in the Kizhi Museum.

An interesting fact, when pronouncing the word "Kizhi", stress is placed on both the first and second syllables. At the same time, in Karelia the first option is often used, and the generally accepted option in other regions of Russia is with an emphasis on the second syllable.

The name of the island Kizhi comes from the Karelian word "kizhat", which can be translated as "games". In the X century. settlers from Novgorod began to develop the harsh northern lands, they started cultivating the land, fishing, raising livestock. It is the Novgorodians who are the ancestors of the modern Kizans. In the 15th century, Novgorod was annexed to the Moscow state - the Kizhi lands were annexed with it. The first documentary mentions of the Kizhi Pogost date from about that time. Here the word "graveyard" means several villages that are united among themselves. The administrative and religious center was located on the island of Kizhi.

Already in those days there were religious buildings here. Peasant disturbances are known from history. The fact is that in the XVII century. iron-smelting plants were built on Lake Onega, and many Karelian peasants were assigned to these enterprises. But the freedom-loving northerners, accustomed to doing their own thing, rebelled. Two riots are widely known in history, both were brutally suppressed. In 1697, a fire broke out from a lightning strike during a severe thunderstorm. Many buildings were destroyed. After a while, their restoration began.

So, why does the Kizhi Museum attract tourists from all over the world? What objects are included in it? A unique architectural ensemble is located here - a fine example of wooden architecture. First, there are two wooden churches and the bell tower of the 18th – 19th centuries, which were originally located here. By the time they were built, the art of carpentry reached its peak. It is clear that gradually wooden buildings give way to stone ones. Churches in Kizhi are an excellent example of traditional wooden architecture of the north of Russia. In addition, after the establishment of the museum, a number of other buildings from different regions of Karelia were brought here. It should also be noted the picturesque nature that surrounds all this splendor.

Another building on the island of Kizhi is the Intercession Church (or the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin). This is the so-called "winter" (ie, heated) temple. It was built in 1764. Its creators had a difficult task - after all, there was a magnificent Transfiguration Church nearby, with which the newly erected temple should be in harmony. And it was perfectly implemented. The Church of the Intercession does not pretend to be the greatness of the Transfiguration Church, but only complements it. Its roof is crowned with nine domes - one central, which is surrounded by eight more.

The third object, which was originally located on the island, and was not moved here during the formation of the museum, is the tent-roofed bell tower. It was built in 1863 on the site of an old dilapidated bell tower. It consists of two log cabins: the lower part is a four-sided frame, an octagonal smaller one is installed on it. Above is a belfry, above it is a tent. The hipped bell tower perfectly complements the churches described above.

Also on the island of Kizhi there are several buildings that were transported here already in the XX century. several years before the opening of the museum. First, the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus. This is the oldest surviving structure in Karelia. According to legend, many centuries ago the Monk Lazar founded the Murom Monastery on the eastern shore of Lake Onega. He also built the church, which was the first building of the monastery. It is named after the biblical character - Lazarus of Bethany, his miraculous resurrection is described by John in the New Testament. This church was the main relic of the monastery, it was believed that it relieves from serious illnesses. During the years of Soviet power, an agricultural commune was organized on the site of the Murom monastery. In 1959, the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus was dismantled and transported to Kizhi. In 1960 it was restored. The iconostasis of 17 icons of the 16th – 18th centuries has been preserved.

The chapel of Michael the Archangel, including a tent-roofed bell tower, was transported to the island of Kizhi in 1961. Previously, it was located in the village of Lelikozero.

Also on the island of Kizhi you can see a windmill built in 1928. In 1976 it was reconstructed. The mill is still functioning. The housing is mounted on a vertical shaft so it can be turned in the direction of the wind. Eight wings are installed on the horizontal shaft.

Across the mountains to the sea with a light backpack. Route 30 passes through the famous Fisht - this is one of the grandest and most significant natural monuments in Russia, the closest to Moscow high mountains... Tourists travel lightly through all the landscape and climatic zones of the country, from the foothills to the subtropics, and spend the night in shelters.

Amazing and mysterious kizhi island Is a place that has become a real symbol of the skill and talent of the architects of the Russian North. Today it houses a museum-reserve, included in the UNESCO List of World Cultural Heritage Sites.

The island is located in the northern part, 68 kilometers from, and is the most popular attraction in Karelia after. Tourists come here from all over Russia, from the nearest Scandinavian states, from the Baltic states and countries Western Europe, from Asia and even from overseas.

The most interesting objects of the museum under open air - the fabulous Transfiguration and Pokrovskaya churches, a bell tower with a hipped roof, a windmill with eight wings, the chapel of the Archangel Michael and the Oshevnev house-museum, as well as old huts and outbuildings brought here from other places and organically complementing the general historical picture.

About the Kizhi island and its attractions - our article.

It is believed that the island of Kizhi got its name from the Karelian word "kizhat", which means "games". Archaeologists are of the opinion that pagan rituals and ceremonies took place here in pre-Christian times.
Most of us are used to pronouncing the word "Kizhi" with an accent on the second syllable, but philologists and locals argue that the orthoepically correct variant is the pronunciation of the name of the island with an accent on the first syllable.
In addition to the historical and architectural museum, there are three villages on the Kizhi island - Kizhi, Vasilyevo and Yamka. Each of them has only two or three courtyards, but this does not prevent them from attracting tourists every year - such landscapes and such a unique peasant color cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
The ensemble of the Kizhi Pogost received the status of a historical and architectural monument in the 1920s, but it became an open-air museum only four centuries later, in 1966.
During the occupation of Karelia by the Finnish troops, the ensemble miraculously did not suffer - it was saved only by the fact that the Finns treated it carefully in the hope of including the island in their country and making it an object of research for Finnish scientists. Of course, these plans were not destined to be realized, but they managed to save the unique monuments of Russian wooden architecture.

There is a legend that the invaders still planned to destroy the island of Kizhi and all its attractions, however, seeing the incredible, almost unearthly beauty of the Intercession and Transfiguration churches, the pilots flying the bombers dropped bombs into the lake. However, no documentary evidence of this fact has yet been found.
The Transfiguration Church on Kizhi Island is made of pine logs, and its domes and barrels are covered with the so-called " ploughshare"- small plates carved from aspen. The use of such materials gives rise to an amazing combination of gray-brown shades of log church walls with silvery domes covered with aspen plates reflecting all the colors of the surrounding nature. Against the background of the cold northern sky, this picture acquires even greater beauty and mystery.

It is believed that the island's churches were built without a single nail. This statement is only partly true - in the construction of walls and towers, nails were really not used, but when covering the domes with aspen scales, they were still used.
In the middle of the 20th century, the first large-scale restoration of the ensemble was carried out - it lasted 10 years. In the 80s, a metal frame was installed in the Transfiguration Church to prevent the building from collapsing. Unfortunately, he damaged some of the logs, so the iconostasis and the unique “sky” ceiling had to be dismantled.
The last restoration of the ensemble began in 2010 and continues to this day. In order not to damage the general historical appearance of the buildings and prolong their life, the master restorers use, among other things, the techniques that were used 300 years ago during the construction of the Transfiguration Church.

Attractions of the island of Kizhi

The site of the Kizhi Museum-Reserve: kizhi.karelia.ru The cost entrance ticket: RUB 600, pensioners, students - RUB 300, children under 16 - free.

The main attractions of the island are, of course, the "summer" Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the "winter" Pokrovskaya church, the tent-roofed bell tower and the surrounding fence. All together they form a single ensemble "Kizhi Pogost", which is not the same in the whole world. It is located in the southern part of the island, for the sake of it tourists mainly come, visiting the island for the first time. The word " churchyard"In this case means administrative District... It is the objects of the Kizhi Pogost that are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

There are other buildings on the island that are very interesting for both adults and teenage children.

Transfiguration Church on Kizhi Island

Transfiguration Church under restoration

The 38-meter Transfiguration Church is the main monument of the Kizhi island, probably known to every schoolchild. It is her photo that is printed in history textbooks in topics about Russian architecture. The completely wooden building, crowned with 22 domes, giving it the appearance of a royal tower from a Russian fairy tale, dates back to 1714. It is believed that it was built on the site of a church that burned down at the end of the 16th century.

There are two main legends regarding the creation of this greatest architectural masterpiece. The first is that the designer and builder of the Transfiguration Church was none other than the Emperor Peter the Great himself. He sailed along Lake Onega, saw a dumped forest on the shore and ordered to build a miracle, which has no equal and never will be.

The second legend says that the Transfiguration Church on the island of Kizhi was built by a talented master named Nestor. Having finished the work, he threw the ax into the waters of Lake Onega - this was done so that no one would ever dare to build something as great again. Be that as it may, the covenant of both Peter and Nestor has been fulfilled - probably, a master has not yet been born whose talent could surpass the skill of the creators of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

Even the shape of the church is not typical for religious buildings of that time - it is round. The creator chose the octagon as the main figure. There are three in the temple, each of them consists of two tiers and lower than the previous one in height. The parishioners also took an active part in the construction of the temple. The temple is a "summer" building and does not work in winter.

Unfortunately, in the 80s of the last century, the iconostasis and the unique "heavenly" ceiling were damaged during the installation of the metal frame - they had to be disassembled and transferred to various museums for storage. Since 2010, the Transfiguration Church has been under reconstruction. I must say that the very frame, because of which part of the interior decoration of the church suffered, nevertheless played a positive role - only thanks to it the building has not collapsed under its own weight.

A refectory is attached to the Transfiguration Church - an equally unique structure, the logs of which tend to shimmer in clear and sunny weather. In the past, local people used it for public gatherings, courts, or various festivals.

Church of the Intercession

The Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, like the Transfiguration Church on Kizhi Island, is a unique monument that testifies to the incredible skill and talent of the architects of the Russian North. Its architecture has something in common with the architecture of the Transfiguration Church and the tent bell tower - all together they form an integral composition and organically complement each other.

The Church of the Intercession has a more modest size and austere appearance... It is crowned with only nine domes, and the only decorative element of its facade is a patterned wooden pediment, the geometric forms of which are directed towards the heavens. This is the so-called "winter" type of temple, intended for worship during the harsh winter.

It is known that the Church of the Intercession burned and was rebuilt several times, and the look that we admire today, it acquired only in 1764. The temple is equipped with a high porch and entryway - this is a characteristic feature of the churches that were being built at that time in the northern part of the Russian Empire. The interior decoration is represented by a high iconostasis, many elements of which were lost during the bloody events of the first half of the 20th century. In the 50s, it was restored and today both parishioners and tourists can see it.

Hipped bell tower

The hipped bell tower is another building located between two churches, which is an integral part of the Kizhi churchyard ensemble and has retained the same style, despite the fact that it was built much later than the Pokrovsky and Transfiguration churches. The melodious ringing of her bells is still heard throughout the area. It is known that 300 years ago there was a belfry in its place, which was demolished due to dilapidation.

The bell tower, which has survived to this day, was built in 1863. It, like both churches, is clearly visible from the side of Lake Onega.

Chapel of Michael the Archangel

The Chapel of Archangel Michael is another part of the magnificent Kizhi ensemble... It is a small wooden building with a vestibule and a bell tower, built at the beginning of the 19th century. The building was brought to the Kizhi island from the village of Lelikozero, in the northern part of Onega.

This building, like many others on the island, has an appearance typical of the architectural masterpieces of the Russian North. It is crowned with a double roof and a tall wooden dome with a cross. Her main distinctive feature - a hipped-roof belfry-belfry, towering over the passage. The interior decoration is also unique - a high iconostasis, merging with the "heavenly" ceiling. It dates back to the 18th century.

The house of the wealthy peasant Nestor Oshevnev is another historic building dating back to the second half of the 19th century. This large house, intended for a large family, today is a museum of the life, everyday life and customs of wealthy peasants of Zaonezhie of the late 19th - early 20th centuries.

The house has a typical shape for Zaonezhie - the residential part and outbuildings are under the same roof. This allowed residents to carry out many works without going outside, which was a great advantage in winter. The facade is decorated with patterned balconies and a gallery.

Every thing in the house is real, which has come down from us from that distant and mysterious time. There is a stove, a cradle for children, dishes, a spindle, a large chest, and a samovar. All this creates a unique and inimitable atmosphere - entering here, as if moving in time and entering the past, which is left so far behind.

Sergeev's house has a square shape, so it seems that there are no outbuildings here, unlike Oshevnev's house. But if you go around it from the other side, you can see that they have not gone anywhere, but simply taken back, but they are still under the same roof with the residential part. The facade of the house is richly decorated, especially the carved frames on the windows attract attention.

The interior has not been reconstructed - there is a worn wooden floor, the same worn furniture is placed in the corners and in the center. Today there are two expositions: one is devoted to Karelian applied art, the second - to the oral folk art of the inhabitants of Zaonezhie.

Baths

There are four baths on the island, which are also brought from others settlements Karelia. It is not difficult to find them - they are located on the very shore of the lake by the water. These are simple wooden buildings with a few soapboxes and a stove inside.

The facade of the baths was not decorated in any way, because they were perceived simply as a way to maintain the purity of the body, and no sacred meaning was put into them. Nevertheless, the bathhouse had to be even in the most seedy village.

Eight-winged windmill

The eight-winged mill is a relatively young structure, created in the 20s of the last century. It was brought to the island of Kizhi from the village of Volkostrov.

There are two floors inside the mill - on the first there is a flour chest and a device for grinding flour, on the second there is a mill ladle, millstones and a shaft, at the end of which there are wings. Surprisingly, the eight-winged windmill is currently performing its original function of grinding grain and making flour.

Kizhi Historical and Architectural Museum-Reserve - a place that should be visited by people interested in history, lovers of Russian architecture and just those who want to take a break from the hustle and bustle big city... On the island of Kizhi you can see the architecture of the 18th-19th centuries, as well as get acquainted with the life of the inhabitants of Karelia of those times. A boat trip along Lake Onega and its picturesque shores will also be pleasant.

Where is located: contact information

How best to get to Petrozavodsk

by plane - 1 hour 40 minutes by direct flight;
by train - 12 hours (minimum travel time);
by car - 1050 km through or about 1000 km through.

by plane - 4 hours 15 minutes;
by train - 7-8 hours;
by car - 435-526 km.

Before can be reached by bus. Travel time will be the longest among all possible modes of transport, but you can admire the picturesque surroundings.
From Petrozavodsk hydrofoil boats run to Kizhi Island in summer, ships on air cushion... You will also be offered options such as a pneumatic ATV, a snowmobile, and even skis and dog sleds.

Visiting the Kizhi nature reserve: opening hours, ticket prices, promotions and discounts

Working hours:

may-August: 08.00-20.00;
september-October: 09.00-16.00;

november-February: 10.00-16.00;
march-April: 09.00-17.00.

Without days off and lunch break.

Visit prices:

Excursion prices (per person):

group up to 5 people - 1000 rubles (in a foreign language - 2500 rubles);
group of 5 people - 100 rubles (in a foreign language - 500 rubles).

There is also a mass of additional excursions and programs, theater performances and audio guides are provided. Choose the one you like additional service can be found on the site of the reserve , by phone or at the excursion center.

On which lake is the Kizhi Museum-Reserve

The island of Kizhi, on which the reserve is located, is located in the northern part lake Onega... At the end of the 18th century, the island was a separate Kizhi volost, which included 9 villages. In addition to traditional crafts, the inhabitants of the island were engaged in fishing and farming, which was facilitated by the rich fish waters of Lake Onega and the fertile soil of the island.

Sights of the Kizhi reserve

Historical reserve, founded in 1966 with the aim of preserving the architecture of Karelia in the 18th - early 20th centuries, it includes more than 70 objects, such as churches, bell towers, huts, barns, baths, mills and forges. Among the most interesting architectural objects are the following:

Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord. This is undoubtedly the main attraction of the reserve. The 37-meter temple was erected in 1714. This is one of the brightest representatives of the eightfold churches. The architectural composition is based on an octahedral log house, four two-stage cuts of which are located on the cardinal points. The roofs of octagons and cuttings are crowned with domes. 22 domes are arranged in such a way that the overall composition has a pyramidal shape. The basis of the interior of the temple is the majestic iconostasis of 102 icons arranged in four tiers. In 1949-1959, a large-scale restoration of the church was carried out, mainly affecting the interior and the iconostasis. IN this moment the reconstruction of the temple building itself is underway with the replacement of dilapidated logs with new ones.
Church of the Intercession of the Virgin. This is one of the few multi-domed churches that have survived to this day. It was built in 1694 and rebuilt 70 years later. Tourists are attracted here not only by the front part, but also by the interior with a rich iconostasis, part of which, unfortunately, has been irretrievably lost.
The bell tower of the Kizhi Pogost. The 30-meter bell tower was erected in 1862. The bell tower offers a picturesque view of the island and Lake Onega.
Windmill in the village of Volkostrov. 10-meter post windmill, built in 1928.

Interesting facts about the Kizhi Museum-Reserve

During the restoration of the Transfiguration Church in 2014 year, when it was necessary to replace about 30% of the logs, the structure was lifted with vag - levers used 400 years ago.
4 architectural objects of the Kizhi reserve included in the list UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Photo of the Kizhi Museum-Reserve

Church of the Transfiguration - the main attraction of the historical reserve.

Most of original iconsin the iconostasis of the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin has survived to this day.

Winter landscapes in the Kizhi nature reserve are no less picturesque.

Mill in the village Volkostrov has a height of about 10 meters.

The Kizhi nature reserve displays traditional life of the inhabitants of Karelia.

Museum reserve Kizhi - video

In this video, there are even more interesting facts about the Kizhi Museum Reserve. Happy viewing!

Visiting the historical reserve Kizhi often included in the visit program ... Tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world visited this unique cultural and historical object in the open air and discovered the traditional architecture and peculiarities of the life of the peoples. The popularity of the reserve among tourists is evidenced by the fact that tourist services are carried out here on eight foreign languages.

Therefore, we should also pay more attention to our history and cultural heritage. Moreover, there are really interesting excursions and tasting of Karelian dishes prepared according to ancient folk recipes. And the water trip on Lake Onega will not leave anyone indifferent.

I continue my story about a recent trip to Karelia. The first part I was devoted to the sights of Petrozavodsk, in the same I will move on to the story about Kizhi. Yes, what Russian has not heard of Kizhi! But not all were there.

The Kizhi Open Air Museum is located on an island in Lake Onega. High-speed hydrofoils take tourists there from Petrozavodsk. The journey takes 1 hour and 15 minutes. This pleasure is worth (there and back) - 1950 rubles. And I also thought that trains in New Zealand are expensive ...

Bearing in mind that there were always some problems with these ships, expressed in the chronic lack of tickets, I specially timed the trip to the Estonian public holiday on August 20, which this year fell on Thursday, and the next day I took a day off with such a calculation, to be in Petrozavodsk on Friday, i.e. on a weekday.

The large river station in Petrozavodsk does not work; tickets for motor ships are sold in a small booth at the pier. I came almost to the opening itself, at about 8 am, but the nearest time, for which I was offered tickets, was only at 14:15. Tellingly, there was no such time in the Meteor's schedule. Well, then it will be time to walk around the city.

At the appointed time, I was at the pier. At the same time, there were not very many people, many seats in the "Meteor" remained free, and this despite the fact that all day in the booth they were offering tickets for this particular time. I wonder where did all the tickets for 11:30 and 12:15 go?

A few words about the "Meteor" itself. Its interior, apparently, has not changed since Soviet times. The foam-rubber chairs were so pressed down that they had to sit on practically bare metal tubes. However, the toilet was quite decent :)

"Meteor" on the background of the embankment of Petrozavodsk

There are no open decks on the Meteora, but in the middle of the cabin there was a smoking area, from which one could lean out with a camera and photograph something of the landscapes that passed by. It was from here that I managed to photograph the Kizhi churchyard before we moored to the island.

Yes, and with the help of iGo on my smartphone, I managed to measure the average speed of the "Meteor" - somewhere around 57 km / h.

River pier in Kizhi

So, let's read for a start what the guidebook "Russian North" from the publishing house Polyglot writes about Kizhi, which I bought the day before in the House of Military Books on Nevsky:

Kizhi Island (length 7 km, width - from 1.5 to 0.5 km) is located in the south of the Zaonezhsky Peninsula among a picturesque cluster of islands called the Kizhi Skerries. For a long time the island was covered not by forests, but by arable land and hayfields. The Kizhi skerries and the south of Zaonezhie have been inhabited from time immemorial, as evidenced by numerous archaeological sites dating back to the Middle and Late Stone Age. About 9-6.5 thousand years ago, tribes belonging to the eastern branch of the Caucasians lived here, and those who came here in the X century. Novgorodians met with the Sami population and all. The name of the island comes from the language of the Karelian people - the word kiza meant "play, fun, dance", so "Kizhi" can be translated as "island of merrymaking" or "fun".

By the time these lands were transferred to the Moscow State in 1478, the population was already Russian, although the culture of Zaonezhie was distinguished by its unique originality, representing a fusion of Slavic and Finnish cultures, while local residents clearly perceived themselves as descendants of Novgorodians up to the beginning. XX century In Zaonezhie, for centuries, ancient Russian legends and epics were preserved and passed down orally from generation to generation, and at the same time, wooden architecture and folk crafts were actively developing.

Kizhi. Postcard

The island of Kizhi was traditionally the center of the villages of the Southern Zaonezhie and Unitskaya Bay - the Spaso-Kizhi churchyard, a district that included about 180 villages, their description is first found in the Scripture Book of Andrey Pleshcheev for 1582-1583, and 20 years later, “115 villages living and 88 abandoned. " The Kizhi Pogost united the neighboring peasants until the 30s. XX century

During the Time of Troubles, the graveyard was ravaged by the Swedes and the Polish-Lithuanian troops, so after the signing of peace with Sweden, a fortress was cut down around the Kizhi graveyard to protect it from attacks. The threat of foreign intervention weakened only with the onset of the Peter the Great era and the victory in the Northern War.

In the beginning. XVIII century. the peasants of the Kizhi Pogost are attributed to the new ironworks, where they had to work off taxes, which ruined even strong farms. On the second. floor. XVIII century. a wave of riots swept through Zaonezhia after the tsar's decree on raising taxes. The famous Kizhi uprising of 1769-1771 was shot by government troops. It is believed that the most beautiful church of the Assumption in Kondopoga was a kind of monument to the victims of the massacre of the rebels.

During World War II, Zaonezhie was under the Finnish occupation for about three years, but already in 1945 the Kizhi Pogost was declared a state reserve, in 1951 the first architectural monument, the house of the peasant Oshevnev, was transported to the island. In 1990, the architectural ensemble of the Kizhi Pogost was included in the UNESCO List of World Cultural Heritage Sites.

Now in the Historical, Architectural and Ethnographic Museum-Reserve "Kizhi", which occupies an area of \u200b\u200babout 10 thousand hectares, there are 87 monuments of traditional folk architecture of the XIV-XX centuries, including the ensemble of the Kizhi Pogost, 26 unique archaeological sites, more than ten historical settlements the territory of the Kizhi volost. The museum is annually visited by about 170 thousand tourists from Russia and abroad.

Schematic representation of the location of exhibits on the island. Kizhi
(in fact, the distance between buildings is much greater)
kizhi.karelia.ru

The basis of the collection of architectural monuments of the museum-reserve, its semantic center is the temple ensemble of the Kizhi churchyard (XVIII-XIX centuries), consisting of the 22-head Church of the Transfiguration, the nine-domed Pokrovskaya church, a tent bell tower and a chopped log fence.

Kizhi churchyard

The Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord (1714) is the most famous building of the Kizhi. The names of the creators are unknown, but beautiful legend about the master Nestor, who, having finished his work, threw an ax into the lake with the words "there was no such church and there will not be", is very widespread in the North in relation to many monuments of wooden architecture. Another common opinion that it was cut down without a single nail is not very reliable - an aspen ploughshare (scales covering the heads) is attached to the domes with the help of small nails.

The height of the church is 37 m, the base of the building is an octagon with four cuttings, such structures are called "twenty-two walls". On the figure eight there are two more, smaller ones. The chapters vary in size from tier to tier in order to avoid monotony and create a kind of rhythmic pattern. The system of protection of the building from decay is no less well thought out, even decorative elements are often used to drain water and correct air ventilation. Inside the church, the vertical volume was covered with a sixteen-sided ceiling - the "sky", lost during the war, the carved iconostasis (1770) has been preserved. It is composed of 104 icons, the oldest of which, typical of the northern school of icon painting, belong to late XVII in.

Church of the Transfiguration

The Church of the Transfiguration, a perfect work of Zaonezh masters, is a kind of "swan song" of Russian wooden architecture, which reached the peak of its development at that time. It was built as a "cold" summer church, and next to it, half a century later, a "warm" church of the Intercession of the Virgin was erected (1764). The builders managed to create a piece that was a harmonious part of the ensemble, and not just a separate building. In the Church of the Intercession, one can see the initial "subordination" to the dominant Transfiguration Church - a powerful octagon on a quad, which could carry a huge tent, crowned with a modest nine dome with small graceful domes; the silhouette expanding upward emphasizes the upward-directed pyramid of the main building of the ensemble. However, some researchers believe that the Intercession Church was originally built as a tent-roofed one. Currently, a four-tier tyablo iconostasis with 44 icons of the 17th-19th centuries has been restored. In the hallway there is an exhibition “History of the Kizhi Orthodox Parish”.

The bell tower of the Kizhi Pogost (1863) was being built already at a time when Russian wooden architecture was in decline, and yet, despite the seeming simplicity and details alien to traditions, the building surprisingly harmoniously merged into the ensemble. The scheme is traditional - octal on a four. The overweight, two-thirds of the log-house height, the quadruple surprises the connoisseurs of cult wooden buildings with its disproportion, but you can see that it is raised exactly to the height of the cathedrals of the Preobrazhensky Church and the height of the quadruple of the Intercession Church, which once again emphasizes the unity of the three buildings. At present, a remote control for the bell ringer is installed in the bell tower of the Kizhi churchyard. The pendant on the console contains 12 bells (9 ancient and 3 modern).

The Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the bell tower and the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin

By the middle of the XX century. only a stone ridge remained from the fence of the churchyard. The appearance of the original fence was restored by restorers from the engravings of the 18th century. in the book by N. Ozeretskovsky "Traveling on lakes Ladoga and Onega". The reconstruction project was based on the preserved fence of the Vodlozersky-Ilyinsky churchyard, as well as the Pochezersky churchyard in the Arkhangelsk region. The modern fence is a high stone embankment, on which a wall of powerful logs tied with ribbons is laid. On top of the wall there is a gable board roof. On the western corner of the fence there is a small turret covered with a hipped roof - epancha. From the north and east, gates with openwork door leaves lead to the churchyard. The central entrance in the western wall is bounded on both sides by two log cabins under a common roof. The log fence was reconstructed by the architect A. Opolovnikov in 1959.

Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus

Another of the main attractions of the museum-reserve is the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus, brought from the Murom monastery, with east coast Lake Onega. This small cage church has given rise to many legends among believers and hypotheses among scientists. The dating of the temple has been a subject of controversy for almost a century. For the first time, the church is mentioned in the will of the Byzantine monk, founder of the Murom monastery, Lazar of Murom, who died in 1391, but the document of the Olonets spiritual consistory speaks of it rather controversially: “... in the name of the Monk Lazar, the cemetery was built in 7086. from the World (1578), wooden, built by the founder of this monastery, the Monk Lazarus. " The analysis of architectural details does not clarify this issue. The church has preserved an iconostasis consisting of 17 icons of the 16th-15th centuries. It is the oldest type of two-tiered iconostasis, consisting of a local and a deesis row, including the royal gates and the northern Ponomar doors.

House of the peasant Oshevnev

Not far from the Kizhi churchyard there is an architectural and ethnographic complex "Russian Zaonezhia". The exposition "village" began in 1951-1959. from the House of the Peasant N. Oshevnev brought from the Big Klimenetsky Island (1876). The building is built in the form of a "purse" - the yard-shed is adjacent to the side wall of the dwelling and is covered by a gable asymmetrical roof. The outbuilding included a barnyard, a hayloft and two storerooms. The residential part faces the lake and is richly decorated; it includes 2 huts, a hall, an upper room, a light in the attic, a storage room and a vestibule. A house with a stove was called a hut; it is believed that the owners spent the winter in the hut on the first floor, and in the summer they settled throughout the house. Now the interiors of huts, rooms, barns, sheds have been restored in the house, ethnographic exhibitions are held in the hall. Along the second floor there is a gulbische - an open gallery, the windows of the side pediments are decorated with balconies. Previously, window frames were painted orange-yellow, and the eaves of the roof were painted red, which greatly enlivened the appearance of the house.

In addition to the main house, the peasant estate is also detached outbuildings. Fires have always been the main disaster of the peasants, and the barns removed from the main house could save the most valuable things - grain and flour, and prevent them from starving to death. There are several outbuildings near Oshevnev's house: a two-storey barn from the village of Yuzhny Dvor (18th century), a barn from the village of Lipovitsy (early 20th century) and a bathhouse from the village of Mizhostrov (early 20th century).

House of the peasant Elizarov

The house of the peasant Elizarov (late 19th century) from the village of Potanevshchina is somewhat smaller. The interiors of both buildings are similar, but unlike Oshevnev's house, Elizarov's house was heated in black. This method of heating the room was in many ways more convenient for peasant families - less firewood was consumed, the woodworm beetle did not start, it was warmer in the hut. Smoke collected above the Vorontsov shelves, and the walls below this level and ceilings were thoroughly washed and scraped every week. Yelizarov's house is one-story, it is built of powerful logs and is modestly decorated, although the side balconies and "gulbische" are present here as well. In the utility room there is an exhibition that tells about the secrets of creating the “kizhanka” boat. On the shore near the house there is a bathhouse (early XX century) from the village of Ust-Yandoma.

A little further south of the Kizhi churchyard is the most modest House of Shchepin (1907). The type of construction here is a "timber", when residential and utility rooms are stretched out in a line under one roof. In the interior you can see items related to the cooper's craft (making barrels, buckets, jugs and other wooden utensils).

Windmill

The exposition sector "Russian Zaonezhya" also includes a water mill (1875) from Berezovaya Selga, a windmill (1928-1929) from Nasonovshchina and a chapel of Archangel Michael (beginning of the 18th century) from the village of Lelikozero.

Chapel of the Archangel Michael

The Kletskaya chapel of the Archangel Michael belongs to the common type of northern chapels. This is a three-part log house, consisting of a vestibule, a refectory and the chapel itself. The building is richly decorated with carved elements, a two-tiered iconostasis with icons of local writing and a "sky" - a painted ceiling of 12 segments, has been preserved in it. The House of Sergeev (1908-1910) and a smithy (early XX century) from the village of Suisar were brought to Kizhi from the western shore of Lake Onega.

House of the peasant Sergeev

In the central part of the island there are two historical villages: Yamka, mentioned for the first time in 1563, on the east bank, and Vasilyevo, mentioned in 1582, on the west. In these villages, buildings have survived, which are now included in the museum fund, many architectural monuments were brought from other places in Zaonezhie: peasant houses, stables, barns and barns. Near the village of Yamka, the chapel of the Savior Not Made by Hands (XVII-XVIII centuries) from the village of Vigovo has survived, and the architectural dominant of Vasilyevo is the local chapel of the Assumption of the Mother of God (XVII-XVIII centuries), which is the most ancient building Kizhi Islands.

House of the peasant Yakovlev

Three large peasant houses and several outbuildings make up the exposition sector of the Russian Pudozhia, where the architecture of the inhabitants of the eastern shore of Lake Onega is presented, and even further north you can see houses characteristic of Karelians and Vepsians. The Karelian estate is represented here by the house of the peasant Yakovlev (1980-1990s) from the village of Klescheila, by a bowing cross and barns, and among the monuments of northern Karelians and Karelian people there is an interesting chapel of Three Saints from the village of Kavgora (second half of the 18th century) ... Two barns and a bathhouse make up the outbuildings of the Vepsians.

The island's monuments are introduced to visitors by the routes offered by the museum's excursion service. Recently, an "Ecological Trail" has been laid, which gives an idea of \u200b\u200bthe nature of the island, an interactive family route to the house of Yakovlev, where you can take part in traditional peasant household processes. During museum holidays, a folklore ensemble often performs.

On the territory of the museum there are several cafes and trade kiosks, living rooms. You can also ask for the night in the villages to the local residents.

Postcard. Kizhi from a bird's eye view

A few words about how the museum exhibits are located. Most of them are located in a small area, in the part of the island that is south of the pier. Those three hours that are allotted for the excursion are quite enough for a leisurely inspection. But the villages of Yamka, Vasilyevo and all other buildings that are from the pier to the north are not included in the usual excursion. How to get to them is not entirely clear. On the road I noticed a bus, but while I was thinking, it left. Perhaps it was just intended to move around the island. Walking here on foot is rather tiresome. But I still had almost an hour before the departure of the ship, and I still went to that part of the island that is not included in the official route. I got to the windmill, which stands there on a hillock, at the same time looked at the village of Yamka and at the chapel of the Savior Not Made by Hands, which rose in the distance. But he did not go to the village of Vasilyevo, he was afraid to be late. I wonder if there is no bike rental here?

Another windmill. The Chapel of the Savior Not Made by Hands is visible on the left

The question also remained unclear whether it is possible to come here on one motor ship, and leave on the next. The fact is that when boarding, everyone is given badges around their necks, and when selling a ticket, they also ask for a phone number. All this is being done, apparently, so that people do not get lost on the island, do not lag behind their ship and do not disrupt the well-oiled conveyor for serving tourists.

View of the nose of the "Meteor" and the Kizhi Pogost

Now let's summarize. Well, what can I say about Kizhi. Overall, I liked the museum, although the expectations were certainly higher. The cost of an entrance ticket of 130 rubles for citizens of the Russian Federation (and those equated to them, gygy :)) is quite sane. But 625 rubles for foreigners, or almost 15 euros, is already a bit too much. For that kind of money, even Western European museums have to turn around in front of their clients. And here everything rests, one might say, on one exhibit - the 22-head of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord. Meanwhile, it is clearly not eternal, and the metal plates on its rickety walls speak of this. Well, it is difficult in our climate for wooden buildings to stand for 300 years! When it collapses, what then? And then Kizhi will simply turn into "wabaikhumuuseum", of which the world is full.

I wonder if there are no craftsmen now who could build something like that? Is it really that difficult with modern technology? Take something old as a basis, make a project on a computer, carve logs to size and assemble. Of course, at first it will be a "remake", but all the old things were once a remake! And most of the local exhibits were collected at the present place virtually from scratch. I think that in such a place, new buildings could fit into the overall ensemble. In a word, it is necessary to somehow develop the museum further, the world does not stand still!

"Meteor" on the background of the embankment of Petrozavodsk

Yes, and with the help of iGo on my smartphone, I managed to measure the average speed of the "Meteor" - somewhere around 57 km / h.

River pier in Kizhi

So, let's read for a start what the guidebook "Russian North" from the publishing house Polyglot writes about Kizhi, which I bought the day before in the House of Military Books on Nevsky:

Kizhi. Postcard

Schematic representation of the location of exhibits on the island. Kizhi
(in fact, the distance between buildings is much greater)
kizhi.karelia.ru

Kizhi churchyard

The Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord (1714) is the most famous building of the Kizhi. The names of the creators are unknown, and the beautiful legend about the master Nestor, who, having finished his work, threw an ax into the lake with the words "there was no such church and there will never be", is very widespread in the North in relation to many monuments of wooden architecture. Another common opinion that it was cut down without a single nail is not very reliable - an aspen ploughshare (scales covering the heads) is attached to the domes with the help of small nails.

The height of the church is 37 m, the basis of the structure is an octagon with four cuttings, such structures are called "twenty-two walls". On the figure eight there are two more, smaller ones. The chapters vary in size from tier to tier in order to avoid monotony and create a kind of rhythmic pattern. The system of protection of the building from decay is no less well thought out, even decorative elements are often used to drain water and correct air ventilation. Inside the temple, the vertical volume was covered with a sixteen-sided ceiling - the "sky", lost during the war, the carved iconostasis (1770) has been preserved. It is made up of 104 icons, the oldest of which, typical of the northern school of icon painting, date back to the end of the 17th century.

Church of the Transfiguration

The Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the bell tower and the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin

Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus

Another of the main attractions of the museum-reserve is the Church of the Resurrection of Lazarus, brought from the Murom monastery, from the eastern shore of Lake Onega. This small cage church has given rise to many legends among believers and hypotheses among scientists. The dating of the temple has been a subject of controversy for almost a century. For the first time, the church is mentioned in the will of the Byzantine monk, founder of the Murom monastery, Lazar of Murom, who died in 1391, but the document of the Olonets spiritual consistory speaks of it rather controversially: “... in the name of the Monk Lazar, the cemetery was built in 7086. from the World (1578), wooden, built by the founder of this monastery, the Monk Lazarus. " The analysis of architectural details does not clarify this issue. The church has preserved an iconostasis consisting of 17 icons of the 16th-15th centuries. It is the oldest type of two-tiered iconostasis, consisting of a local and a deesis row, including the royal gates and the northern Ponomar doors.

House of the peasant Oshevnev

In addition to the main house, the peasant estate is also detached farm buildings. Fires have always been the main disaster of the peasants, and barns removed from the main house could save the most valuable - grain and flour, and prevent them from starving to death. There are several outbuildings next to Oshevnev's house: a two-story barn from the village of Yuzhny Dvor (18th century), a barn from the village of Lipovitsy (early 20th century) and a bathhouse from
the village of Mizostrov (early XX century).

House of the peasant Elizarov

Windmill

Chapel of the Archangel Michael

House of the peasant Sergeev

In the central part of the island there are two historical villages: Yamka, mentioned for the first time in 1563, on the east bank, and Vasilyevo, mentioned in 1582, on the west. In these villages, buildings have survived, which are now included in the museum fund, many architectural monuments were brought from other places in Zaonezhie: peasant houses, stables, barns and barns. Near the village of Yamka, the chapel of the Savior Not Made by Hands (XVII-XVIII centuries) from the village of Vigovo has been preserved, and the architectural dominant of Vasilyevo is the local chapel of the Assumption of the Mother of God (XVII-XVIII centuries), which is the oldest building on the island of Kizhi.

House of the peasant Yakovlev

The island's monuments are introduced to visitors by the routes offered by the museum's excursion service. Recently, an "Ecological Trail" has been laid, which gives an idea of \u200b\u200bthe nature of the island, an interactive family route has been developed to the Yakovlev house, where you can take part in traditional peasant household processes. During museum holidays, a folklore ensemble often performs.

On the territory of the museum there are several cafes and trade kiosks, living rooms. You can also ask for the night in the villages to the local residents.