Karelia appeared on the map in 1923. Tourists, both Russian and foreign, are eager to visit beautiful edge, and regardless of the season. The lakes ratio is the highest in the world. Although only 10% of total area territory. In Karelia there is a very large concentration of unique natural monuments, such as marble canyons or a flat waterfall. Ancient petroglyphs have been preserved in the republic to this day. It stands out for its peculiarity and local kitchen... Read on, Karelia attractions photos with descriptions.

Some informative information

If you separate nature from the human habitat, only 10 percent of the total area remains. Exactly half of the republic is occupied by forests, 20% by water bodies. Statisticians have counted in Karelia more than 20 thousand rivers and more than 60 thousand lakes. If you divide these numbers by the number of people living, you get one reservoir for one average family of four. Ladoga lake considered the largest body of water in Europe.

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Sights of Karelia

Kizhi description and useful information

Kizhi is one of the main visiting cards of Karelia, which has the status of an all-Russian attraction. The Museum-Reserve, which is located in Kizhi, began its work in 1966. It all started with two churches and a bell tower, which were built of wood. In the future, the reserve was replenished with new architectural monuments, they began to bring and reassemble wooden buildings from all over the region. Ensemble Kizhi churchyard included in the lists of the world cultural heritage... Now the museum is divided into several sectors, according to the principle of the area from where the buildings were brought. The museum in Kizhi is considered one of the largest museums under open air... In addition to buildings, here you can see household items and all kinds of exhibits that are associated with the culture of that time. On this moment it is more than 50 thousand items.

It should be noted that the entire island is given over to the exhibition. To get on it, you have to pay 500 rubles per person. Children under 16 years old admit free of charge. There are student discounts. The tour is paid separately, but you need to take care of early booking, as there are a lot of tourists willing. The site describes detailed instructionshow to get to the island.

Official page

http://kizhi.karelia.ru

Kizhi on the map

Marble canyon in Karelia with photo and video

The canyon is called a symbiosis of man and nature. The canyon appeared in the 18th century, when marble began to be mined here for the buildings of St. Petersburg; many iconic buildings, for example, the Hermitage, were decorated with it. Marble palace, Mikhailovsky Castle and others.

For a whole century marble was mined here until water appeared in the quarry. In length it reaches more than 600 meters, width varies from 60 to 100 meters. The water is 18 meters clear, the most great depth reaches 50 meters. Along the perimeter, a pedestrian path with handrails has been made especially for tourists. There are some viewing platforms, as well as the opportunity to go down to one of the many adits. In addition, there is a boat rental service to ride the canyon. As for the prices - self inspection costs from 250 rubles, excursion from 400 rubles Tours are available from St. Petersburg. In summer, the park hosts an international opera festival. The whole useful information can be found on the park's website.

Official site

http://ruskeala.info/ru

Our video in Ruskeala

Ruskeala Park on the map

Karelian Zoo

The Karelian Zoo is waiting for you wonderful world fauna. The zoo's collection is extensive. There are over 500 species of animals, including exotic ones, and 150 species of birds in their natural habitat. There are different types of deer, llamas, guanacos, Shetlen ponies, mouflons, marals, yaks, fallow deer, ostriches, predatory animals and birds. Employees treat pets like children: they feed, care for, treat, and most importantly - love. Animals reciprocate. This creates a special atmosphere of warmth, cleanliness and trust, which is so lacking in noisy megacities. You can pet, hand feed, and enjoy the feeling of being close to nature.

The layout of the Karelian Zoo is thought out so that the animals feel as free as possible. For them, conditions are created that are close to the wild. Some restrictions are reminded only of an inconspicuous mesh stretched between spacious aviaries. However, only those animals are fenced that can pose a danger to humans.

The zoo provides a contact area where cute harmless animals live - little sheep, ponies, rabbits. They are tamed, fondle people, take food, behave friendly. Children enjoy spending time here and feel absolutely happy. They pet animals, pick them up, take pictures. A special offer is carriage rides and small ponies.

The Karelian Zoo covers an area of \u200b\u200b30 hectares. The area in which it is located is interesting in itself. This is an ancient crater left after a meteorite fall. Lake Yanisjärvi formed at the bottom of the crater. Tourists come to him from different countriesfor scenic views and fishing.

The powerful impact of the meteorite lifted layers of various rocks. This is how the unique Marble Canyon appeared, which is considered the pearl of the Ruskeala mountain reserve. From the Karelian Zoo you can reach it by car in 30 minutes. And just within walking distance there is a comfortable recreation center "Black stones", where you can relax in any format: go hunting, fishing, excursion, horseback riding.

You can spend the whole day in the Karelian Zoo. For the convenience of visitors, a restaurant with delicious Russian and European cuisine is open here. It is within walking distance of animal and bird enclosures. There are entertainment for children and adults, parking and other benefits of civilization.

The zoo is open seven days a week from 10:00 to 19:00. The cost of tickets is more than affordable: adults - 400 rubles, children - 300 rubles. For kids under 3 years old, admission is free.

Zoo website:

Karelian Zoo on the map:

Valaam archipelago Republic of Karelia

Another location that must be included in the topic is Karelia sightseeing photos with descriptions. This archipelago includes fifty islands, which are rocks covered with moss and forest. The first monastery, which was for men, appeared on Valaam in the 11th century. Further, the archipelago developed as a center of spiritual life, until 1940. During the war, she carried out her work here military schooland after graduation a house for the disabled. In the 80s of the last century, the island was returned to the believers again. The unique nature has always attracted people here, for example Valaam was one of Roerich's favorites. A tour to Valaam to visit a local monastery can be purchased in Petrozavodsk, St. Petersburg and other large cities from tour operators. The site of the monastery has virtual tour and even a few webcams.

Official site

https://valaam.ru

You can get to Valaam using public transport, for this you first need to get to the capital of the republic - Petrozavodsk, about a dozen regular buses run a day. You can get around the archipelago by boat, the approximate cost is 2500 rubles for two hours. IN natural park there is a bicycle and rowing boat rental.

Official site of the natural park

http://oopt-rk.ru/valaamskij-arhipelag

Valaam archipelago on the map

Petrozavodsk - the capital of Karelia

To tell about all the interesting sights that are in the capital of the republic, you need a separate review. Therefore, we will draw your attention to what you should visit in Petrozavodsk if you have very little time. In Finnish, the city is called Petroska. An urban-type settlement appeared in this place thanks to the foundation of an arms factory, which was founded in 1703. The state-owned plant appeared thanks to the decree of Peter the Great. The status of the city and the name appeared a little over 70 years - in 1777, when, by order of Catherine II, another arms factory was built.

Now the city has a number of museums, there are cultural and architectural attractions. Let's dwell on business card Petrozavodsk - the embankment.

Petrozavodsk on the map

Onega lake embankment

Arriving in the capital of the Karelian Territory, you must first of all visit this place, since it is here that a lot of monuments are concentrated. The local embankment was restored for a very long time, with the recreation of the atmosphere of the 18-19th centuries. It was officially opened in 1994, but another half-kilometer section was finally restored in 2004.

Now the embankment stretches for almost 1.5 kilometers in length, which are paved with local granite. There is also a river station, from which you can go to the island of Kizhi. In general, the Onega embankment is not just a structure that separates the waters of the lake from the land, it is a whole cultural Center... Walking along the embankment, you can see many sculptures and monuments, and not only Russian sculptors, but American and European ones. For example, the composition Fishermen. On the embankment, there are mass festivities for the city day, which are celebrated at the end of June. From the railway station, you can get to the embankment if you walk at a calm pace, within 20 minutes.

Onega embankment on the map

National Museum of Karelia

Visitors to the museum, who are recruited per year in the region of 50 thousand people, say about it that it is modern, informative and not boring. Perhaps that is why the museum acquired the status of a national one, it happened in 2011. The institution is quite solid in age, its foundation dates back to 1871. And oddly enough, despite all the vicissitudes of time and the change of government, the collection of the museum has been regularly replenished from the very first moment of its opening. Now the national museum - 20 exhibition halls and 200 thousand exhibits, which are stored in the building of the former residence of the governor, this is the modern Lenin Square. The number two has a certain magical meaning, for example, there are only 200 old spinning wheels here.

Entrance ticket costs 150 rubles. Some exhibitions are paid separately. Visit showrooms is possible daily, except Monday, from 10:00 to 18:00 hours. Opening hours on holidays, it is best to check on the museum website.

Museum official website

http://nmrk.karelia.ru

Museum on the map

Marcial waters: therapeutic mud of Karelia

Karelia has its own special sulphide-silt mud, the miraculous characteristics of which were tested back in the Petrine era. It is said that the emperor came here at least four times to undergo a course of treatment, as described by the doctors in the resorts. The Emperor liked the effect so much that by his order the first balneological resort appeared here. Karelia attractions photos with descriptions, this is not only nature, but also an opportunity to improve your health. Now there is a sanatorium with the same name. The place itself is located 55 kilometers from Petrazavodsk. You can get there from the train station if you use the services route taxi... A day's stay with treatment will cost from 2,000 to 5,000 rubles.

Official website of the sanatorium

http: //martsvody.rf

If you are interested in treatment with a drinking course of water, then I recommend my article about the Italian resort and video about the resort:

Sanatorium on the map

In addition to the sanatorium, you can visit the museum, which is also called the marcial waters.

The fact is that the local balneological resort became the first in the Russian Empire, it opened back in 1719. The museum is also of venerable age, it opened after the end of the Great Patriotic War - in 1946. The museum now includes old church, which was built in the 18th century, as well as the caretaker's house, which dates back to the 19th century. The entire territory, including the sanatorium, is a nature reserve. Unfortunately, the most valuable exhibits of the museum were stolen in 1993, so now these are copies, other originals that were not stolen were transported to the national museum. Visitors can visit 4 active sources. The entrance ticket costs 100 rubles.

Direct link to the museum page

http://kgkm.karelia.ru/site/section/44/

Petroglyphs Karelia

This is the name of the rock paintings, which can be considered the first example of painting. It is not possible to determine their age; even radiocarbon analysis will not help in this regard, since the stones on which they are inscribed do not have organic compounds. The date ranges from the 8th to the 2nd millennium BC.

Mostly petroglyphs are concentrated on east coast Lake Onega, as well as near Belomorsk. An example is a cape called Besov's nose. You can find it 18 kilometers from the village called Shalsky. There is also a two-meter statue of a humanoid creature. These petroglyphs were known and described as early as the 19th century. Now about 1200 petroglyphs have been studied, which make up an art gallery with a length of more than 20 kilometers. To see them, you need to get to Shalsky, then rent a boat or an off-road car with local guide... Alternatively, you can buy a guided tour, which is sold in the White Sea Museum of Local Lore. A 3-hour excursion will cost from 200 rubles per person.

Museum official website

http://brkm.ru

Besov Nos on the map

List of exact coordinates for self-visit

61.673011, 36.02150, 61.713524, 36.059692, 61.665119, 36.051026, 61.681816, 36.037979, 61.801360, 35.954286.

National park of Karelia

As you already know, half of the Republic of Karelia is occupied by forests. Therefore, it is easy to imagine that there should be national park... It is more difficult to imagine and even pronounce its name, given that this is a Russian park. And it is called Paanajärvi. You can find it in the northernmost point of Karelia, on the border with Finland. The peculiarity of this park lies in the fact that despite big traffic tourists, they come every year in the region of 3 thousand people, its nature can be called pristine. The park will especially appeal to people who are fond of ecotourism. For this there are camping sites and hiking trails. The routes are very different, both in duration - from several hours to several days, and in terms of topics. For example, in summer, some of them run directly on water bodies. It is worth noting that the park itself is located near the Arctic Circle, so here you can observe northern Lights... In addition, there is tundra, waterfalls, mountains. The highest point in Karelia is located here. Maps, descriptions, and all tourist information is available on the official website. The cost of the excursion starts from 80 rubles, there are 25 of them in total. You can book both the excursion and accommodation directly on the website.

In the northwestern region of Russia, there is an amazingly beautiful region - the Republic of Karelia. In addition to the natural beauty of forests, lakes, waterfalls, Karelia is famous for its ancient cities, temples and monasteries, as well as national parks.

Despite the fact that this region of northern nature does not have a warm climate, more and more people come here every year. more tourists, each of which will definitely find something interesting for themselves.

Our article will help you plan independent travel both by your own car and by public transport from Saint-Petersburg. And if you are going to have an organized rest, then you can choose and book a suitable tour.

How to get there:

• By car: from St. Petersburg along the ring road, you need to get to the Vyborg highway (exit Vyborg / Pargolovo). Further along the Vyborg highway to the traffic police post, turn right. We move through the villages of Yukki, Luppolovo, Vertemyagi to Agalatovo. Further along the A-129 highway to Priozersk. Further along the road to Sortavala, past the turn to Kuznechnoye, along the new road to bypass Hiitola, through Kurkiyoki, Ihala, Yakkima - to the city of Lahdenpohja.
• By bus: A regular bus from the Northern Bus Station (Murino) runs daily at 7.20, 9.20, 12.20 and 18.50. Travel time is approximately 4 hours, the fare is 550 rubles.
• By train: from the Ladozhsky railway station by train 350A St. Petersburg - Kostomuksha to the Yakkima station. Travel time 4 hours 32 minutes, fare - 1668 rubles. Next take a regular bus to Lahdenpohja Bus Station.

Lahdenpohja is a small town in Karelia, where several interesting buildings have survived. Unfortunately, some of them are in a sad state, for example the Lutheran church of 1850. From the once beautiful structure, only walls are now left.

Another Lutheran church, built in 1935, also needs serious renovation. However, everyone can go inside and climb the bell tower, which offers beautiful views.

Guests of Lahdenpohja will be interested to walk along the streets of the city, where there are old wooden Finnish houses, as well as visit the Kurkiyoki Regional Studies Center, whose exhibits tell about the history of the Northern Ladoga area.

Sortavala and Ruskeala

How to get there:

• By car: from St. Petersburg along the ring road, you need to get to the Vyborg highway (exit Vyborg / Pargolovo). Further along the Vyborg highway to the traffic police post, turn right. We move through the villages of Yukki, Luppolovo, Vertemyagi to Agalatovo. Further along the A-129 highway to Priozersk. Then follow the signs to Sortavala.
• By bus: a regular bus from the Northern Bus Station (Murino) runs daily. Travel time is approximately 5 hours, the fare is 689 rubles.
• By train: from Ladozhsky railway station by train 350A St. Petersburg - Kostomuksha to the Sortavala station. Travel time 5 hours 33 minutes.

The town of Sortavala is a small European town that belonged to Finland until 1940. That is why you can find a lot of Finnish-style wooden and stone buildings on almost every street in the city.

In addition to walking the streets of the city, in Sortavala it is interesting to visit the Regional Museum of Northern Ladoga, which contains various natural and industrial exhibits of the region, because the Sortavala region is famous for the extraction of marble.

For tourists, Sortavala is also interesting because it is from this city that ships leave for the island of Valaam.

Not far from Sortavala is the famous Marble Canyon - Ruskeala. Marble in these places has been mined since the time when the Swedes owned the territory.

Ruskeala Park invites tourists to walk along several walking routes, go boating through quarries, and bungee jumping. And since April 1, 2017, a unique underground route through mines and adits has been operating.

On the way to Ruskeala Park, you should look into the ancient settlement of Paaso, the Ruskealki waterfalls, and after the park you can visit the largest zoo of cloven-hoofed animals in Europe - Zoo GreenPark.

How to get there:

• By car:
• By bus: Bus station No. 2 SPB, bus No. 965. Travel time is 8 hours 23 minutes.
• By train: from Ladozhsky railway station in St. Petersburg by train Lastochka 806CH St. Petersburg - Petrozavodsk (travel time 4 hours 55 minutes), train 012А (travel time 7 hours 40 minutes, cost from 800 rubles) or 022CH St. Petersburg - Murmansk ( travel time 6 hours 41 minutes, cost from 1241 rubles).

The capital of Karelia, the city of Petrozavodsk, is the most big city Republic. It has its own airport, two water stations, train Station... It is from here that tourists set off on a trip to the island of Kizhi.

It is pleasant to walk along the streets of the city, here you can find many architectural monuments, as well as various museums. Open for history lovers National Museum Republic of Karelia. The Maritime Museum reminds residents and guests of Petrozavodsk about the times of Peter I, when a shipyard was founded in the city. In addition, the city has the Museum of Industrial History of Petrozavodsk at the Tractor Plant, the Post Museum of the Republic of Karelia, and the Museum of Precambrian Geology, the period of ancient fossils.

Onega embankment deserves special attention, which is not only a wonderful place for walking, but also a kind of museum of contemporary art.

In Petrozavodsk there is a stone Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky, built under the guidance of an Italian architect.
Not far from the capital of Karelia is the village of Martsialnye Vody - the first balneological and mud resort in Russia, founded by Peter I.

How to get there:

• By car: along the M18 highway to Petrozavodsk. Then follow the signs to Kondopoga.
• By bus: Bus station No. 2 SPB, bus No. 965 to Petrozavodsk. Then change to bus # 133E Petrozavodsk-Kondopoga. Travel time is 10 hours 31 minutes.
• By train: from Ladozhsky railway station in St. Petersburg by train 022CH St. Petersburg - Murmansk to the station Kondopoga (travel time 8 hours 4 minutes).

Kondopoga is the second largest city in Karelia after Petrozavodsk. Excavations in the city showed that the first human settlement in these places was formed around 1495.

On the territory of the city there is a wooden Assumption Church. In addition, in Kondopoga, you can find several Carillons, compositions of bells. They make a melodic ringing every hour.

Near Kondopoga is the village of Kivach, famous for its waterfall of the same name, the highest lowland waterfall in Europe. Another natural attraction of these places is Sampo Mountain, which keeps many legends and secrets. From the mountain opens beautiful view to the lake and forest.

Also in Kondopoga it is interesting to visit the oldest hydroelectric power station in Russia and the Konchezersky iron-smelting plant, built by order of Peter I.

How to get there:

• By car: along the M18 highway connecting St. Petersburg and Murmansk.
• By bus: Bus station No. 2 SPB, bus No. 965. Travel time 5 hours 15 minutes. The fare is 617 rubles.

Olonets is one of oldest cities Karelia and Northern Russia. The uniqueness of this city lies in the preserved layout of the 18th century and in an unusual landscape - Olonets is located on a flat area between two rivers.

There are many churches and cathedrals in the city. In the center of Olonets, the rivers formed a small island on which the Cathedral of the Icon of the Mother of God of Smolensk, built in 1752, is located.

It is also interesting to visit the Church of Frol and Lavra - a striking example of wooden Novgorod architecture of the 17th century, the Church of the Holy Cross of the Church of Ingria, the Assumption Church. Not far from the city is the village of Interposelok, where you can visit the Vazheozersky Monastery, founded in the 16th century.

Connoisseurs of ethnographic collections should visit the first local history museum Karelia - Museum of Karelian-Livvik named after N.T. Prilukin. Olonetskaya is also open in the city picture gallery, which contains pictures of artists of Karelia.

Medvezhyegorsk

How to get there:

• By car: along the M18 highway connecting St. Petersburg and Murmansk.
• By train: from Ladozhsky railway station in St. Petersburg by train 022CH St. Petersburg - Murmansk to Medvezhya Gora station (travel time 9 hours 56 minutes).

The history of the rather young town of Medvezhyegorsk began during the First World War with the construction railroadconnecting the Barents Sea and St. Petersburg. Later, the famous White Sea-Baltic Canal passed here. That's why railroad station Bear Mountain and Museum of History rail transport are of particular interest to guests of the city.

There are many attractions in the city, and the nature in these parts of Karelia is especially beautiful and surrounded by many legends and secrets. One of these places of power is the abandoned village of Pegrema. Also, nature lovers will be interested in the Vodlozersky National Park. There are pedestrian and water hiking trails, on the way of which there are monuments of wooden architecture, parking and burial places of ancient people.

In Medvezhyegorsk, there is a City Museum in the former building of the Office of the White Sea Canal of the NKVD of the USSR, where you can see various household items of the ancient population of these places, get acquainted with the exhibition "A Small City in a Big War", which tells about the events of the Great Patriotic War, and also learn the history of the construction of the White Sea Canal.

Another museum dedicated to the history of the White Sea-Baltic Canal is located in the town of Povenets. It is also interesting to visit the Sandarmokh Tract and the memorial cemetery of the victims of the construction of the White Sea Canal.

How to get there:

• By car: along the M18 highway connecting St. Petersburg and Murmansk.
• By train: from the Ladozhsky railway station in St. Petersburg by train 022Ч St. Petersburg - Murmansk to the Kem station (travel time 15 hours 7 minutes).

Old northern city Kem is located on the banks of the river of the same name. The buildings of the city are mostly small wooden houses, which are striking examples of the traditional architecture of the North.

The Assumption Cathedral is located in the city center. The wooden church is over 300 years old, and it was erected without a single nail. Not far from the Cathedral is the Pomorie Museum, the exhibits of which give a complete picture of the life of the local population - the Pomors.

There are also many interesting places in the vicinity of Kem. For example, in the village of Krivoy Porog there is an impressive Krivoporozhskaya HPP.

26 kilometers from the city of Kem in Lake Onega there are 2 unusual islands - German and Russian. The islands have preserved places of vital activity of ancient peoples.

In the village of Rabocheostrovsk on the island of Popov, there is an equally interesting attraction - the scenery from the filming of P. Lungin's film "The Island": wooden church, a sunken barge, plank piers, stone banks - all this was left after the shooting.

Entertainment

Troll park

The address: Kulikovo village, Lakhdenpokhsky district, Republic of Karelia.
Website: www.mishkina-skazka.ru
Telephone: +7 911 231 90 61
Cost: 450 rubles - adults, 350 rubles - children. For locals (Karelia, Priozersky District) - a discount upon presentation of a passport.
How to get there:
From St. Petersburg by car - along the highway (A-121) St. Petersburg-Priozersk-Sortavala, go to the border of the Leningrad region with Karelia. After 200 m, turn left to Khiytola (Kulikovo). After 4 km ascent up the hill, at the top of the hill on the right are pink stones, to the right into the forest. If you have reached the railway crossing, then you have already passed 700 meters.
From the side Sorted by car - along the Sortavala-SPb highway (A-121), before reaching the border of Karelia and the Leningrad region, before reaching the border of Karelia and the Leningrad region, turn right to Khiytola, then as described above.
By bus - from the metro station "Devyatkino" (Bus Station Severny) at 09:20 a bus leaves St. Petersburg - Petrozavodsk. Buy a ticket to Kulikovo and at 12 hours 40 minutes the bus will arrive at the village. Kulikovo, which is 5 minutes from the "Troll Park".
By train - from the Ladozhsky Station at 14:48 the train St. Petersburg - Kostomuksha leaves. Take a ticket to Hiitol (note, it does not run every day - check the schedule on the carrier's website).
GPS coordinates: 61 ° 11'01.0 ″ N 29 ° 46'51.4 ″ E, 61.183600, 29.780945

In the enchanted Karelian forest on the ruins of a Finnish farm, a fabulous Troll Park has opened. More than 50 figures from 40 cm to 4 meters presented in the open air. In a mysterious way The trolls were caught off guard by the dawn and they froze in unusual positions. What do we know about these mysterious creatures? Some say that Trolls steal children and kidnap beautiful girls. Others say that Trolls love wealth and hunt for gold and precious stones... Are they good or bad? Scary Scary or Cute? Can they harm us, or are the tales of the Trolls just inventions of the Scandinavian elders? Here you will find answers to these questions.

• trail over 500 meters
• more than 50 figures (trolls, mermaids, sirins, nagas, dragons)
• mini farm with little pigs and rabbits, goats and chickens, you can pet and feed them.
• hammocks
• children's trolling (riding on a rope)
• wild musical instruments
• master classes for children and adults
• secret Troll Trail
• interactive games (big slingshots, pillow fight on a log)
• colored crystal and treasure hunt (found crystal - as a gift)

Zoo Greenpark Karelia

The address: Sortavala, pos. Kirkkolahti
Telephone:+7 921 622-97-93
Website: http://www.zoogreenpark.ru/
Working hours: autumn-winter from 10:00 - 18:00 (ticket offices until 17:00), from 01.05.17 from 10: 00-19: 00 (ticket offices until 18:00)
Cost:400 rubles for an adult ticket.
How to get there: Drive along Sortavala in the direction of Petrozavodsk, following the main road. After the town of Sortavala, after about 10 km there will be a large intersection, at which you need to turn left following the sign to the village of Vyartsilya and drive under the railway bridge. In this direction, drive 31.5 km, then on the right there will be a signpost Recreation center "Black stones", turn, drive 10 km, navigate by signs, there will be three of them. Coordinates 61 ° 59 ′ 27.38 ″ N, 30 ° 46 ′ 22.97 ″ E

The Greenpark Zoo near Sortavala will not leave indifferent either adults or children. This is Europe's largest zoo of cloven-hoofed animals, located on an area of \u200b\u200b30 hectares on the territory of the recreation center "Black Stones".

The inhabitants of the zoo are not only different types of deer and bulls, ponies, roe deer, fallow deer, but also many other interesting species, including those listed in the Red Book. In addition, in the zoo you can get acquainted with ostriches, different kinds and breeds of birds, as well as foxes, raccoons and other animals.

The territory is open for kids contact zoowhere there are no nets and fences, and animals can be stroked and fed. The children's zoo is home to dwarf sheep, fawns, Cameroon goats, rabbits, Shetlen ponies and other animals.

Tours are organized at the zoo, but tourists are also offered independent walks. There are route signs throughout the territory, and at each corral there are signs with the name of the species and brief description its features and habitat.

Famous islands of Karelia

How to get there:

• From St. Petersburg by boat as part of excursion groups.
• From Priozersk by meteor: travel time 1 hour, cost about 2000 rubles. There and back again.
• From Sortavala by meteor - travel time 50 minutes. During the summer period, meteors go daily at 9.00, 11.00, 13.15 and 16.00 hours. Round trip fare includes walking tour: Mon-Fri and Sunday - 2300 rubles / person, Saturday - 2570 rubles / person.
• From Pitkyaranta the meteors leave the pier of the recreation center "Long Coast". Travel time is 1 hour. The round trip fare includes a walking tour: Mon-Fri and Sunday - 2460 rubles / person, Saturday - 2750 rubles / person.

Valaam Island is a unique place with its unique nature, climate, architecture, people. Pilgrims and tourists from all over the world come here every year to touch these holy places.

There are many spiritual places on the island. Of course, the main temple of the island is the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, the construction of which dates back to the 14th century. On the territory of the monastery there is the Valaam church-archaeological and natural museum-reserve, which tells about the history of the island.

The island itself is very green, walking along it you can visit the sketes: Konevsky Igumensky skete, Resurrection (Red) skete, Gethsemane yellow skete, Nikolsky skete, St. Vladimir skete. Another hermitage is located on the Putsaari island. A visit to the skete is possible only with the blessing of the abbot.

The Kizhi Museum-Reserve is a unique open-air museum of wooden architecture. There are about 76 buildings collected here, which will take more than one day to see.

By far the most grandiose building on the island is the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord. The temple can be seen from anywhere on the island. Like all structures of Kizhi, the temple was built without a single nail. The 22 hand-made pine domes look especially beautiful.

In addition to churches and temples, there are other buildings on the island: mills, peasant houses, baths, barns. In the interiors of these buildings, the life and traditions of the ancient northern settlements are preserved as much as possible.

The museums of the island of Kizhi contain unique collections of ancient Russian icons, painting, weaving, wood carving. Also among the exhibits you can find various archival documents and drawings that give an idea of \u200b\u200bhow the main buildings of the island were built and restored.

Natural attractions of Karelia

Coordinates: 61.7551484, 31.4160496
How to get there by car: take the Sortavala-Petrozavodsk highway to turn towards Ruokoyarvi lake. Then move all the time straight along the dirt road to the sign "White Mosty Waterfall". After that, you need to walk 2-2.5 km.

Not far from the village of Leppasilta is located picturesque waterfall White Bridges. Its height reaches 19 meters, which is almost 2 times higher than the famous Karelian waterfall Kivach. However, due to its inaccessibility (it is necessary to walk about 2 kilometers along a forest road to the waterfall), tourists do not visit these places very often. The nature around the waterfall is very picturesque; you can often find various forest animals here.

Coordinates: 65.762970, 31.074407
How to get there by car: along the M18 St. Petersburg – Murmansk highway to the Loukhi village, then along road 110 km west to the village of Pyaozersky.
Website: http://paanajarvi-park.com/

The national park is located around the picturesque Paanajärvi Lake. Its territory is a unique natural complex consisting of mountain peaks, deep gorges, numerous lakes, swamps and rivers with noisy rapids and waterfalls. Several hiking, water-walking and snowmobiles have been laid in the park. tourist routes of varying complexity and length.

Coordinates: 62 ° 29'9 "N 33 ° 40'26" E
How to get there by car: Along the M18 St. Petersburg – Murmansk highway to the sign for the village of Girvas (70 km after Petrozavodsk), then at the central intersection in the village, turn left and follow for 10-15 minutes to the bridge and the hydroelectric power station.

50 km from Kondopoga in the village of Girvas is a unique natural object with a history of more than 3 billion years - the Girvas volcano. This is the oldest paleovolcano on earth. It is surprising that it was discovered quite recently - about 60 years ago. Now there is neither a mountain nor a crater. However, scientists have found a lot of evidence of the once former activity of the volcano: in the bed of the Suna River you can see a one and a half meter magmatic "tongue", the lava field extends for a thousand square kilometers, and the river bank is formed by frozen magma.

Coordinates: 63.106814, 32.641242
How to get there by car: Drive through Sortavala or Petrozavodsk to the village of Gimoly or Sukkozero. Further on GPS coordinates to the nearest parking lot.

The most mysterious mountain in Karelia, Vottovaara, is located near the villages of Sukkozero and Gimola. Scientists consider this place to be a unique geological monument, and residents of nearby villages - a concentration of evil forces. There are numerous stone structures on the mountain, the history of the creation of which is full of legends and secrets. It is believed that in ancient times there was a cult complex. Trees are also striking in their bizarre shape.

All this gives rise to the emergence of a wide variety of legends from shamans living on this mountain, to UFOs.

Check out others at least interesting places Karelia, you can in our article Monasteries, petroglyphs, quarries and other attractions of Lake Onega

In the northwest of Russia there is republic of Karelia, stretching along the border with Finland. Karelia is an original state within Russia, with its own Constitution, its own special flavor. The uniqueness of the atmosphere of Karelia is associated with the symbiosis of the culture of the titular peoples - the Karelians, as well as the Vepsians, Finns and the predominant Russian population.

Center republic of Karelia is the capital of the region - petrozavodsk city... The city is famous for its embankment, famous for the sculptural compositions that are presented to Petrozavodsk by twin cities every Day of the city. When you walk along the embankment, you fall in love with this land. It reveals all the greatness of the city and Lake Onega - the second largest in Europe after Ladoga Lake, which is also located in Karelia. There is also a monument to the founder of the city - Peter the Great.

In a republic bordering on the Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Vologda and Leningrad regions, washed by the White Sea and glorious for its lakes, rivers, forests, the unique northern nature has created a number of incredible creations. This is Mount Vottovaara - the highest point in the western part republic of Karelia, and the famous Kivach waterfall, as well as other numerous waterfalls of the republic, Ladoga skerries and much more.

All this splendor is located in the edge of the northern coniferous forests, rich in lingonberries, strawberries, currants, raspberries, blueberries, cloudberries, blueberries, cranberries. In the rivers and lakes, there are trout, salmon, vendace, pike, bream, breeder ... all this diversity is characteristic of the unique Karelian nature in the woodlands far from the bustle of the city, which attracts numerous tourists from different regions of Russia and countries of the world.

But not only for those who like fishing and relaxing in the bosom of nature republic of Karelia with its mild climate, rich flora and fauna, it will be the most hospitable place on Earth. The noise of the water on the rapids of the rivers attracts rafting fans to Karelia. Once once in Karelia for rafting, whether on catamarans, rafts or kayaks, a person for a long time cannot forget the journey, which will return him again and again to the world where everyone finds peace of mind. There are also many other types extreme rest in Karelia, where anyone can assess their abilities, get the necessary share of adrenaline, and after a day's drive, sing songs by the fire, enjoying the beauty of the Karelian nature.

Many tourists are also attracted by such objects on the territory of Karelia as Marcial Waters (the oldest resort in Russia, which was opened by order of Peter the Great in 1719, when he discovered the healing power of springs gushing out of the ground), the Kivach reserve, Vodlozersky national park, national park Paanajarvi, Ruskeala marble canyon. In addition, the most popular are the world famous Kizhi island, monuments of wooden architecture that are protected by UNESCO, Valaam island with the famous Valaam monasteryon which you can

Modern Karelia beckons Russians. The republic has long been famous for its natural beauty and resources. People often come here for fishing, hunting and picking mushrooms and berries, which are considered a rarity in many regions of the country.

What is Karelia famous for

Karelia is famous for its water resources... It's hard to believe, but there are more than sixty thousand large and small lakes on the territory of the republic. Among them, the most famous are Onega the lake that washes the shores of Petrozavodsk, and Ladoga lake , considered the largest and deepest lake in Europe and Karelia.

If we talk about tourists who go here, then the overwhelming majority of them are Russian citizens. Foreign visitors know little about the sights of this northern region. Russian Federation, which borders on Finland.

It is customary to get here by rail or the usual by land transport... Recently, people often prefer to travel to Karelia by their own car.

Even those who have never been here before. Fortunately, modern electronic technologies allow you not to get lost in the forest edges of Karelia.

In this tourist republic, a lot of roads run through forests. They often twist. There are many of the most unexpected turns.

Most vacationers come here to not just enjoy the views of the wonderful wildlife Karelia, but also for outdoor activities. For example, various rafting down the river is very popular here. There are enough rivers in the republic, the demand for this type of service is growing, so there is no shortage of boat stations. In these places, visitors can rent a boat and go down the river.

Unlike the quiet type of recreation, fishing, hunting is more active rest... Hunting is allowed here, so those who want to shoot wild animals and feel like a hunter from the past are quite enough for themselves. By the way, you can read about how trout is caught in Karelia.

Is Karelia Russia? Where is she?

Very often many Russians are confused by the word Republic. They believe that Karelia is some kind of foreign country and that it is predominantly inhabited by Koreans.

Myths are debunked very quickly. In fact actually this magical tourist region located in the Russian Federation. To visit there, you absolutely do not need to issue any visas, passports and other documents required to travel outside Russia.

In total, about 650 thousand people ... The administrative capital of the republic is a large industrial and tourist centre Petrozavodsk , which is located on the shores of one of the largest Karelian lakes - Onega.

The land of Karelia is rich in various minerals. Iron ore, titanium, diamonds and other precious metals are mined here. To date, there are 650 officially registered deposits, half of which are engaged in peat extraction.

A well-known deposit in Karelia is Pudozhgorskoe, where titanomagnetite and iron ... In the very near future and in the distant future, the republican authorities plan to expand such deposits in order to increase the extraction of minerals.

Karelia is famous for its water resources. As we wrote above, there are more than sixty thousand lakes, twenty-seven thousand rivers. If we conditionally combine all lake and swamp resources, we get 2000 square kilometers of fresh and clean water.

The location of Karelia on the Baltic crystalline shield explains why most of the rivers are rapids and both banks are covered with stones.

The fauna of Karelia is not so rich when compared with the central part of Russia. Only 63 species of mammals ... Some of them are listed in the Red Book. For example: ringed seal and flying squirrel. In the Karelian forests there are typical Russian animals - bears, badgers, wolves.

In addition, more than 280 bird species live in Karelia. In spring, the number of birds increases due to the fact that geese begin to migrate here from the south. Among the birds of prey, it is worth noting hawks and owls.

In summer, there are a lot of different mosquitoes, midges and horseflies. Blind flies, by the way, outwardly very similar to flies (in fact, these are real flies) belonging to the Diptera family.

This fly has a proboscis with strong spiny bristles. With these bristles, horsefly can pierce the skin of animals and suck their blood. Some species of these flies are dangerous for both livestock and people, because:

• Their bites are very painful;
• They spread various diseases (anthrax, etc.).

Most of Karelia is covered with forests. Lesa grow on an area of \u200b\u200b148,000 square kilometers - this is 85% of the entire territory of the republic. Such a huge forest fund is monitored by 17 forest districts, whose responsibilities include:

• Fire prevention;
• Planting new areas;
• Cutting down old trees.

Population of Karelia every year decreases ... So for eight years, from 2002 to 2010, the number of residents decreased by 70,000 people.

This is due to the low birth rate in the Republic and the departure of people to other cities and regions of Russia. The demographic problem especially affected the remote settlements of the republic.

Young people in these parts, as a rule, do not linger, because they do not see ways of self-realization for themselves.

Most people leave to work in large cities of Russia, someone finds themselves in large administrative centers of Karelia.

The largest city in Karelia is Petrozavodsk; more than 280 thousand inhabitants live here. The second largest population is Kondopoga - 32,000 people. Kostomuksha holds the third place with 30 thousand inhabitants. The smallest locality is Kalevala, which is home to only 4,000 people.

It is curious that a small increase in population is observed only in Petrozavodsk and Kostomuksha, in other cities the number of inhabitants is constantly decreasing.

The state language of Karelia is Russian. Nevertheless, you should not be surprised if you suddenly hear an unfamiliar speech, because such national minorities as live here:

• finns;
• karelians;
• vepsians.

All of them have retained their own languages, dialects and writing since the days when Karelia was not annexed to Kievan Rus. But even after joining Russia and the baptism of Karelians and Vepsians by Yaroslav, these peoples retained their culture and traditions.

History of Karelia

The Karelian Territory began to be populated by the first people as early as 7 thousand years before our era (the birth of Jesus Christ). Judging by the rock paintings and historical information, the main activity of the local population was fishing and hunting ... As we can see, only the status of this activity has changed since then.

If earlier people lived only on the catch, caught and shot game, and fish, today it has basically turned into a hobby and entertainment for visiting Russians.

Almost a thousand years before our era, the people of Karelia mastered iron production ... Thanks to this discovery, there was a sharp leap in the development of society and the emergence of such crafts as caring for the land and raising livestock.

Society became more civilized, evolving from ordinary savage hunters to tillers and farmers.

The composition of the population of the Karelian Territory was also diverse. Various tribes of the Finno-Ugric group, Karelians, Vepsians and Sami, once lived here. The latter are also called lop.

Soon, most of the Karelians immigrated towards the shores of the White Sea, and at about the same time Slavic tribes began to settle on their former territories. It was they who contributed to the widespread development of agriculture, fishing, and cooking with salt.

Karelia fell into the sphere of influence of Kievan Rus in the 9th century. It was during this period that the ancient Russian state was formed. For three centuries Karelia was a part of this strong state. However, after Kievan Rus disintegrated (12th century), Karelia also acquired autonomy, despite the fact that at the same time it was part of the Novgorod Republic.

The capital of Karelia, if it can be called that at that time, was the city of Korela (today it is called Priozersk, which is located on the territory Leningrad region). In the beginning, this city was a tribal center.

In the 12th and 13th centuries Korela became the administrative center ... Another important event of that time was the baptism of the Karelians into the Orthodox faith by Prince Yaroslav by the father of Alexander, who would later be christened Nevsky for the victory over the Swedes on the Neva River. In addition to the Karelians, the Vepsian people also became Orthodox.

At that time, there were often warriors in these lands. Western invaders very often encroached on the Karelian lands. Mostly they were Swedes, Germans, and Lithuanians often made raids.

Prince Yaroslav together with his Novgorod squad very often fought back against foreigners from those lands, and the inhabitants of Karelia always helped the Russian squads in these military campaigns.

At the end of the thirteenth century, the Swedes managed to conquer the western territories of Karelia. To gain a foothold on these lines, they built their fortress there called Vyborg. This event took place in 1293.

Trying to expand their territories, the Swedes made another attempt to seize the nearby Karelian lands, but they were beaten by the Russians and Karelians, and their advance was stopped.

In 1323, most of the Karelian lands, together with their administrative center, the city of Karela, passed into the possession of the Novgorod Republic, so the Orekhovets agreement was concluded. It all started in 1310, when the Novgorodians built a fortress right on the territory of Korela.

In fact, they fortified this city with walls and towers and brought in a military garrison to repel the attacks of Western invaders. As you can see, Karelia was an important strategic place where the interests of Swedes, Livonians and Russians were constantly challenged.

The entire further history of the Republic of Karelia is inextricably linked with the history of Russia and the Soviet Union. The only thing that can be added here is that during the Second World War, in the period from 1941 to 1945, Karelia was seized by the Finnish and German fascist invaders.

In the summer of 1941, Finnish troops invaded the territory of Karelia, intending to unite with german army "Norway". Soviet divisions stationed in these territories staunchly repelled the offensive of the invaders.

However, the forces turned out to be unequal, and already on October 1, 1941, the Soviet command decided to leave Petrozavodsk.

All subsequent years, the enemy desperately tried to break through on this line, but in the end he did not succeed.

During this time, the troops of the Karelian Front not only held back the superior forces of the enemy, but also inflicted significant damage on him, disrupting his plans for a massive offensive.

For courage and heroism, thousands of Karelian natives were awarded by the government, and twenty-six people received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

During the occupation, Hitler's troops destroyed more than two hundred enterprises, educational institutions and various clubs. The war brought devastating destruction to the Karelian Republic.

Below is a video about a family trip in Karelia by car.

The marble quarry operated until 1939, was flooded by the Finns, but now it is a deep canyon of old marble quarries, which has found a new life ...

Sights of Karelia: 6 main pearls in your collection of impressions

Traveling along this unusual land, you involuntarily catch yourself thinking that here, it seems, everyone will be fine. Lovers of natural beauty and breathtaking landscapes will fall in love with the local forests, mountains and lakes. It is incredibly difficult to convey in words how majestic and unique it is.

Fans of history and architecture come here with one goal - to see legendary monuments Russian architecture:, Kizhi, Valaam, etc.

Extremists, fish and hunters adore Karelia for the vivid impressions of river rafting, pristine rivers and forests.

Exit to To the White Sea is another highlight of the Republic. These northern seascapes are wildly and wildly beautiful and are often compared to Norwegian and Finnish ones.

Republic of Karelia: sights of the islands, interesting places in Karelia

Perhaps many of you have heard that this is the land of islands and lakes. It is they who most often attract the attention of tourists:

1. Balaam. These are not just land areas surrounded by Ladoga. This is a real natural monument: sheer cliffs and expanses of indescribable beauty, forests and hills. You want to stay here in order to enjoy the union with the natural. It is no coincidence that the monastery is located on Valaam (the main island of the archipelago), which is almost 1000 years old. "Forest Fairy Tale" organizes excursions to Valaam, supplementing them with a trip to the famous marble mountains of Ruskaeala (they will be discussed below). This makes the adventure richer and more exciting.

2. Kizhi is another island that is worth visiting for those who would like to admire the structures created without a single nail in the days when there was no mass production of steel and carbon, but this is what makes them unique. Here are collected monuments of wooden architecture from all over Zaonezhie, which is why historians and craftsmen managed to recreate everyday life and general form medieval village. When visiting Kizhi, the effect of time travel is guaranteed.

With us you will have an unusual winter excursion to the Kizhi island with a dog sledding trip and a small extreme adventure. You can also order the classic "summer" version.

Karelia: sights of nature that cannot be forgotten

Remember when we talked about the stunning beauty of the local mountains, rivers and forests? It's time to see the unseen and experience the untested!