· Famous · and Unknown ·
· Karelian · Landmarks ·

Kizhi

The open-air museum Kizhi, located on Kizhi island, houses a well-known collection of monuments of wooden architecture. The museum features churches, chapes, peasant houses, and mills from different parts of Karelia. The heart of the complex is the twenty-two-domed Church of the Transfiguration and the nine-domed Church of the Intercession.

Visitors can participate in themed activities and events in the museum throughout the season. Another branch of the Kizhi museum is situated in Petrozavodsk and offers tours and workshops throughout the year.

In the summer navigation season, you can get a speed boat transfer to the island on Onega Lake. The travel time is 1 hour and 15 minutes.

In winter, the mode of transport and travel time depends on the ice situation: tourists can take a helicopter or a hovercraft transfer over Onega Lake.

Valaam

On the islands of the Valaam archipelago in the north-western part of Lake Ladoga, you will find the Valaam Transfiguration Monastery, the first mention of which dates back to the 14th century. For centuries, it was an Orthodox shrine with rich monastic traditions and a complicated history.

The accessibility of the monastery is determined the weather conditions and conditions on Ladoga. In summer, tourists arrive to Valaam by Comet. The boat trip from the town of Sortaval takes 50 minutes. In winter, transfers to Valaam, like those to Kizhi island, can be arranged via helicopter or hovercraft.

You can take a bus or a car from Petrozavodsk to Sortaval.

Ruskeala

The magnificent marble cliffs of the Ruskeala mountain park have piqued the interest of many visitors.

After paying an admission charge on the spot, you can go through a marble quarry. You can also select from a variety of tours. The Underground Ruskeala route will lead you to the quarry’s underground galleries.

Every day, the retro style steam train Ruskeala Express arrives at the mountain park’s railway station. It is a must see and even a must ride attraction.

Thrill-seekers can ride a zip-line over the quarry or bungee-jump in summer. Those who prefer a more serene kind of recreation can enjoy a boat trip on the tranquil lake.
The park is especially lovely in the winter, when Lake Mramornoye is frozen over. After dark, Ruskeala visitors can marvel at the multicoloured illumination of the marble cliffs, which adds a special charm to treks along trails.
2019 saw the beginning of a new tradition — the international festival of ice sculpture — that is expected to become an annual event.

To reach Ruskeala from Petrozavodsk, you can take a car or a comfortable coach with an on-board tour. The distance from the capital city of Karelia is 280 km.