The land that brought to our Motherland an icy, but at the same time incredibly beautiful glory, is undoubtedly called Karelia. There is everything in this republic, so a tourist for himself will be able to find a tourist with even the most refined taste. The sights of Karelia are the purest smooth lakes and islands that separate them, cliffs showing us underground natural wealth, and incredible heights of spruce and pine trees, enveloping the region with eternal greenery.
A brief overview of memorable places
Despite the fact that this Russian republic is a nature reserve, and one of the most beautiful in the world, seekers of ancient buildings, lovers of ancient architecture and church architecture will also find joy here. The architectural sights of Karelia are famous all over the world for their unique Russian beauty, their spirit and grandeur. Among them, the most famous is Valaam - an archipelago of fifty islands that are located in Lake Ladoga. They housed a religious old complex, which consists of the Transfiguration Monastery, adjacent to it are a stone chapel and the five-domed Transfiguration Cathedral. This complex of islands also has a whole host of monasteries. Some of them are closed, some are converted into mini-hotels, and most of them are often visited by tourists to find out how the former hermits lived.
The complex of Valaam. More detailed description
Now consider in all colors and features the main attractions of Karelia. Where to go if you came here for a week or at least five days? What to do all this time, especially if it's cold outside? The answer is simple: visiting every island from the most famous Valaam archipelago will be one of the most exciting activities for you. It is here that the famous monastery is located, which was built in the 15th century. He was a refuge for many Russian people during the Crimean War. In those years, he experienced an interesting story, which was as follows: the British sailed to Balaam and began to bomb the island, because local monks did not recognize their primacy. To their great surprise, the monastery was practically not injured, after which they turned off their expedition and left our shores.
Features of nature in Solovki
The name of this city alone inspires quite sad historical memories on many Russian residents. They are connected with the Crimean War and with numerous hermit monks who either came here themselves to renounce the whole world, or were exiled by force. Today, people here are very good-natured and sociable. They are in no hurry, they are in perfect harmony with nature, and if you talk to them, they will teach you this as well. After all, it is the air, greenery, mountains and waters that surround this archipelago that can drive any person who is used to a different climate and conditions crazy. It is incredibly calm, the air is so clean and full of oxygen that it starts to make you dizzy. It should be remembered that you need to get used to such conditions, give the body time to adapt, otherwise such an "incomprehensible" state will torment you for a long time. That is why many tourists come to Valaam just for one weekend, just to have time to look at the best sights of Karelia and photograph them.
Museum Islands of Kizhi. The legacy of the Russian people
The Republic of Karelia has become one of the centers of concentration of wooden Russian architecture . The sights that are located on the Kizhe archipelago are truly magnificent churches, monasteries, mills, barns, Riga and just residential buildings that amaze with their beauty. All buildings of the region are made of wood, which gives them a special spirit and charm. It is here that historians and simply architecture lovers come to look at the true Russian North. The local pearl is the Transfiguration Church, consisting of 22 domes, its height is 37 meters. Next to it is the winter church of the Virgin, and between them is a chapel. After visiting these architectural monuments, as a rule, tourists go to explore such sights of Karelia as peasant houses. They present the life of past centuries, the guide tells various stories from the life of local inhabitants who lived here before.
Ruskeala Marble Canyon
It is unthinkable to imagine the natural attractions of Karelia without the famous canyon, which shows us all the natural power and beauty of underground minerals. It was opened during the reign of Catherine the Second and since then is considered one of the most beautiful and at the same time profitable places in Russia. You can look at this miracle of nature from various angles, and in any case you will be fascinated. Along the canyon, many viewing platforms have been laid, on which tourists crowd in winter and summer. Through the underground waters that filled this huge gorge, you can swim in a boat, inspecting the marble deposits nearby. Also, many guides offer to go down to the adits to get acquainted with the underworld, which lurks under these beautiful lands. Well, the most amazing way to explore this reserve is diving, which is possible only in the summer.
Little conclusion
Above was presented a far from complete list of natural and architectural wealth, which is famous for the North of Russia. Kivach waterfalls, Marcial waters, ancient mysterious petroglyphs, Sandal and Onega lakes are places that are visited by millions of tourists every year. They are known as sights of Karelia. You can see photos of some of them in the article, but they do not convey the fullness of beauty that can be appreciated while in those extraordinary places.