One of the grandiose structures that Russia owes to Tsar Peter the Great is the Staroladozh Canal. At one time, he played a huge role in the development of the state, ensuring uninterrupted trade with Europe and not only. For two hundred years, cargo ships traveled the canal . Today it is a place where residents of the Leningrad Region love to relax and fish. Many of them have summer cottages in the SNT "19 km of the Staroladozh Canal."
Geographical Information
Who of the Russians do not know the legendary Lake Ladoga? After all, it became a saving bridge for thousands of Leningraders during the blockade. It is along the coast of this lake that the Staroladozhsky Canal stretches. Shlisselburg and Novaya Ladoga are the cities on the territory of which its terminal gateways are located. The canal connects two rivers - the Neva and the Volkhov. Its length is 117 kilometers. In parallel to the Staroladozhsky channel is Novoladozhsky.
Building background
As you know, in 1703, the emperor of Russia Peter the first began the construction of the city in the Neva Delta, which in the future was assigned the role of the capital. The idea was grandiose, but its implementation was seriously hindered by the features of the terrain chosen for development. It was surrounded by numerous swamps and shallow rivers, so the supply of materials could only be carried out in winter, when the ponds were covered with thick ice. As for Lake Ladoga, it was distinguished by its exuberant "disposition" and destroyed more than one hundred ships along with people and valuable cargo. In addition, those vessels that sailed along the Vyshnevolotsky waterway from the Volga to the Baltic were simply not designed to travel around the lake because of their low draft. The storms that raged on Ladoga differed little from the sea and spun such ships like slivers.
And the future capital had to be built. And for this, among other things, it was necessary to establish a trade connection with Europe. Peter the Great considered the optimal solution to be the creation of a canal that would bypass the lake and connect the Baltic with the Nordic countries. Initially, it was called the channel of the Emperor Peter the Great, then Petrovsky, Ladoga, and today it is known as the Staroladozhsky channel. Its history began in 1718 with the decree of Peter I on the start of construction.
Canal construction at Peter
Six months after the aforementioned decree, the third-largest construction project of the era of Peter the Great began in Russia (the first and second are St. Petersburg and Kronstadt).
According to the project, the Staroladozh Canal was supposed to have a width of 25 kilometers and a length of 111 kilometers, originating in the vicinity of Novaya Ladoga and “finishing” in Shlisselburg. It was originally planned not to equip it with gateways.
Construction promised to be difficult and very costly. The sovereign even introduced a special “channel” tax throughout Russia, amounting to 70 kopecks from each peasant's yard and 5 kopecks from each ruble earned by merchants.
Peter I personally took part in the realization of his ideas. He owns the first outline of the channel. In addition, the king personally transported land in wheelbarrows to the future dam on the first day of construction.
From 1719 to 1723, the work was supervised by Major General Skornyakov-Pisarev, who attracted a huge number of people to the construction: serfs, civilian employees and soldiers (total - 60 thousand people). Many of them died, unable to withstand the harsh climate and harsh working conditions. This, as well as the Northern War, impeded the work that Peter planned to complete in two years.
In 1773, having arrived at the scene and assessing the situation, the emperor was extremely dissatisfied with the pace of work. Skornyakov-Pisarev and his assistants - artisan Germans - were arrested, and Peter appointed another lieutenant general, Burkhart-Khristofor von Minich, as curator of the construction.
Things got livelier - the Staroladozhsky Canal grew by leaps and bounds. Minich attracted the military to earthworks, which accelerated the process; and also suggested adding locks to the project that were supposed to protect the canal from water fluctuations in Lake Ladoga.
The Persian War made its adjustments to Peter's plans, where most of the servicemen who participated in the construction were transferred, but this situation did not fundamentally change.
By October 1724, the part of the canal connecting New Ladoga with the village of Dubno was ready. Peter the Great even managed to ride through this section, and this visit to the canal was his last.
Construction under Catherine the First
The deceased Peter on the throne was replaced by Catherine the First. With her, the construction froze for a while, but Minikh, who was a fan of the project no less than the late sovereign, managed to get the work resumed. Since 1728, the Staroladozh Canal continued to be built at an accelerated pace.
The last section remained, but it turned out to be the most difficult due to rocky soils. It took 2 years for a small section connecting the Kobon and Neva rivers.
The construction of the canal was completed in October 1730.
Opening of the Staroladozhsky Canal
It just so happened that it was not his successor and wife Catherine the First who opened the brainchild of Peter the Great, but their niece Anna Ioannovna, who replaced Catherine in the “post”.
The opening ceremony was held on March 19, 1730. During her empress Anna personally destroyed the last wall (bridge) in the city of Shlisselburg with a shovel.
On the channel, which became the largest hydraulic structure of the Old World, ships began to walk.
The first years of operation
At first, water transportation of goods was carried out by horse traction. The road along the Staroladozhsky Canal was constantly filled with horses (or, more rarely, barge haulers), who pulled ships with twine.
The process was served by the military as well as civilian volunteers.
The launch of a new structure very quickly transformed the surrounding area. A powerful impetus for development was given to trade, fishing, agriculture, and handicraft. The population grew steadily, built villages, villages and cities.
It was difficult to overestimate the transport significance of the Staroladozhsky (then still Petrovsky) canal. In addition, he was assigned the status of a military strategic facility.
Destruction and rebirth
For ten years, the construction of Peter the Great worked without interruption. But the lack of proper monitoring, care and maintenance played a negative role. The channel began to collapse. The locks became unusable, the slopes collapsed, water became scarce, it was heavily littered.
In such a deplorable state of affairs, Minich was accused. By decision of the court, the lieutenant general was sent into exile in Siberia.
A.P. Hannibal (aka Peter the Great) was trying to correct the situation in 1759-1762, but to no avail. And only returning from exile by decree of Catherine the Second Minich managed to save the channel from complete destruction. He secured the allocation of funds from the treasury for clearing the channel and overhaul of the facilities that had become unusable.
Ekaterina, who was interested in the success of the operation, personally inspected the canal, and on her initiative he received a new entrance. A little later, another entrance appeared in Shlisselburg. All this increased the throughput of the aquatic artery, and vessels began to walk on it even more actively. In addition to freight, passenger transportation on special boats - trehkots, also began to be carried out here. Navigation lasted from one hundred to two hundred days a year.
The emergence of a "successor"
The Russian state was developing, the scale of trade was growing, and it became difficult for the Staroladozhsky Canal to fulfill its “obligations”. Therefore, at the beginning of the 19th century, it was decided to build another canal.
The construction of the latter began in 1861, and ended already in 1865. Initially, the channel bore the name of Alexander the Second, who initiated this project, and then began to be called Novoladozhsky.
It was this building, with more powerful and modern locks, which had a width of 50-60 meters, that took upon itself the main "blow". And the Staroladozhsky (aka Petrovsky) canal, the navigation through which was stopped even after the drought of 1826, ended up on the sidelines. Rafts, barges with hay, as well as empty ships returning from St. Petersburg were “driven” along it.
When at the beginning of the 20th century a railway was laid parallel to the canals, the demand for both water arteries sharply decreased.
Staroladozhsky Canal today
What is the Staroladozh Canal today? Photos depressing him ... He almost dried up and overgrown with reeds and grass. The grandiose project of Peter the Great has a rather miserable appearance - in most areas its width does not exceed a meter. The part of the canal that passes through the territory of Shlisselburg looks best - there are not very many thickets there, and even in some places you can swim in a small boat. The bottom of the reservoir is covered with a thick layer of silt, and there is practically no flowing stream.
Nevertheless, hydraulic construction continues to be heard in the region. So, for example, in the media it is often possible to find information about an accident on the Staroladozhsky Canal when unsuccessful drivers fly off the highway and fall directly into the water. Many of these incidents, alas, are fatal.
But not only on such deplorable occasions the locals recall the canal. Firstly, on its coast is a non-profit horticultural partnership, which is called - "19 km of the Staroladozhsky Canal"; and secondly, here you can go fishing well!
Garden community
Many years ago, amateur gardeners chose the land in the vicinity of the canal. The state allocated plots to people here, and they gladly settled them, building houses and growing fruits and vegetables. One of such objects is the SNT "19 km of the Staroladozh Canal". It is located in a picturesque area, surrounded on all sides by forests, where in summer it is full of mushrooms, and in winter you can ski. Birches, pines and spruce grow in areas near gardeners.
A plot of land in the SNT "19 km of the Staroladozh Canal", reviews of which are mostly positive, is the dream of many city residents who want to be able to periodically relax from the bustle of the metropolis in the lap of nature.
An asphalt road leads to the partnership, there is a pumping station at the facility, irrigation water can be taken from the wells.
Staroladozhsky Canal: fishing and its features
Today, when shipping on the Staroladozhsky Canal is completely stopped, it has not lost its value in terms of fishing. Of course, it is far from possible in all areas (some are very dry, but you can’t get to others because of gardening associations or thickets of reeds), but in some places the places are quite “bready”.
It is best to fish on a canal from a motor boat. But in the vicinity of Novaya Ladoga there are many sites where it is convenient to throw a fishing rod or spinning rod from the shore. Carp, perch, tench, bream, roach, ruff, ide, bream, rotan, zander, pike and some other fish are found in Staroladozhsky. There are such grinding places here that allow you to enter the water and “hunt” for prey with almost bare hands. Fishermen will be pleased with the catch of the mouth of the non-alloyed tributaries of the canal.
Fishing is possible at any time of the year. Choosing the right gear and bait, you can count on success.
Staroladozhsky - UNESCO protected property
Not everyone knows that the Staroladozhsky Canal, which celebrated its 285th anniversary last year, is patronized by UNESCO. The organization has included this property on the World Heritage List, as it is of historical value.
Unfortunately, this has not yet affected the fate of the channel. As noted above, he is slowly dying. There is less water every year, and there is more debris on the banks. And even in the plans of the state there is no large-scale reconstruction of Staroladozhsky. If they will be restored, then only those areas that are located on the territory of Shlisselburg and Novaya Ladoga.
Man-made miracle
In the world there are not so many creations of human hands that shake the imagination. The Petrovsky Canal (aka Staroladozhsky) is one of them. It is extremely difficult for our contemporaries spoiled by technological progress to imagine how people at the beginning of the 18th century, without special machines and other equipment, were able to build such a colossus. Today it seems like real science fiction. But in fact there was no magic. Just thousands of builders sacrificed their lives in the name of fulfilling the dreams of Peter the Great and accomplished the almost impossible.
Both the canal itself and the city, for the sake of which everything was started and for which it was destined to become the brilliant capital of the Russian Empire, owe their existence to these victims.