The ancient city of Sortavala, whose attractions are known far beyond the borders of the Republic of Karelia, has for several years been considered one of the most famous tourist centers in the north-west of our country.
general information
Sortavala covers an area of ​​10 square meters. km and is located on the coast of Lake Ladoga, 240 km from the capital of Karelia. Its population is about 19 thousand people, among which Orthodox Russians predominate. Karelians, Belarusians, Ukrainians and Finns also live in Sortavala. Due to the special microclimate, Sortavala district is considered a climatic resort for people suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis and heart diseases. And those who are more interested in the “sightseeing” of Sortavala (sights), photos of architectural monuments of the city and natural wonders located in its vicinity can be pre-viewed on the Internet.
How to get there
The easiest way to reach the city is by bus or car from Petrozavodsk or from St. Petersburg. In the latter case, tourists will have to overcome a distance of 256 km. On odd dates, rail services are also available. In particular, at 18:25 a train to Kostomuksha leaves from the Ladoga railway station in St. Petersburg, making a stop at the Sortavala station.
A bit of history
Before you find out what to see in Sortavala, it is worth looking into the depths of centuries and find out who lived in this region in ancient times. Judging by the artifacts found on the territory of the Sortavala region, settlements existed there already in the Stone Age, and the first written mention of the name Sortavala is found in a letter from 1468. At the same time, a document from the beginning of the 16th century was preserved where a record was made confirming the existence of the Serdovolsky Russian churchyard on these lands. After the end of the Northern War in 1617, the territory of modern Sortavala came under the rule of Sweden and was returned to Russia only in 1721 under the Nistadt Treaty. By the end of the 19th century, several educational institutions operated in the city and rail and ship connections with St. Petersburg were carried out. In 1918, the territory of the modern Sortavala region became part of Finland. Therefore, during the Soviet-Finnish armed conflict in 1940, along with other Finnish settlements, fierce bombing by the Soviet military aircraft was subjected to Sortavala. The sights of the city suffered quite a lot. For example, the old Lutheran church, which at that time was the tallest and most significant architectural structure in Sortavala, was destroyed. The city finally became part of the USSR in 1944. At the same time, despite the great damage caused to Sortavala during the Second World War, its historical center has been preserved almost in its original form and is of great interest to tourists.
The city's attractions
In architectural terms, Sortavala, whose sights are located mainly in the northern part of the city, is a real gem, since there you can see completely unique buildings in the style of national Finnish romanticism. Moreover, the special beauty of these structures gives the finish with special Serdobol granite. In total, 56 monuments of stone and another 165 wooden architecture have been preserved in Sortavala. Among them, the Church of St. John the Baptist deserves special mention, which forms a single complex with the former building of the Department of Orthodox Affairs of Finland, the Branch of the Bank of the Northern Countries, the Church of Peter and Paul, etc.
A list called “Karelia, Sortavala: sights” will be incomplete if you do not mention one of the symbols of the city - “Monument to the rune singer”. This sculptural composition was installed in the park on Väinämäinen Street in 1935, in honor of the centennial celebration since the first edition of the famous Karelian-Finnish epic “Kalevala”. Tourists will also see the picturesque Gulf of Läppäjärvi, which divides the city into two parts, connected by the new Karelian bridge.
Sights of Karelia: Sortavala region
A lot of interesting things await travelers in the Sortavala region. In particular, not far from the city of Sortavala, in the village of Hiitola, you can see a 20-meter sheer Hiitol rock. Another attraction of these places - the wooden Orthodox church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of the 18th century is located on the island of Riekkalansari, which is located south of the city. In addition, in summer, tourists, especially those interested in diving, should definitely visit the “Ruskeala Mountain Park”, where there is a huge 15-meter marble canyon filled with clear water. Just 17 km from the city on the Tohmajoki River, travelers will also be able to see Ruskeal Falls and explore the rapids on the Yanisyoki River.
Museums of the city
What else is interesting about Sortavala? Sights there can be found literally at every step. For example, not only the architectural monuments of the city deserve the attention of tourists, but also the Museum of Folk Artist Kronid Gogolev, famous throughout Russia, where unique carved wooden panels depicting Karelian landscapes are exhibited. The peculiarity of these works is that they are made of a single piece of wood, and in their manufacture the master used a unique technique for selecting a shade of wood. In addition, the Museum of the Northern Ladoga operates in Sortavala, which occupies a historic building built in the early 20th century. There, city guests will see household items that the inhabitants of Karelia used in antiquity, learn about the flora and fauna of Ladoga and hear a story about the tragic history of the region.
Excursions Sortavala – Valaam
The city is located just 40 km from the main Orthodox shrine of the North-Western region of Russia - the Valaam Monastery. Therefore, most pilgrimage tours and excursions to Valaam usually start from the berths of Sortavala. Moreover, even the path to the islands of the archipelago is an interesting excursion, during which tourists have the opportunity to admire the beauties of the Ladoga nature.
And on Valaam itself, travelers will visit the Transfiguration Monastery, founded, according to legend, by monks Herman and Sergius around the 11th century. The most significant architectural building of the monastery is a magnificent cathedral in the Byzantine-Russian style, where the relics of the reverend fathers of the monastery are stored. Also on Valaam, pilgrims and tourists will visit the hermitages, of which the White Monastery is considered the most famous, and they will see a miracle - the face of the old man Nazariya, which appeared on the oak trunk at the Igumen cemetery.