Kondopoga district is one of the most beautiful and interesting places for tourists in Karelia. On its territory is the famous balneotherapy resort Marcial Waters, founded by Peter the Great and still popular today. Kondopoga itself can offer many interesting and useful pastime options. The sights of this city are diverse, and among them there are tourist sites, similar to which it is impossible to find anywhere else in Russia.
A bit of history
If you are going to visit this corner of Karelia, you will probably be interested to know what Kondopoga is famous for.
The sights of the city for the most part are quite young, but it was founded more than 520 years ago. Initially, Kondopoga was a small settlement within the Kizhi churchyard. Its transformation into an industrial city began after the discovery of marble deposits in the villages of Belaya Gora and Tivdia in the middle of the 18th century. Kondopoga (sights with descriptions are presented below) received a new incentive for its development as a result of the construction of a pulp and paper mill, which is currently one of the largest both in Russia and in Europe.
Assumption Church
In any story about the sights of Kondopoga, a description of this ancient temple is necessarily present. It is considered a symbol of the city and is included in the list of cultural heritage of federal significance. The church is located on the shore of one of the most picturesque bays of Lake Onega - Kondopoga Bay. It is known that the existing building is the fourth temple in this place. It was built in 1774, and its height is 42 meters.
The Assumption Church is considered to be very valuable, since it has preserved a beautiful baroque iconostasis and an old icon-painted ceiling, the so-called "sky". This decorative element of the main attraction of Kondopoga is unique, since you can not see the composition “Divine Liturgy” in any of the current Orthodox churches. The central medallion depicts the image “Christ the Great Bishop”, which surrounds a frame with sixteen faces. Each of them is decorated with exquisite paintings. She demonstrates cherubim with seraphim, as well as angels in deacon vestments.
Kondopoga hydroelectric station
This magnificent example of industrial architecture of the early 20th century can easily be mistaken for an impregnable medieval fortress. The Kondopoga hydroelectric station, which uses the runoff of the Suna River and Sandal Lake, was built in 1916. It is one of the oldest in Russia. The surrounding area is a great place for hiking and picnics, and on the shores of Sandal you can go fishing and relax in the summer.
Museum of Local Lore
Attractions Kondopoga quite diverse. There is also an interesting museum that offers interactive programs that allow you to get acquainted with the history of the city by watching videos and visiting rooms, which recreated the atmosphere that was in the houses of Kondopoga residents in different eras. In addition, there you can see an ethnographic exhibition and visit the hall where objects and documents related to the industrial development of this region of Karelia are collected.
Carillons
Talking about the sights of Kondopoga (Karelia), one cannot but mention the most musical tourist sites of the city.
In total, there are currently 5 carillons in Russia. They are musical instruments consisting of a series of bells, which, thanks to the clockwork, perform a limited set of melodies. Two of them can be heard in St. Petersburg, and one in Peterhof. As for the 2 remaining, then their “home" is Kondopoga, the sights of which, although small in number, are varied and interesting.
Big and small carillons of Kondopoga are the pride of the townspeople. The first of them consists of 23 bells, suspended on an arch 14 meters high, which is installed on the square in front of the Ice Palace. This monumental musical instrument was made in the Netherlands and brought to Karelia in 2001. Another carillon can be seen next to the building of Sberbank on Proletarskaya Street.
Ice Palace
In the past two decades, much has been done to develop tourism in Karelia. For this purpose, many cultural and sports facilities were built in many cities of the republic. Among them, the Ice Palace, with a capacity of 1,850 spectators, is especially noteworthy. This original construction made of glass and concrete adorns the city center and, along with the Assumption Church, is considered its architectural symbol.
Other interesting objects
In addition to the Assumption Church, in Kondopoga there is another temple - Sretensky. It was founded in the tiny building of the former pumping station and for many years it was the only functioning center of Orthodoxy in the city.
In Kondopoga, you can see the beautiful Lutheran church, built in 2004 in the traditional style of northern architecture for Finland. It is considered the largest in Karelia, and it is visited by believers from all over the republic.
Now you know why Kondopoga and its sights are interesting, and you probably want to visit it to see everything with your own eyes and relax against the natural beauties of Karelia.