The beauty of Karelia. Beautiful places in Karelia

February 10th, 2016 , 01:10 pm

In my previous posts I showed several cities in Karelia -,. The capital of the republic, Petrozavodsk, still lies ahead. But Karelia is famous not for its cities, but for its unique nature, diverse, fascinating, endless. And in my stories about cities, I would like to take a break to show those pieces of Karelian nature that we visited. We didn’t see about the same number of well-known and easily accessible natural sites of the republic, and it’s not worth talking about the dense and secluded corners of Karelia, which you just can’t get to. Therefore, I hope that this story about the nature of Karelia in the history of my blog will not be the last.

Under the cut - Kivach waterfall, Lake Onega in summer and winter, the shore of the White Sea at midnight, an abandoned fishing port in Belomorsk, White Sea petroglyphs, the release of water at the dammed Girvas waterfall, Kizhi, the Ruskeala marble canyon and several more views.

1. I’ll start with, in my opinion, the most famous natural attraction of the republic - the Kivach waterfall. It is located near Kondopoga, on the Suna River. A reserve of the same name is organized around it. There is a civil path with several observation platforms leading to the waterfall itself. The ticket price (currently 150 rubles) also includes a visit to a small nature museum and arboretum.

2. We got to Kivach in amazing early winter weather, with pure snow and temperatures just below zero. Now it seems to me that he cannot appear more beautiful.

3. Kivach is the fourth (in some sources - the second) largest flat waterfall in Europe. At the beginning of the 20th century, a cascade of dams and hydroelectric power stations was created on the Suna, one of which - Kondopoga - we met in the post about Kondopoga. The other one - Palyozerskaya - waits below. Because of them, the Kivach waterfall has seriously lost its power and picturesqueness. However, he still has enough of the latter:

4. Karelia is simply dotted with lakes. If you look at the map, surprise and admiration is caused not only by the number of water spaces, but also by their bizarre shapes. It was as if some artist had drawn them with shaking hands. And how were people able to navigate the labyrinth of these lakes, oxbow lakes, bays, estuaries and lips, find suitable places to live, and build roads? It’s easier to appreciate all the intricacies of water in Karelia from above. On earth, all that remains is to enjoy the views of the water surfaces that regularly appear here and there.
Lake Onega in a snowstorm, within the boundaries of Petrozavodsk. Because of the wind, standing on the shore takes no more than a few seconds. The water is leaden, visibility is several tens of meters:

5. Finland is proudly called “the land of thousands of lakes” by its inhabitants. Karelia, however, is not much inferior to it, and in terms of the number of reservoirs per square kilometer it ranks first in the world. And if you remember about middle lane and Siberia, then Russia, by analogy with Finland, can be called “the country of millions of lakes.”
Lake Onega in the middle of summer, the city of Medvezhyegorsk. It doesn’t seem like a storm, but it’s still restless:

6. And this is Lake Onega in clear weather. Onega is the 2nd largest lake in Europe. The first, Ladoga, however, is also located in Karelia, and we will see it later in this post.

7. In addition to Lakes Ladoga and Onega, there is another large body of water in Karelia - the White Sea. Here is its swampy, rugged shore. About twelve o'clock at night:

8. Generally speaking, I already have a hefty post about the nature of the Karelian coast of the White Sea. It can also, with a clear conscience, be classified as one of the “beauties of Karelia,” but we stayed there for quite a long time and studied the area in great detail so as not to limit ourselves to fragments. Well, the nature on the White Sea is very specific, very different from the rest of Karelia. Although formally this is Karelia, this area can be distinguished into a separate natural and ethnographic region of Pomorie, the second half of which is located in the Arkhangelsk region.

9. Standing apart in Belomorsk, about which in general, stands an abandoned fishing port. Here you can enjoy the views and air of the White Sea in the company of rusting iron and abandoned buildings:

10. Another object that I left out of the story about Belomorsk is petroglyphs. These are ancient drawings carved in stone. They are concentrated a couple of kilometers from the city, in the floodplain of the Vyg River, and scattered over a fairly wide area. The second most dense place is in a kind of stone clearing. The place is called "Zalavruga":

11. You will have to leave the highway onto a broken dirt road and ride along it for a couple of kilometers to the river bank. There is a large forest parking lot here, and then you have to walk. First, you cross this beautiful wooden bridge, then another two kilometers through the swampy Karelian forest. If the weather is rainy, wear shoes that you don't mind! The path is not equipped in any way.
The bridge here has been demolished more than once. His latest version, as well as some other infrastructure, is built and maintained here by a local enthusiast, Alexey Verbov. This bridge, by the way, a week after this shot was taken, was also flooded when water was released from the Belomorsk hydroelectric power station, but it seemed to have survived.

12. Alexey himself can be found directly on Zalavruga in a tent with souvenirs. He does not refuse tourists brief overview on the history and territory of petroglyphs and answers to questions. We bought a booklet from him by him with brief information about these places, which they did not regret later. The territory itself is under the jurisdiction of the White Sea local history museum. The republican authorities also do not seem to forget about the petroglyphs, and there is hope that someday they will centrally arrange tourist site, at least like in Kivach.
Most of the drawings are not striking; you need to look closely at them. In the photo they look brighter and more contrasting than in real life:

13. It must be said that the White Sea cluster of petroglyphs in Karelia is far from the only one. Another place with a comparable number of rock paintings is located further south, on Cape Besov Nos on the eastern coast of Lake Onega.
As far as I understand Alexey, this is the largest rock carving of a deer in the world:

14. But even the White Sea petroglyphs are not limited to Zalavruga alone. They may be less bright and in less concentration, but they are everywhere here within a radius of a couple of kilometers. If you set aside more time for this, you can make a voyage on foot while simultaneously inspecting hundreds of drawings from the route via Zalavruga to the Belomorskaya hydroelectric power station, and from there return to the city. In general, petroglyphs and hydraulic structures and processes here are inextricably linked, because the “deposit” of petroglyphs is located in the middle of the Vyg River delta, in close proximity to two hydroelectric power stations. This place, for example, is generally in a potential flood zone when water is released at a dam:

15. The largest concentration of petroglyphs - "Demon's Footprints" - turned out to be in the immediate flood zone, and during the construction of the hydroelectric power station it was imprisoned in a protective bunker so that the water would not damage the rock art. However, in our time, the bunker was declared unsafe and closed to visitors. The situation turned out to be idiotic - there seem to be drawings, but no one has been able to look at them for ten years. Pay attention to the door to the pavilion. She moved here from a submarine.

16. The bunker is opened only in special cases, not for mere mortals. It is located right next to the dam of the next hydroelectric power station in the cascade - Vygostrovskaya - near the only asphalt road in the area, which leads from Belomorsk to the Kola highway.

17. From the dam of the Vygostrovskaya hydroelectric power station there is a view of the village of Zolotets with its church. Along the road leading from Belomorsk to the highway, there are several villages and a couple of large settlements. Because of this, a false feeling of comfort and familiarity arises. In fact, the places here are very remote. Except for these three villages along the road, living settlements There are only along the White Sea Canal, but there are a couple of those too. And if you believe the statistics, all of them, including the city of Belomorsk, are rapidly losing population.

18. Another Karelian waterfall - Girvas. It surpasses Kivach in its power and picturesqueness, but you can only see it a couple of times a year. The fact is that the waterfall, located on the same Suna River as Kivach, was included in the Suna cascade of hydroelectric power stations, and the Palyeozerskaya hydroelectric power station was built in its place.

19. The bed of the waterfall is encased in a dam and is used as an idle spillway. They “turn it on” only at the end of May, after spring flood, and on special occasions. We were lucky to come across one of these cases: the summer of 2015 was rainy, and the reservoir located above was overflowing. To restore balance in the system, the gates holding back the waterfall were opened, and a rapid stream of water rushed down.

20. The spectacle is mesmerizing: in contrast to the languid aristocratic Kivach, the dashing Girvas, yearning in his stone prison, rages powerful flow, and God forbid anything or anyone gets in his way.

21. At the same time, there is no normal observation deck here, safety precautions are completely zero. You have to go down to the edge of the reservoir along a sloping wet path. It costs nothing to slip and fall down into the seething waters of the waterfall. The only insurance here is the trunks of pine trees and huge anthills at their feet. But it is precisely thanks to this wildness and unsettledness that you realize with all your skin the power and greatness of nature and your defenselessness in front of it. A similar delight from contemplating dangerous natural phenomena at arm's length, without any fences or safety equipment, has been experienced more than once in our country, for example, in Belaya Kholunitsa.

22.

Don’t think that it only makes sense to come here for a couple of weeks a year. On days when there is no discharge and only a small stream flows from the dam, the crater of the ancient extinct volcano Girvas with solidified lava opens up to the eye, which became the bed of the Suna. The canyon itself, in which the reservoir is located, surrounded by high pine banks, looks more like a majestic Siberian river, reminiscent of the distant Yenisei:

23. Let's return to Lake Onega. Not on the coast, but in the depths of its watery expanses. On the Meteor from Petrozavodsk we are going to the famous Kizhi island.To be honest, we went there with a bit of skepticism, just for show. It seems like it’s impossible not to see Kizhi, but at the same time there was no strong desire - they thought there would be a lot of beautiful architecture, blurred by crowds of tourists and infrastructure for selling everything in the world, as is often the case in super-popular tourist places. And as usual, we were wrong.

24. Kizhi is not just an exhibition of wooden architecture, it is real car time. There are cafes and souvenirs only at the pier. On the territory itself, the atmosphere of a traditional Onega settlement is strictly and meticulously recreated. As far as I understand, the museum employees don’t just work on the island - they live here, in the broadest sense of the word. They grow and spin flax, cultivate the land, keep livestock and poultry. All this is successfully woven into an interactive experience for tourists, but at the same time it is not only an entertaining decoration, but also a part of their life. Unusual? Strange?Even more strange was the fact that in the northern part of the island, which is not a museum, several families of descendants of the indigenous inhabitants of the Kizhi Pogost live in the village. They have nothing to do with the museum, they just have houses here, inherited from their ancestors. They also live by subsistence farming. Well, they probably still have something from the crazy tourist flow. Among them there are Old Believers, to whom the museum staff treats in a very peculiar way, because They are reluctant to make contact, and marry only with other Old Believers.
Villages on the Onega Islands. Quite habitable and, judging by the appearance of the houses, country houses. For most Russians, the thought of traveling to the dacha on a speedboat or motorboat probably sounds crazy. He put the dog on the stern, loaded the seedlings and off he went. No Friday traffic jams. You just really depend on the weather.

25. Of course, not all indigenous residents of Kizhi are dense conservatives stuck in the 19th century. Most left for the cities modern life. But the island still has dachas. Having a dacha here is probably the dream of many people, but you can’t buy it. You can only get it by inheritance. I hope this status does not change.
The most important, famous and postcard view of Kizhi, consisting of two churches and a bell tower. The main one, Preobrazhenskaya, is apparently under reconstruction. This ensemble was built right here, in Kizhi, and thanks to it, the museum was formed here. These three buildings, like a magnet, attracted masterpieces of wooden architecture from all over Lake Onega to the island.

26. Getting to Kizhi is expensive and not so easy. The flow of tourists here is simply crazy. There are up to eight tourist Meteor flights a day, one and a half pair of regular ones, and many large cruise ships also stop here. We discard the latter immediately, because No one will use them as a method of transfer specifically to Kizhi. By a strange coincidence, the regular ones travel extremely inconveniently (at night - to the island, in the morning - back) and there is almost no information about them in publicly available sources; you can apparently find out something about them only in Petrozavodsk. Yes, and spending the night in Kizhi is a difficult question. As far as I understand, there are no full-fledged hotels here, and the stay of tourists with tents is strictly limited. The tourist Meteoras remain. All of them, again by a strange coincidence, belong to a fashionable Petrozavodsk hotel. The fleet itself is clearly Soviet-built, and one can only guess how so many ships, apparently previously used on this route, suddenly ended up in private hands.
I won’t talk about Kizhi in detail. Firstly, there is already a ton of material about them on the Internet. Secondly, photographs do not convey half the beauty of this place. To appreciate Kizhi, you need to come here.

27. Of course, the prices are simply outrageous. You can ride there and back for one person for about 4 thousand. On the island itself, at the same time, you spend a little more than four hours, which is catastrophically few. This price includes transportation itself, an entrance ticket to the museum and an excursion, which is quite good in itself. It seems that there are options to pay only for travel, without an excursion, and not for the same “Meteor” round trip, as most tourists are sold, but for different ones, so that you can spend the whole day on the island. But being in Moscow before the trip, we were unable to find out about all these options. Finally, even these expensive and not very interesting tickets cannot be bought just like that. You need to book 3 months in advance, otherwise there will be no places.
In addition to churches, there are also various barns, craft houses, a mill and, of course, homes of both poor peasants and wealthy families.

28. The funny thing is that such a stir is created mainly by foreign tourists. For them, Kizhi is one of the main points in traveling around Russia, fortunately it is located not far from St. Petersburg - the main magnet for foreign tourists in the Russian Federation. Plus, the infrastructure and process of serving foreigners in Kizhi have been perfected since Soviet times. Among the guests there are not only Finns, as one might think. Behind short term During our stay on the island we managed to see the Chinese, Japanese, Germans, and South Europeans. According to the guide, only a couple of years ago the number Russian tourists in Kizhi for the first time in history exceeded 50%.
An ancient cemetery on the territory of the Kizhi churchyard:

29. If in the previous frame there is the second largest lake in Europe, Onega, then this is already the first - Ladoga, in the area atmospheric the village of Lyaskelya, which apparently has well preserved Finnish non-ceremonial architecture. It was a surprise for me that the nature of the west of Karelia is strikingly different from the center: some rocky hills of noticeable height appear here, which gives the impression that we are approaching the mountains. Coupled with endless expanses of water, this gives a rather beautiful effect:

30. And this is the Ruskeala mountain park. This is a fusion of an extreme sports center with a natural landscape museum based on a flooded marble canyon. Located near the village of the same name, 30 kilometers from. There is a lot to see here: an impressively sized lake with clear blue water framed by rocky shores and virgin forest. No less beautiful than Kivach for sure.

31. But thanks to lake alone, Ruskeala would not be so popular and interesting: there are just a ton of beautiful places in our country. It’s also about the amazing organization of space and infrastructure. There are routes throughout the park thoughtful and paths that are comfortable for walking; there are many stands with clear and interesting information. As the walk progresses, all sorts of additional entertainment arises: bungee jumping, ziplining, boating, going down into caves. At the entrance to the territory there are several cafes and shops. All this at very reasonable prices and in excellent condition.
Zipline in action:

32. As far as I know, all this was done by private individuals. The place is neither a nature reserve nor a museum. It feels like people have traveled around the world, looked at “how it should be” to arrange such places and have collected the best here. Everything here is done with skill, soul, love and care for nature, at the level of the best European tourist sites. For Ruskeala, her owners are enormously gratefulrespect. If only there were more places like this in our country...
Abandoned marble quarry:

33. Another complex of waterfalls- Ruskeala, not far from the mountain park. Not as large-scale, of course, as those previously shown, but if you find yourself in Ruskeala and don’t have time to go to large waterfalls (they are at least 300 kilometers away), these will do. Despite the fact that you still can’t deny them picturesqueness:

34. There are a lot of waterfalls in Karelia, and not all of them are within such convenient transport accessibility. You can go on a tour to some of them in a UAZ or Niva; I would regret my car. To others - only with a long hike.

35. The exit point from the M-18 “Kola” highway to the city of Medvezhyegorsk turned out to be unexpectedly beautiful. There are indeed some low tree-covered mountains here, and the damp, cool weather only adds to the associations with the Transfegeras highway in Romania or Rose Peak in Sochi.

36. Finally, a view of the M-18 highway. As if to contrast with the terrible regional roads of Karelia, it, as well as the Petrozavodsk-Sortavala highway, was brought to last years in perfect condition. And this, among other things, greatly contributes to aesthetic pleasure. When you don’t think about how not to fly into a ditch or go around a pothole, the landscapes rushing by are perceived much better. And the road with smooth asphalt, neat shoulders and bollards is beautiful in itself.

36 pictures are, of course, a drop in the ocean of Karelian beauties. But this is enough to understand how beautiful it is there and why Karelia is so popular among tourists. On the other hand, it all looks much more impressive in real life. Before the trip, of course, I saw photos of all these places, but then it seemed that there was “nothing special” here, nature as nature. Seen with your own eyes, Karelia is perceived completely differently. I hope I will return there again and visit what was not included in this trip.
The last point of my story about Karelia will be its capital - Petrozavodsk. Pretty good by standards modern Russia the regional center will only be shown in a few parts. Next time we'll start.

Sometimes gentle, but often grey, dank land of endless taiga and countless lakes. Rocks, swamps, rivers, rivulets. Mosquitoes, midges, berries, mushrooms, fishing. Off-roads, abandoned villages, fields overgrown with grass, carved out of the living body of forests, most often clean. Crazy sunsets and sunrises. Unforgettable white nights. Seagulls over flat water and white steamers.
This is all Karelia. The edge is heavy, but beautiful. With your soul.
Who lives by his own laws and rules.

Karelia is located in the north-west of the country and is part of the North-Western federal district. This is a republic within Russia: it has its own coat of arms, flag and anthem. About 50% of the territory of the Karelian Territory is covered with forest, and a quarter is covered with water. Karelia is the “land of lakes”; there are more than 61,000 lakes, 27,000 rivers and 29 reservoirs. The most large lakes- Ladoga and Onega, and most large rivers- Vodla, Vyg, Kovda, Kem, Sunna and Shuya.

On the Ladvinskaya Plain

The Blue Road, an international tourist route connecting Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia, runs through Karelia. Main types of recreation in the region: sightseeing tours(Kizhi - Valaam - Solovki - Kivach Waterfall - Marcial Waters - Ruskeala Marble Canyon), active recreation (quad bike safaris, rafting on rapids rivers, hunting and fishing, hiking, skiing, bicycle tours, jeep tours), children's and youth holidays in camps, event and holiday tours, holidays in cottages and tourist complexes.

Yukaknkoski waterfall

Vedlozero

The capital is Petrozavodsk. Big cities and tourist centers: Kondopoga, Kem, Kostomuksha, Sortavala, Medvezhyegorsk, Belomorsk, Pudozh, Olonets. Population - about 691 thousand people.

The fauna of Karelia is relatively young, it was formed after the Ice Age. In total, 63 species of mammals live on the territory of the republic, many of which, for example, the Ladoga ringed seal, the flying squirrel and the brown long-eared bat, are listed in the Red Book. On the rivers of Karelia you can see the lodges of European and Canadian beavers.

The Canadian beaver, as well as the muskrat and American mink are acclimatized representatives of the fauna North America. The raccoon dog is also not an indigenous inhabitant of Karelia, it comes from Far East. Since the late 1960s, wild boars began to appear, and roe deer entered the southern regions. There are bear, lynx, badger and wolf.

From year to year, geese flying north stop to rest in the fields of the Olonets Plain in Karelia

Karelia is home to 285 species of birds, of which 36 species are included in the Red Book of Karelia. The most common birds are finches. Upland game can be found - hazel grouse, black grouse, ptarmigan, wood grouse. Every spring, geese fly to Karelia from warm countries. Birds of prey are common: owls, hawks, golden eagles, marsh harriers. There are also 40 pairs of rare white-tailed eagles. Among the waterfowl: ducks, loons, waders, many seagulls and the largest of the diving ducks of Karelia - the common eider, valuable for its warm down.

Just like the fauna, the flora of Karelia was formed relatively recently - 10-15 thousand years ago. Coniferous forests predominate, to the north - pine forests, to the south - both pine and spruce forests. Basic conifers: Scots pine and Norway spruce. Finnish spruce and Siberian spruce are less common, and Siberian larch is extremely rare. Small-leaved species are widespread in the forests of Karelia, these are: downy birch, warty birch, aspen, gray alder, and some types of willow.

Karelia is the land of berries; lingonberries, blueberries, cloudberries, blueberries, cranberries grow here in abundance; raspberries grow in the forests - both wild and feral, sometimes moving from village gardens. In the south of the republic, strawberries and currants grow abundantly. Juniper is common in the forests, bird cherry and buckthorn are not uncommon. Red viburnum is occasionally found.

Kizhi Museum-Reserve

The Kizhi Museum-Reserve is one of the largest museums in Russia under open air. This is a unique historical, cultural and natural complex, which is a particularly valuable object cultural heritage peoples of Russia. The basis of the museum collection is the ensemble of the Kizhi Pogost - an object of the World Cultural and natural heritage UNESCO.

Church of the Transfiguration

37 meters of unprecedented beauty, 22 domes stretching to the sky!
Without a doubt, the most famous and outstanding building ensemble. The church is the tallest building on the island. It can be seen from almost any point on land and water. The architecture is impressive. I can’t wrap my head around how it’s possible without modern instrument, without nails to build such beauty?! But the church was indeed created without a single nail in 1714. Just this year the laying of the church altar took place. The history of the church says that it was erected on the site of an old one that burned down from a lightning strike.

Church of the Intercession

The second church of the ensemble - the winter one, in honor of the Intercession of the Mother of God (feast of October 14) - was built half a century after the Transfiguration. The church is crowned with nine domes. Such a structure is unique in Russian wooden architecture. The existing four-domed iconostasis of the Church of the Intercession consists of original icons, many of which were painted specifically for this temple. The oldest of them dates back to the 16th century. The Church of the Intercession holds services throughout the summer and until the Intercession itself. In 2003, the parish received stauropegic status and is under the patronage of His Holiness Patriarch and All Rus' Alexy II.

Voitsky padun

It is located in Central Karelia on the Nizhny Vyg river, 2 km from the village of Nadvoitsy. The waterfall as such is no longer there, only its dried bed remains framed by dark rocks, green forest and mighty boulders. But once upon a time the waterfall was famous, legends and traditions were formed about it. Its fame grew significantly in the 18th century, when the Voitsky copper mine began operating nearby.

One of the last famous people who visited the “active” waterfall was the writer M.M. Prishvin. He left a description of it, which contains the following words: “...Roar, chaos! It’s hard to concentrate, it’s impossible to realize what I’m seeing? But it’s drawn and drawn to look... Obviously some mysterious forces influence the fall water, and at every moment all its particles are different: the waterfall lives some kind of infinitely complex life of its own..."

Balaam. Rocky Coast Bay

Balaam. Rocky Coast Bay. Having passed from the pier of Bolshaya Nikonovskaya Bay to the southwest of the Valaam archipelago, we find ourselves in the area of ​​​​the most picturesque bay "Rocky Coast" with unique nature Valaam and the surrounding Ladoga.

Balaam. Big Nikonovskaya Bay

Mountain park "Ruskeala". The pearl of the Mountain Park is the Marble Canyon.

Marble Canyon – a monument of industrial culture (mining) late XVIII- the beginning of the 20th century, officially included in the list of cultural heritage of Russia in 1998. There is no such monument in Europe, which is a man-made “bowl” in a solid mass of marble, cut through by a system of mines, adits and drifts. From here blocks were obtained for cladding many architectural creations of St. Petersburg, including the majestic St. Isaac's Cathedral.

This is the oldest of the Ruskeala quarries. Its length is 450 m, width 60-100 m, depth 30-50 m. It is flooded to the level of the upper underground horizon. The Finns flooded the quarry before the start of the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-40. Most of the adits of the first third of the last century are under water. Only one of them is located above the water level.

Externally, the Marble Canyon makes a colossal impression: gray-white rocks break into a turquoise lake with heavily indented shores, and go to many meters in depth.

Some of the blocks hang above the water at a negative angle, and the grottoes that formed in steep cliffs, you can take a boat ride and admire the play of light on the marble ceiling. The grottoes look very beautiful, the white marble of the arches and walls is wonderfully reflected in the calm water.

The combination of the nature of Karelia and human activity has given this quarry a surprisingly picturesque appearance, which attracts travel lovers not only from Karelia, but also from St. Petersburg, Moscow and other places.

Ruskeala waterfall "Akhvenkoski"

Ruskeala waterfall Ahvenkoski is translated from Finnish as “Perch Threshold”. Locals sometimes call it “the waterfall of three bridges.” At this point, the winding Tokhmajoki River crosses the road three times.
The Akhvenkoski waterfall became especially famous thanks to the film “The Dawns Here Are Quiet”, shot in 1972.

Mannerheim Line

The Mannerheim Line (Finnish: Mannerheim-linja) is a complex of defensive structures between the Gulf of Finland and Ladoga, created in 1920-1930 on the Finnish part of the Karelian Isthmus to deter a possible offensive attack from the USSR, 132-135 km long.

This line became the site of the most significant fighting in the Winter War of 1940 and received great fame in the international press. Three lines of defense were planned between Vyborg and the border with the USSR. The one closest to the border was called “main”, then there was “intermediate”, and near Vyborg “back”.

The most powerful node of the main line was located in the Summakyul area, the place of the greatest threat of a breakthrough. During the Winter War, the Finnish and subsequent Western press named the complex of the main defensive line after the commander-in-chief, Marshal Karl Mannerheim, on whose orders plans for the defense of the Karelian Isthmus were developed back in 1918. On his initiative, the largest structures of the defense complex were created.

The defenses of the Mannerheim Line were greatly exaggerated by propaganda on both sides.

place of death of the 1217th regiment

From 24.00 6.02.42 before outgoing day On 02/07/42 the enemy defended the taken lines, simultaneously carrying out continuous attacks on the defense sector. The 1217th Infantry Regiment heroically, defending every inch of land with fire and counterattacks, threw the enemy back to their original position. The enemy suffered heavy losses. But, having met strong enemy resistance, the units lay down and went on the defensive. Surrounded by 1217 regiments, without receiving reinforcements in manpower and ammunition, he died in fierce battles with the enemy, leaving 28 people from the regiment.

The bodies of the dead Soviet soldiers, according to eyewitness descriptions, lay in 2-3 tiers, and during an artillery attack, parts of the bodies scattered throughout the forest. A total of 1,229 people from the division went missing while surrounded.

From the memoirs of former private of the Finnish 8th Infantry Division Otto Koinvungas from Oulu: “The first thing we saw when we arrived at the front line was a soldier carrying a whole cartload of corpses of Russian soldiers on horseback. At the beginning of January, the Russians launched an attack, but were defeated. On both sides of the road there were so many Russian soldiers, dead and frozen, that the dead, standing, supported each other.”

From Onega to Ladoga. Svir River.

Svir - big river in the north-east Leningrad region Russia, near its administrative border with the Republic of Karelia, an important link in the Volga-Baltic waterway. The Svir originates in Lake Onega and flows into Lake Ladoga. There were rapids in the middle reaches of the Svir, but after the construction of a cascade of power plants on the river, dams raised the water level, flooding the rapids and creating a deep-water path along the entire length of the river.

The Svir has two significant tributaries - the Pashu and Oyat rivers, used for timber rafting. The river is home to perch, bream, pike, roach, burbot, catfish, salmon, grayling, etc.
The river is unique due to its many islands. The river flows in lowlands that in the past were occupied by glacial reservoirs. The river is home to perch, bream, pike, roach, burbot, catfish, salmon, grayling, etc.

WINTER IN KARELIA

Kivach waterfall in winter

Ice hummocks on Lake Onega

Russian and foreign tourists have long had their eye on the Karelian region. And the point here is not only in its virgin nature and unique architectural monuments. main reason simple: tourist season in the republic is not at all limited to three summer months- People travel to Karelia continuously throughout the year. Both fans of active tourism and those who love relaxing trips with the whole family will find something to their liking here.

Photos are not mine. A huge number of Yandex sites and pages were used. Sorry for not mentioning anyone in particular.

Karelia - amazing land. Countless clean lakes rich in fish, coniferous forests abounding in berries, mushrooms, diverse fauna, White Nights, northern lights- this is all the nature of the Republic of Karelia. Having visited this republic once, you will not remain indifferent. Every traveler who finds himself in this fairy land, wants to come back here again. Many artists admired the beauty of the republic. Nowadays you can see Karelian landscapes in many museums around the world.

Nature of Karelia: climate

The republic is located in the north next to large bodies of water (Barents Sea, White Sea, Baltic Sea). This proximity saved Karelia from sudden temperature changes, making the climate in the territory mild, and provided the republic with sufficient rainfall throughout the year. Winter here is without severe frosts, and summers are moderately warm. At the same time, say that weather here are stable, it is impossible. The weather changes quite often. Even if there is not a single cloud in the sky in the morning and the sun is shining brightly, this does not mean that in three or four hours it will not rain heavily.

Nature of Karelia: plants and animals

Coniferous forests grow over most of the territory of the republic. In the north of Karelia, pine forests predominate, and in the south - spruce forests. Deciduous tree species also enter from the south. Main representatives: elm, birch, ash, linden. Among all representatives of the flora of Karelia, the Karelian birch occupies an honorable place. She gained her popularity thanks to durable wood, which has an unusual pattern. As you know, there are no annual rings on a tree cut. The wood fibers are arranged randomly, forming a unique pattern. Products made from Karelian birch were valued by both kings and ordinary people.

Pines in Karelia are found both in areas with sandy soil and in swampy and mountainous areas. It's amazing that they are like that big trees can grow on almost bare rocks, and their roots wrap around boulders on all sides. The substrate for them is the lichen with which the mountain ranges are covered. According to the stories of local residents, it is in such pine forests that many porcini mushrooms grow. Spruce trees mainly grow along the banks of rivers and lakes. IN percentage There are an order of magnitude fewer of them than pine trees.

Another feature of Karelian landscapes are swamps. They occupy almost a third of the territory. Vegetable world typical for swamps - mosses, reeds, horsetail, blueberry bushes, cloudberries.

Representatives of the fauna of Karelia are bears, lynxes, wolves, hares, and squirrels. All those who live in the taiga. If you go down to the south of the republic, they will be joined by wild boars, moose, and raccoon dogs. There are a lot of lakes and rivers in the Karelian region, which are inhabited by different animals. I would especially like to highlight an endemic species that lives only on Lake Ladoga - the Ladoga ringed seal. Unfortunately, due to illegal hunting, the number of rare animals is decreasing every year. There are many fish in the rivers and lakes of the republics: from roach to trout and flounder (in the sea). Also, the forests and swamps of the republic are densely populated with blood-sucking insects. Such is the harshness, but beautiful nature Karelia.

Lakes, rivers and waterfalls

It is not for nothing that the second name of the republics is the land of lakes. There are more than 60 thousand lakes in Karelia. This is the so-called inheritance from ice age. Caring attitude The approach of the local population to the reservoirs has made it possible to preserve the almost pristine purity of the lakes to this day. Lakes Onega and Lake Ladoga are recognized as the largest freshwater lakes in Europe.

The republic also abounds in rivers. There are about 27 thousand of them in the region. Most rivers are not very long and are limited to 10 kilometers. But in the republic there are rivers more than 100 kilometers long. The longest ones are Suna, Shuya, Vyg, Olonka, Kem.

There are more than 100 waterfalls in Karelia. The most famous is the Kivach waterfall. Thousands of tourists come to admire the beauty of the natural creation. Even the great poet G. R. Derzhavin captured the beauty of the waterfall in poetry. Representatives of the Romanov family came here to enjoy the beauty and sound of falling water.

Ladoga lake

The amazing nature of Karelia inspired painters. For example, the Russian artist Kuindzhi captured the beauty of the region in three paintings: “North”, “On the Island of Valaam” and “Lake Ladoga”. Until now, the lake attracts tourists who can admire the brewing scenery. The shores of the lake are bordered by coniferous forests, only in the south they are diluted with deciduous trees. The fauna of the lake is very diverse. The fish world is diverse (about 53 species). Its prominent representatives are: whitefish, trout, vendace, roach, bluefish, bream, smelt, perch, pike, burbot. Many birds have chosen the lake. During flights to warm countries swans, terns, ducks, gulls, and cranes stop here. Many representatives of birds nest along the shores of the lake.

There are many rocky islands on the territory of the lake, the most famous of which is Valaam.

During the Great Patriotic War, the “Road of Life” ran along the ice of the lake, saving residents of besieged Leningrad from hunger.

Volcano Girvas

Surrounded by a coniferous forest near the Suna River there is a geological monument - the Girvas volcano. Now it is extinct, but three billion years ago streams of lava erupted from its crater. Geologists first saw it only in the middle of the last century during the construction of the Palyozersk hydroelectric station. Time has been merciless to the volcano, and today it is very difficult to discern its outlines. Now any tourist will be able to touch the ancient geological formation with their own hands. Next to the volcano there is another landmark of the republic - Girvas waterfall.

Mount Vottovaara

One of the mysterious places in Karelia is Mount Vottovaara. The attractive and at the same time eerie landscape of the slopes sets the mountain apart from other geological formations of the republic. At the top there are structures made of stones. As some scientists and researchers suggest, this is the work of the ancient Sami tribes who once inhabited this territory. And they used this place for ritual ceremonies. And now many psychics come here to recharge their energy. There are dead lakes near the mountain.

Karelia: vacation

In Karelia, nature has created all the conditions for tourists to relax. A large number of sights and amazing places will not let travelers get bored. Everyone will find something that will satisfy their desires. For lovers active rest- hiking, river rafting, for those who like a relaxing pastime - sanatoriums with various health procedures.

- an unforgettable land of natural beauty. Here, moss-covered swamps coexist with virgin forests, mountains and high hills give way to magnificent flat landscapes, the calm surface of lakes gives way to turbulent river flows and a rocky seashore. But it’s not only the landscape that amazes with its diversity. Extraordinarily rich in plant and animal world Karelia - many of its representatives are listed in the Red Book.

About 85% of the territory of Karelia is covered with forests - mainly coniferous and small-leaved, where spruce, pine, as well as birch, aspen, and alder grow. But the undoubted leader among trees is the hardy Karelian pine, which occupies 2/3 of the area of ​​all forest land. Growing up in a harsh climate, according to local residents, it has healing properties - it feeds energy, relieves irritation and fatigue. The Tsar's tree, Karelian birch, also grows in local forests. Small and inconspicuous in appearance, it has gained worldwide fame thanks to its unusually hard and durable wood, with its intricate pattern reminiscent of marble.

The fauna of Karelia is typical of taiga and tundra. It contains 63 species of mammals, 285 species of birds and about 60 different species of fish. The forests are inhabited by roe deer, elk, and reindeer. There are bears, lynxes and wolves. Canadian beavers, muskrats and raccoon dogs, once brought to Karelia, have taken root well in local conditions. The most common birds in Karelia are hazel grouse, black grouse, partridges, wood grouse, and predators such as owls, hawks, and marsh harriers. Fish of the salmon and carp families are found in rivers and lakes.

Karelia is also a paradise for berry and mushroom pickers. Forests and swamps are rich in raspberries, lingonberries, blueberries and strawberries. Karelia is famous throughout the world for its abundance of cranberries and cloudberries. And it’s not worth talking much about mushrooms - even in the leanest year, no one will leave the Karelian forests without a basket of selected boletus mushrooms.

Watch the video: Berries of Karelia, collection of wild berries.

The Republic of Karelia is located in the northwestern part of Russia, and a special ecosystem has formed on its territory. Here Fresh air and massive forests that occupy most of the territory. Among the most important natural objects are Lakes Ladoga and Onega. Small rivers flow through the territory of the republic (the longest of them is the Kem River).

Karelia is located in the temperate continental region climatic zone. Winter here is long and snowy, but mild; frosts are extremely rare. The Karelian summer is short and cool, with temperatures generally not exceeding +20 degrees Celsius. Closer to the sea coast, the weather becomes unpredictable and changeable, as it partially manifests itself here maritime climate. There is frequent precipitation here.

Flora of Karelia

In the north of Karelia and in the mountainous areas, plants such as spruce and birch grow, which are found in the tundra zone. A significant part of the territory is coniferous forests, rich in pine and spruce, as well as other species of evergreen plants. The closer you go to the south, the more intensively it is replaced by deciduous trees:

• - alder;
• - elm;
• - maple;
• - Linden;
• - birch;
• - aspen.

Found in forests different kinds shrubs, including blueberries, blueberries, wild rosemary. Moss moss and heather can grow here. A huge number of mushrooms grow in the forests.

Fauna of Karelia

Large populations live on the territory of the republic brown bears, lynxes, wolves, as well as white hares, squirrels, badgers, and beavers. Otters, muskrats, seals, and martens live near reservoirs. In the south of Karelia live wild boars, moose, Canadian minks, and raccoon dogs. A huge number of birds live here:

• - sparrows;
• - loonie;
• - hazel grouse;
• - wood grouse;
• - golden eagles;
• - loons;
• - partridges;
• - seagulls;
• - black grouse;
• - hawks;
• - owls;
• - eiders;
• - ducks;
• - waders.

In the reservoirs of Karelia there is a huge number of marine and river fish. These are salmon and salmon, pike and ruffe, smelt and flounder, pike perch and roach, river trout and herring, perch and cod. Different types fish are anadromous, lake-river and sea, depending on the type of reservoir.

Karelia has many interesting natural sites. Their safety, self-regulation and viability depend solely on people. The less the local population interferes with this ecosystem, the richer the world of flora and fauna in Karelia will be.