Solovetski islands
Spaso-Preobrazhensky Solovetsky Monastery
Solovetsky Monastery
On the White Sea coast of the «Russian" part of the Arctic Ocean and near the Polar Circle lies the Solovetski Archipelago, consisting of a cluster of scenic islands, permeated by forests and countless lakes. The Solovetsky Monastery, also Solovki Monastery, is one of the most significant monastic institutions in Russia. The monastery is located on the large island of Solovetsky, a part of the Solovetsky Archipelago.
History
The establishment of a monastery on Solovetsky Island began with three ascetic monks, Savvaty, Herman, and Zosima.Secluded abode of Savvaty and of his associates soon became the centre of powerful attraction of pilgrims. Thanks to tireless labor of brethren, season workers and helpmates, Solovetski Monastery becomes an architectural ensemble, where every building is a unique masterpiece of architecture. Walls, erected from giant boulders in the XVI century, even now catch the imagination by both Cyclopean power and harmony.
History contrasts.
History of Solovki is as much full of contrasts. In 1676, the Monastery was captured by Moscow strelets, who managed to get inside of it through a secret passage, after seven years of siege, as the Monastery had refused to obey the Church innovations, implanted by force. In 1854, the cloister was shelled from English squadron battleships, but it repelled that aggression with fortitude. .... After victory of the communist revolution, at the beginning of 1920s, Solovky became a victim of unprecedented monstrous massacre. Monks were subjected to repression; within the walls of the Solovetski Monastery and of small and secluded monasteries there was made a concentration camp. The first one in the world history destined not for prisoners of war, but for its own compatriots. The camp existed up to the end of the 30s, but only now, after fall of totalitarian regime, one can hear again the Solovetski church bells carillon. Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery has received the first settlers, and the Russian northen stronghold is living revival again.
Remarkable sights
Botanic Garden
The matter of supplying medical herbs and fruits was very important for the monastery, so monacs created there the Solovetsky Botanic Garden..
Botanic Garden
The monastery sent its monks on the missions to different regions of Russia where they collected the medical herbs, which could be cultivated at the Botanic garden. .
The man-made Boulder Dam
The great hydro engineering facility 1.5 km long which connects two islands: the Big Solovetsky island and the Big Muksalma island.
The man-made Boulder Dam
Islands separated by two straits: South Iron Gate and Northern Iron Gate. The islands are connected by a dam built by monks from stone boulders.
labyrinths
On a nearby beach there are several man-made spiral mounds made of stones and earth.These labyrinths are quite old.
labyrinths
According to local legend the labyrinths were built to trap dead souls, so they don’t disturb living creatures.
Historical places
Veliky Ustyug
Veliky Ustyug has a great historical significance and was one of the major cities of the Russian North. It preserved some of the past urban structure and many of the architectural monuments.Veliky Ustyug, in contrast to the majority of historical Russian towns, managed to preserve almost all of its architectural and cultural monuments.
Kizhi Pogost
The pogost was built on the southern part of Kizhi island, on a hill 4 meters above the Lake Onega level.The Kizhi Pogost was built without using a single nail. Many thousands of logs were brought for construction from the mainland. The Church of the Transfiguration is the most remarkable part of the pogost. A legend tells that the main builder used one axe for the whole construction, which he threw into the lake upon completion with the words "there was not and will be not another one to match it".
Kenozersky National Park
In Russia, there are extremely few areas where the cultural and natural heritage would be preserved most fully and multifaceted. One of such territories is the Kenozersky National Park, one of the last islands of the age-old Russian way of life, culture, traditions, which has preserved the wealth and purity of its inner world, turned to its origins.