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The gem of the Island is the Kizhsky Pogost (Kizhi Enclosure), which includes two churches and a bell-tower standing between them. The highlight is the massive 23-domed Transfiguration Church built in 1714. Reaching almost 100 feet, it is one of the tallest log buildings in the world, but it is ingenious stacking of the domes that makes the church so extraordinary. The interior is beautifully decorated, too, with four stunning stepped iconostasis consisting of 102 XVII-XIX century icons.
Next to the Transfiguration Church is the smaller, nine-domed Church of Intercession, built in such a way that it balances and supplements the larger church. Its domes are neat and expressive but seem almost modest next to its extravagant neighbour. The Kizhsky Pogost is completed by the bell-tower standing between the two churches. All three constructions are put on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Among other highlights of Kizhi is the diminutive Church of Resurrection of Lazarus, moved here from the Murom Monastery. It is, by far, the oldest building in the collection, dating back to the 14th century, and maybe the oldest wooden building in Russia. It is believed by the monks to have a 'miraculous power that cures illnesses.' The Chapels of Archangel Mikhail, of the Assumption of Virgin Mary, of the Divine Savior, and many others complete the ensemble of this atmospheric place.
Usually half a day is enough to look at the key places, but it is worth taking a whole day to explore the nearby villages, which preserve the character of peasants' times and contain many ancient artifacts like tableware and tools.
The nearest city to Kizhi is Petrozavodsk, which has direct flights from Moscow. From Petrozavodsk's ferry terminal you can take a hydrofoil which does several outward trips a day in the mornings in summer, then several return trips in the afternoon. The last starting back from Kizhi, even in high summer, is about 4.25 pm, so mind the time since there's no accommodation for an overnight stay! In winter, you can reach the island by chartered helicopter, which can be very expensive unless you are traveling in a group.
Kizhi is especially beautiful during the long northern summer white nights when the church domes shine with a mysterious, almost phosphoric light. At sunset, too, when the sun is sinking below the horizon, everything is illuminated by a scarlet glimmer that gradually drops to leaden grey. And on fine winter mornings, the snow-covered churches dazzle like fantastic fairy palaces in the sun. It's not easy to get to the island at these special times - most people go on a brief summer day trip from Petrozavodsk - but it's a memorable experience whenever you go.
Russian Cruises stopping in Kizhi
Kizhi
One of the most atmospheric places in Northern Russia is Kizhi Island in Lake Onega, to the northeast of St. Petersburg. What used to be an ancient pagan ritual site is now a popular tourist destination and an open-air museum containing a beautiful ensemble of wooden churches, chapels, and houses. These fantastic buildings, usually put together without a single nail, are, for most, the very essence of the Russian experience. There is an amazing array here, with over 80 pieces of wooden architecture, either built here or carried from all over Karelia and reassembled.The gem of the Island is the Kizhsky Pogost (Kizhi Enclosure), which includes two churches and a bell-tower standing between them. The highlight is the massive 23-domed Transfiguration Church built in 1714. Reaching almost 100 feet, it is one of the tallest log buildings in the world, but it is ingenious stacking of the domes that makes the church so extraordinary. The interior is beautifully decorated, too, with four stunning stepped iconostasis consisting of 102 XVII-XIX century icons.
Next to the Transfiguration Church is the smaller, nine-domed Church of Intercession, built in such a way that it balances and supplements the larger church. Its domes are neat and expressive but seem almost modest next to its extravagant neighbour. The Kizhsky Pogost is completed by the bell-tower standing between the two churches. All three constructions are put on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Among other highlights of Kizhi is the diminutive Church of Resurrection of Lazarus, moved here from the Murom Monastery. It is, by far, the oldest building in the collection, dating back to the 14th century, and maybe the oldest wooden building in Russia. It is believed by the monks to have a 'miraculous power that cures illnesses.' The Chapels of Archangel Mikhail, of the Assumption of Virgin Mary, of the Divine Savior, and many others complete the ensemble of this atmospheric place.
Usually half a day is enough to look at the key places, but it is worth taking a whole day to explore the nearby villages, which preserve the character of peasants' times and contain many ancient artifacts like tableware and tools.
The nearest city to Kizhi is Petrozavodsk, which has direct flights from Moscow. From Petrozavodsk's ferry terminal you can take a hydrofoil which does several outward trips a day in the mornings in summer, then several return trips in the afternoon. The last starting back from Kizhi, even in high summer, is about 4.25 pm, so mind the time since there's no accommodation for an overnight stay! In winter, you can reach the island by chartered helicopter, which can be very expensive unless you are traveling in a group.
Kizhi is especially beautiful during the long northern summer white nights when the church domes shine with a mysterious, almost phosphoric light. At sunset, too, when the sun is sinking below the horizon, everything is illuminated by a scarlet glimmer that gradually drops to leaden grey. And on fine winter mornings, the snow-covered churches dazzle like fantastic fairy palaces in the sun. It's not easy to get to the island at these special times - most people go on a brief summer day trip from Petrozavodsk - but it's a memorable experience whenever you go.
Russian Cruises stopping in Kizhi
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