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Burial mounds on Solovetsky date back 5000 years, but the history of the island really began in the 15th century, when two monks from the Kirillovo-Belozersky Monastery built a wooden monastery here in this remote spot. Surprisingly, the Solovki monastery soon prospered and became one of the powerhouses of Christianity in Russia, as well as a place of pilgrimage, famous for its collection of ancient manuscripts. After the 16th century, though, the monastery became one of the strongest fortresses in Russia, and the islands became the scene of many bloody conflicts.
When the Soviets came to power in the 1920s, the monastery's story took an even darker turn, as Solovki was turned into the first, and most notorious of the Gulags -- the terrible prison camps created for 'enemies of the people,' so memorably and tragically characterized in Alexandr Solzhenitsyn's Gulag Archipelago. The official name SLON (Solovetsky Lager Osobogo Naschenia) sounds very similar to a Russian word for elephant, and many a poor victim of Soviet terror ended up being sent to the elephant. Being sent to Solovki became the Russian equivalent of being sent to hell.
Fortunately, those dark days are now over, and you can visit the Monastery without fear, and see what a fascinating, truly atmospheric place it is. The scars of its prison camp days are being healed as the monastery is restored. The most fully restored is the Annunciation Church, built at the end of the 16th century, and containing the tombs of saintly founders of the monastery. A climb to the top of the majestic St. Nicholas Church, with an adjoining belltower, provides a great overview of the island.
There is a museum in the monastery which reveals the history of the monastery and the SLON. Some people find it difficult looking at the documentation, photos, and artifacts in the Gulag section which display the suffering and cruelty all too vividly.
There is more to Solovetksy than just the monastery, though, and it is well worth staying a few days to visit other sites such as the islands' ancient stone labyrinths and just enjoying the haunting natural beauty of the islands.
In summer (June-September), you can get to Solovetsky by air from Archangelsk, which you can reach by direct flight from Moscow or by slow train. You can also get a boat from Rabocheotrvosk near Kem. You can get to Solovetsky in winter, too, but only by air from Archangelsk.
Russia Cruise to Solevetsky
Solovetsky Island
For centuries, the Solovetsky Islands have been the scene of both extraordinary heroism and extraordinary suffering. They are still haunted by the shadows of the victims who suffered here because of their political views in both Imperial and Soviet times, yet the great ancient monastery here gives the place a unique air of spirituality. And the setting is one of quite a breathtaking natural beauty - a wild northern landscape of bays and headlands, lakes and deep forests. Situated in the chilly waters of the Onega Bay of the White Sea, in the far north of Russia, Solovetsky is well off the beaten track, but those who make the effort will not forget their trip.Burial mounds on Solovetsky date back 5000 years, but the history of the island really began in the 15th century, when two monks from the Kirillovo-Belozersky Monastery built a wooden monastery here in this remote spot. Surprisingly, the Solovki monastery soon prospered and became one of the powerhouses of Christianity in Russia, as well as a place of pilgrimage, famous for its collection of ancient manuscripts. After the 16th century, though, the monastery became one of the strongest fortresses in Russia, and the islands became the scene of many bloody conflicts.
When the Soviets came to power in the 1920s, the monastery's story took an even darker turn, as Solovki was turned into the first, and most notorious of the Gulags -- the terrible prison camps created for 'enemies of the people,' so memorably and tragically characterized in Alexandr Solzhenitsyn's Gulag Archipelago. The official name SLON (Solovetsky Lager Osobogo Naschenia) sounds very similar to a Russian word for elephant, and many a poor victim of Soviet terror ended up being sent to the elephant. Being sent to Solovki became the Russian equivalent of being sent to hell.
Fortunately, those dark days are now over, and you can visit the Monastery without fear, and see what a fascinating, truly atmospheric place it is. The scars of its prison camp days are being healed as the monastery is restored. The most fully restored is the Annunciation Church, built at the end of the 16th century, and containing the tombs of saintly founders of the monastery. A climb to the top of the majestic St. Nicholas Church, with an adjoining belltower, provides a great overview of the island.
There is a museum in the monastery which reveals the history of the monastery and the SLON. Some people find it difficult looking at the documentation, photos, and artifacts in the Gulag section which display the suffering and cruelty all too vividly.
There is more to Solovetksy than just the monastery, though, and it is well worth staying a few days to visit other sites such as the islands' ancient stone labyrinths and just enjoying the haunting natural beauty of the islands.
In summer (June-September), you can get to Solovetsky by air from Archangelsk, which you can reach by direct flight from Moscow or by slow train. You can also get a boat from Rabocheotrvosk near Kem. You can get to Solovetsky in winter, too, but only by air from Archangelsk.
Russia Cruise to Solevetsky
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